Volunteers begin flowing into county

BEARDS FORK — SALS Housing, the non-profit housing program affiliated with the Southern Appalachian Labor School (SALS), has begun to welcome the influx of volunteers who will work on houses in Fayette County this year.

According to John David, SALS director, over 2,000 volunteers from colleges, universities, faith-based organizations and Global Volunteers will be involved.

“The amount of spending they contribute for food, lodging and supplies in this area, in addition to the value of their donated services, is enormous,” he said. “Many of the groups add on activities, such as whitewater rafting as well.”

Already having completed this week-long visits are members of Global Volunteer teams and university students from Florida State University, Rutgers, Boston University, Wartburg College (Iowa), University of Miami, University of Illinois and Madison (Wisconsin) Area Technical College. New arrivals include church groups, large contingents from Global Volunteers and faith-based groups through Group Workcamps and Christian Endeavor of Pennsylvania.

The volunteers learn about SALS through several Web sites, such as www.sals.info and workcamp catalogs. SALS is one of a handful domestic sites for Global Volunteers, which heavily promoted the SALS site in major publications, such as the March 2009 issue of The Ladies Home Journal, as a “working vacation” opportunity.

“As a result, SALS has become the destination address for volunteer services,” David said.

The university volunteers stay at the SALS Community and Conference Center complex in Beards Fork, which now includes the former Beards Fork Church of God. A new dormitory is also under construction at the Center with bids recently awarded for the fire alarm and sprinkler systems. The larger groups with Group Workcamps and Christian Endeavor stay at WVU Tech, the former Gauley Bridge High School and Rev. Terrance Hamm’s Living Waters Church in Montgomery.

Evening programs are arranged and include discussion of the local economy and culture by John David, Artie Mullins, Brenda Winter, Kathryn South-Adkins, Vickie Smith and members of the SALS staff and board. Musical programs are provided by Billy Payne, Dud Settle, Harold Allen, Terri Lively and other performers.

The volunteers are distributed among the many SALS crews to work along with YouthBuild and AmeriCorps. Work will include home weatherizations, home rehabilitation, new home construction and apartment rehabilitation.

Anyone interested in further information should contact Debbie Spurlock at SALS, 304-779-2772.

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