About 170 students from Houston pitched in to help mow and clean up yards, repair and paint houses, build ramps, shelves, picnic benches and more, while in Bullard for about a week.

The youth, along with about 70 adult leaders, arrived Sunday, June 20, from Chapelwood United Methodist Church of Houston. The work was part of the group’s 2010 service project theme, The Amazing Race. Based on the Biblical passage found in First Corinthians 9:28, the group is focused on “running for an imperishable crown” while serving Bullard residents.

The students were divided into groups or “teams” that included at least one adult leader. They worked on property in Bullard and around the area, including Lake Palestine.

“Team Radney” worked on the yard and house for Dorothy Ingram. The work included painting the outside of her house.

“It’s wonderful. I’ve never had any help before,” Ingram said. “It’s always come out of my pockets and my pockets are empty.”

Another group, “Team Fleck” worked on the yard at Pat Stuart’s house.

“Gosh, I appreciate them,” she said. “These kids are wonderful. They work!”

Joseph Klam, associate pastor over children’s youth ministry at Chapelwood supervised the project.

“Really, we thank Bullard for having us,” he said. “I’ve never experienced hospitality like I have in Bullard.”

Klam said the project is designed to help build character in the young volunteers, and to help them to appreciate the “importance of service.”

According to Klam, the youth come from affluent families in the Houston area, and they typically do not have the opportunity to do the kind of work they did in Bullard this past week.

“This is an opportunity for them to step out of their world which revolves around them,” Klam said. “To step out of the me, me, me and focus on others.”

This is the third annual trip to Bullard for the Chapelwood group. Klam said students, who range from seventh- to 11th-grades, pay $250 apiece for the opportunity to make the trip from Houston to Bullard. Many of the adult volunteers also pay to attend. Additionally, Klam said the group spends about $50,000 in Bullard and the surrounding area for materials, food and other supplies.

During the week the students were housed at three Bullard churches, including First Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church and Southern Baptist Church.

The work, which also including razing sheds and minor construction projects, was completed at no cost for labor or materials to the homeowners.

Groups also completed projects at some Bullard churches and at the Mission House in Bullard.

Hazel Mason, director of the Mission House, which includes the Food Pantry and Clothes Closet at the Mission House, organized the project from the Bullard end. That included arranging the various projects well ahead of time.

“What they do here is just amazing,” she said. “Words cannot say what these people have done for Bullard.”

Klam, who previously lived in Tyler, said many of the volunteers have been involved in the program for years. Some who started as youthful volunteers are now serving as adult leaders. Chapelwood youth have been involved in similar summer projects for 13 years.

Not every community is as hospitable as Bullard, so Klam said the group enjoys their visit here (despite the heat).

Student volunteers from Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Houston worked on several projects in the Bullard community last week. The work included painting houses and out-buildings, razing sheds, mowing and cleaning yards, building ramps and shelves and much more. About 170 students and 70 adult leaders completed dozens of work projects as part of the church’s summer mission themes. (Banner Staff Photos by Don Treul) “This feels like home,” he said. “I can’t say enough about the people of Bullard and how hospitable they are.”

Echoing the sentiments of Ingram and Stuard, many in the Bullard community expressed thanks to the volunteers from Chapelwood.
Josef Klam (center) supervised the volunteer work by more than 240 members of his Houston church. Hazel Mason, right, spearheaded the work on the Bullard end. (Banner Staff Photo by Don Treul
More than 240 members of Chapelwood United Methodist Church in Houston shared as volunteers in the Bullard area community last week. (Photo Courtesy of Carlee Klam)