If you have been following along with the Feels Like Home blog series this summer, you have heard countless stories of the heart of ASP from Matt Headland and his guests. However, it is that time of year again, when I must tell you that our Summer Program has come to an end.
On Saturday, we recommissioned our Summer Staff before they departed, heading back to their hometowns, their colleges, their friends, their “real life.” Here at headquarters this recommissioning service signals the time to sit back, and exhale– another summer has come and gone. Though, as I sat down to write to you all today, I struggled to find the right words to express the variety of emotions racing through my mind.
After a summer with ASP, I often think back to how different things were 11 weeks ago. Eleven weeks ago, our Summer Staff was arriving for training, hundreds of families had not yet heard if their home would be chosen for repairs this summer, and thousands of volunteers had not yet experienced their unique Central Appalachian community firsthand. So many lives were about to be touched, and they didn’t even know it yet.
I want to tell you today about some of the transformations that happen during our 50th Summer of Service at ASP. And while I could tell you about how I have personally been transformed (yet again) by this ministry, I cannot speak for others’ experiences. So today I thought I would let them tell you…
On behalf of all of us here at ASP, thank you for supporting us, volunteering with us, opening your homes and communities to us. A successful 50th Summer of Service has come and gone, and if you ask me, it was one of the best.
Cara Nagy
ASP Digital Marketing, Social Media, and College Programs Coordinator
