Transcript Our Experience At “Solidarity” McDowell Mission, West Virginia

Our Experience
At “Solidarity”
McDowell Mission,
West Virginia
Who Are We?
We are a group from the University of Notre Dame who
came to McDowell for our Fall Break. Our group was
comprised of fifteen students from all over the country
(Massachusetts, Nebraska, Hawaii and Alabama) and
around the world (Peru and Hong Kong). The week spent at
McDowell Mission was truly a bonding experience. Coming
to McDowell, we knew very little about each other, but the
volunteer work allowed us to interact and share with each
other in many ways.
History of the region
Working in a community affected by the consequences of
irresponsible coal mining allowed us to examine these issues
in a deeply human way.
The work we did was explained to us in the context of the
history and hardship of the region. The need for home repairs
resulted from the dire poverty of the area and lack of
resources and opportunities for many living in Appalachia.
Often, much of the damage we saw was caused by
devastating floods that swept through the region, ultimately
caused by land too damaged and destroyed to properly
channel and control water coming down the mountainside.
The Mission
The McDowell
Mission Clubhouse
located in Gary, West
Virginia, houses the
majority of teams that
help in the region. It
provides a quiet and
comfortable
accommodation for the
team’s stay.
Living Quarters
The Mission consists of
three levels with the
third used entirely for
the team’s living space
including both cooking
facilities and sleeping
rooms. There are three
rooms consisting of
several double and triple
bunk beds, two kitchen
areas, two bathrooms,
and two common areas.
Overall, the McDowell Clubhouse was a very comfortable living area!
Fending for Food
The kitchens are well
equipped with ovens, two
microwaves, two freezers,
two refrigerators, cookware,
plates, and utensils.
Everyday before
heading out to our sites,
we would pack
ourselves lunches.
Introduction to worksite
Our group of 15 split into 3 teams. The first team
spent the week underpinning a trailer.
Many of the people we worked for went through
hardships due to floods. At all the sites, we were
invited to eat with the owners and they often offered us
food while we worked.
Team Tazewell
Team Tazewell, a not-so-close
town in VA that some of the
students made a pit stop in on
the way to McDowell County,
helped Andrea. The group spent
a week taking off the old
underpinning, constructing a
wooden frame around the outer
edge of the trailer, and nailing
up a new, tin underpinning.
Underpinning will prevent any
animals from getting
underneath the trailer and will
help keep water out as well.
…Andrea
Andrea’s trailer home was hit hard by
floods and its underpinning needed
repairs. Andrea typified the hospital
personality of the people in McDowell
County. She was eager to offer us sodas
and, when it got cold, the warmth of her
home. She even took it upon herself to
help with some of the tin cutting, even
when we assured her we would handle it.
Her kindest gesture was the bags of homemade baked goods (apple bread,
Rice Krispy Treats, and brownies) she prepared and gave to each of us.
She, like all the people in McDowell County we encountered, was a
hospitable and gracious for our aid.
Team Porchy
Team Porchy, our name for a stray cat that would not leave the site,
built a stair and porch for the Mary Anne’s back door. Even though
none of us had any experiences building decks or porches, we were able
to get the job done after talking it through.
Jeremiah, our site overseer, and Jay, a
McDowell worker, helped us lay the
foundation to the porch.
…Mary Anne, and Coco and Casper
Mary Anne was going through
Coco and Casper are chemotherapy and could not walk down
Mary Anne’s dogs, her stairs. We felt we were really
and they frequently helping her by building lower steps on
welcomed us into
her porch.
their home.
Team Green-shirt
Team Green-shirt repaired
some leaking shingles on
Mrs. Mattie’s house.
The second part of the week, the
group repaired broken windows
of Vickie and David’s home.
Roofing and repairing windows
was scary at times, but the
students supported each other
through these fears and had a
blast.
…David and Vickie
The roofing team worked with
David and Vickie, who are victims
of recent floods.
The couple manifests pride in their
grandchildren with numerous
portraits hung in their inviting
living room.
Vickie demonstrated Appalachian
hospitality by warming our hearts
and cold hands with hot cocoa and
coffee while we worked.
Goofing off…
Not only did the home repair teach us
practical skills, it taught us how to
work together as a group. It was also
a lot of fun!
Entertainment
In the evenings after a
hard day of work, we
gathered in the two main
rooms to sip hot chocolate
over a game of cards or
chess. We spent many
hours in the Clubhouse
playing cards, discussing
issues, socializing and
relaxing after a hard day
of work.
Fellowship
Each night we sat
outside under the
brilliant night sky for
common prayer.
Fellowship added
deeper meaning and
power to our tasks.
It highlighted both our similarities and our differences and
celebrated the unique talents and experiences each individual
brought to the group. A group rosary was instituted every
evening which became another opportunity for bonding and
deeper thought about our reason for being there. The
friendships built and strengthened over the trip continue to
grow even after the trip is complete.
Trip Overview
The trip to McDowell Mission can be summarized in
two words: solidarity and honesty. Solidarity involves
building porches, roofs, or underpinning as well as
building strong bonds with the community you are sent to
serve. The various projects allow the service group to
reach out to the community with the gifts we brought to
meet their present needs. We were able to experience the
land that is so dear to the Appalachian people by sharing
a week in their beloved mountains, by hearing their music
and learning about their rich coal mining history.
Thank you McDowell Mission!
Our week at McDowell Mission was an amazing
experience. Doing service work with other people is
truly a bonding a experience. We feel blessed to have
gotten the opportunity to meet both the workers at
McDowell Mission as well as the residents of
McDowell County that we assisted. With the
Gospel as the backbone of all that it does, McDowell
Mission truly is an amazing place. We each feel very
fortunate to have spent a week there together.
“Solidarity is not a feeling of vague compassion or
shallow distress at the misfortunes of so many people,
both near and far. On the contrary, it is a firm and
persevering determination to commit oneself to the
common good; that is to say, to the good of all and
of each individual, because we are all really
responsible for all.”
On Social Concern (Donders), #38; Catholic Social Teaching.