Catholic Heart Workcamp offers teens camaraderie, chance to help

Published: 2006-07-21

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) -- The Orlando, Fla.-based Catholic Heart Workcamp provides teens with a chance to clean up their image as well as their community in a weeklong camp centered on faith-powered mission work. The campers carry out service projects, giving teens an eye-opening experience and showing adults there are good teenagers doing good things in the world. The Nashville branch of the camp was hosted by Father Ryan High School July 2-8. "The facilities are perfect for us," said Tom Caprera, manager of the camp along with Steve Mackey. The two men, both members of St. Philip Parish in Franklin, began preparing for the camp in January, finding work sites and organizing the almost 300 registered teenagers into groups of five or six, with an adult leader for each group. The camp was founded in 1993 by Steve and Lisa Walker. The first one in Orlando drew only 100 participants. Today, there are hundreds of parishes and thousands of teens involved. From June 11 to Aug. 5, about four camps are held each week.

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