Teens get sky-high over helping poor in Troy

"I've never built a house before," said the teen from Our Lady of Fatima parish in Delanson. "It's so different."

She is one of a dozen teens who forsook seven days of summer vacation to take part in the inaugural week of SALT (Service Action Learning Teams), which is sponsored by the Albany Diocese's Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.

Serving others

Through such hands-on experiences, SALT exposed these mostly suburban teenagers to homelessness, hunger, crime and the hardships of living in the inner city.

Music, laughter and friendship were tempered during the week with a distinct sense of dedication and a growing understanding about Catholic teachings on social justice.

"These kids are being exposed to things they might not be comfortable with or things they might not be aware of," said program co-coordinator Peggy Keogh, who added that she was impressed by the ability of the teenagers to handle unfamiliar situations.

Why they came

Jennalee Wright, also from Our Lady of Fatima, wanted to experience "something I wasn't used to." Alyse Timber, from St. Henry's parish in Averill Park, came to encounter diversity and found it listening to the stories of the men and women who come to the soup kitchen at St. Mary's parish.

At night, the team listened to men and women who devote their lives to serving the needy families of the Capital District through the agencies and charities in which they volunteer. The teens also reflected on daily experiences.

"I praise these kids for being pioneers," said Joe Tamer, co-coordinator of the SALT program and a youth minister at St. Joseph's Church in Troy. "Their responses and reflections on what they take in each day really amaze me."

Growing

"You read about how people struggle to live when they're homeless," she said. "When you see it, you actually learn firsthand what it's like. It's a lot easier to understand what those words on the paper really mean."

Alissa, who had never spoken with developmentally disabled adults before the afternoon she volunteered at the Brunswick ARC, was touched by the hugs she got from two residents.

Kevin, who has a part-time job in food service, found that serving the homeless at St. Mary's soup kitchen was very different from his daily routine.

"I've noticed that the people at the soup kitchen, even though they don't have much, still have faith inside of them that keeps them going," he said. "You can tell that they're in need of being a part of the community."

Finding unity

"We're very comfortable around each other -- like a family," she said. "The questions we ask are the hard questions, not just the basic things. Instead of 'What's your favorite color?' it's "Do you believe in God?'"

She agreed with Kevin that her time working on the SALT team strengthened her faith and said enthusiastically that the week was one of the best of her life.

"Even though I've done service projects before, I've never been away for a week," she said. "I can't say enough that it has been a positive experience."

Laudable work

"On five weeks' notice, these kids gave up an entire week of their lives," he said. "I don't know many people who could take an entire week off from everything they're doing and just serve the community. I praise these guys up and down for making the decision to come."

But Alissa and her friends -- sorting staples and screws, and cutting lumber down to size with a large power saw -- don't mind that they're not sitting by a pool.

"We're just starting this house," she said, precariously perched near the edge of the half-built home. "It's so different to be able to build this house. They're going to let volunteers come every Saturday, so I hope I will be able to come back."

(A second SALT week will run August 11-18. For information, call 453-6630.)

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