Youths and adults from All Saints Parish in Knoxville participated in a Catholic Heart Workcamp in Ashland, Mt., July 11-16. The 34 campers joined 330 others from 14 parishes from nine different states for a week of service and ministry.
Participants completed community service projects on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation during the day. At night, they joined together in prayer, song, and faithfilled programs that included testimonies, drama, and videos.
The camp was held at St. Labre Indian School, which is a highly rated educational institution in southeastern Montana.
The camp involved interactions with Native American elder leaders, community leaders, and St. Labre Indian School alumni. There were tribal drums, instruments, and singing during liturgy and adoration throughout the week. On the last night of camp, several members of the Cheyenne tribe gathered for dancing and culture in a special pow-wow for the camp.
Catholic Heart Workcamp partnered with the Northern Cheyenne Housing Authority and other local entities to set up projects for the week. Projects included painting, yardwork, carpentry, building wheelchair ramps, porch repair, home repair, and working with the local Boys and Girls Club.
The All Saints group also toured Yellowstone National Park and went whitewater rafting on the Yellowstone River. Catholic Heart Workcamp, which began in 1993 and is based outside of Orlando, Fla. holds more than 50 camps nationwide and in the Caribbean, with more than 15,000 teens participating. For more information about Catholic Heart Workcamp, visit heartworkcamp.com.
