On January 7, 2008 at the Piqua City Commission meeting, Piqua area's Great Miami River Group Workcamp project announced that they will once again accept applications to obtain housing rehab assistance through the Group Workcamp. In this project, 55-70 local homeowners will benefit from the work of a projected 350 adult and teenage volunteers at the Great Miami River Group Workcamp, coming to Piqua and the area from July 20-26, 2008. These home repairs will be provided free (materials and labor).  The Group Workcamps Foundation program is sponsored by a collaboration of the City of Piqua and six local churches: Family of Grace Methodist, Freedom Life Ministries, St. Boniface Catholic Church, St. Mary Catholic Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church and Upper Valley Community Church. The Workcamp project is chaired by Thom Baker, Andy Burner and Lou Havenar.

Applications were taken for a period in the fall and a second round will be opened from January 9th through February 21st. Group Workcamp Foundation Project Director for the Piqua Area Workcamp, Kyla Davis, said that having a second round of applications is commonplace to almost every Group Workcamp around the country. It's a matter of name recognition and getting often- times bashful residents to request this opportunity to obtain some help. The Piqua Area Group Workcamp has received about 40% of the applications needed thus far, a good sign for the Program.

Applications are available at a great number of locations including the Piqua City offices (City Manager's Office, Utilities Business, Health & Sanitation, and the main lobby), Covington City Hall, Piqua YWCA, Miami County YMCA - Piqua Branch, Piqua Area Chamber of Commerce, Medicine Shoppe, many local banks, Piqua Compassion Network, Miami County CAC, Miami County offices (Commissioners, Development, Health, Transit, Miami County Jobs & Family Services), Fletcher Post Office, Health Care Partners, Piqua Salvation Army, Co-Sponsor Churches' offices, and many Piqua area churches. It may also be obtained off the City web site www.piquaoh.org (go to Group Workcamp link). Completed applications should be returned to any of a number of locations listed on the application. If an organization wishes to distribute applications, please contact Debbie Foster at 773-1264.

The target area for homeowners, who wish to be considered for assistance by Workcamp has been expanded to the east and west - approximately bounded by Bradford to the west, to Houston and Lockington to the north, to the Champaign County line to the east, and to the Eldean Road line to the south, including the Pleasant Hill area.

The 31 year old Group Workcamp Foundation is a non-profit, interdenominational Christian volunteer home-repair organization headquartered in Loveland, Colorado. In 1977, Workcamp program was created as a result of massive flooding in Colorado which required rebuilding homes. This summer's 64 Workcamp with over 30,000 young people and adults will take place in many different states, including but not limited to Florida, Virginia, Oregon, Montana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, Tennessee, Minnesota and Ohio.

At each Workcamp, teenagers and adults-all members of church youth groups-volunteer a week of their time to repair homes throughout the community. "This represents about 12,000 hours of volunteer labor, building materials, etc. -worth at least $100,000-to the community here," said Lou Havenar, co-chair of the Great Miami River Workcamp.

"These really are remarkable young people," said Joel Fay, Vice President of Group Workcamp Foundation. "Each one is actually paying for the privilege of working in your community. Workcamp registration fees are used to cover our costs for food, insurance, and building materials."

The Workcampers will be housed at Piqua High School sleeping on classroom floors, eating in the high school cafeteria, and enjoying evening programs in the gym. "This service to the community would be impossible without the wonderful cooperation of the Piqua City School District. The beauty is that it costs the Piqua City Schools nothing, not a dime, and the youths enjoy a marvelous facility for their week." remarked Havenar. Group Workcamp Foundation will reimburse all costs to the lodging facility.

The Great Miami River Workcamp collaboration of the City and six sponsor churches has appealed to other churches, community organizations and individuals to participate in the Program preparing the community for the Workcampers in July and response has been very satisfying. Yet, there are still jobs that last varying periods of time and require skills from communications to teaching to construction. Those wishing to volunteer to help prepare the area for Workcamp in July, 2008, can give Andy Burner a phone call at 778-2054 or e-mail Burner at aburner@piquaoh.org.

Repairs offered through the Great Miami River Workcamp include interior and exterior painting, weatherization, porch and step repair, wheelchair ramp repair/construction, and other work.

Resident homeowners, who are low income and elderly, disabled or are single parents and are interested in applying to receive assistance may contact Debbie Foster, member of the project steering committee, at 773-1264, for information.