Hi again! This week we traveled to Kanawha, WV, and Greenbrier, WV. Lots of fun travels happened!
This week is a special week, one I have been waiting for all summer. My church, La Plata United Methodist Church, ASP group traveled to Greenbrier County to serve, and I was able to visit them. The ASP trip taken with my church has always been my favorite week of the summer. Sometimes I can’t believe I am able to spend all summer working for ASP and capturing their story this year. It is a blessing and dream come true. And I wouldn’t be here without one special person, Mr. John Carns.
Mr. John is such an inspiration to so many and such a light in this world. He has shared his passion for ASP with hundreds of people, one of those being me. I recall sitting in church in 2017, listening to a group of volunteers from my church discuss their experiences on their week of ASP. From that moment, I knew I wanted to be a part of that amazing work. After that service I went up to Mr. John and told him I wanted to go on the next trip. Unfortunately, I was too young at the time, but you bet once the 2019 trip came around, I was on board! Fast forward to five ASP trips, a Youth Leadership Summit weekend, and ASP dinners, and I am here all summer as an intern, and I couldn’t be happier. But I wouldn’t be here if Mr. John Carns hadn’t shared his passion with me those years ago. From my first trip with 30 volunteers from our church to this year with 71, it has been amazing to watch ASP spread through so many lives. Mr. John has been a mentor, a friend, an inspiration, and one of my biggest supporters. He has been keeping in touch with me and my ASP adventures this summer, which means the world. I hope you have a Mr. John in your life, because it is a wonderful thing to have someone so caring and supportive in your corner, from whom you can learn in many ways.
Being able to visit my church ASP group for half the week and being able to share my summer ASP memories so far was very special. Driving to Greenbrier, excitement filled my body as I knew I was going to see my family and church family in just a few short hours. As we pulled into the parking lot, all I saw were smiles and people running towards me. I felt like I was home. This summer I have loved meeting all the volunteers across different centers, but nothing beats getting to see my home church family serve on ASP for another year and getting to capture their work and memories. As I took on this new role in ASP, from volunteer to intern, my church has been nothing but supportive and happy for me.
Family is an important part of ASP, especially within my church group. If you look at my group, you can see lots of different family combinations. Fathers, Mothers, Daughters, Sons, Sisters, Brothers, Grandpas, Grandsons. I go on ASP with my Dad, sister, and brother, which is so special. Being able to spend a week with them, serving others, learning construction, and getting quality time together. It has been so special to spend the last five years on ASP with my Dad. Watching my Dad work and share his knowledge has been incredible. Making memories on the worksite with my sister has always been amazing, as we get time together to help others and learn construction from our Dad. And my-not-so-little brother, Owen, is now at the age where he can join us on the trips, and it was so great to be able to watch him grow to love ASP this week. He always had to stay home because he was too young, and listened to many of our stories when we got home. But this year he got to come on our trip. It has been so special to share ASP with another family member and watch them love the work, the people, and the mission.
So, spread your wings to spend quality time with family and those you love. Find family that may not be by blood but by love and experiences. ASP will give you a family like no other and an experience to spend with your family.
Until next week!
Haley Holcomb
Story Gathering Intern
