By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Josh Moseley lifts tin up to his site workers who are repairing the roof at a site in Newberry.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_DSC_0045.jpgJosh Moseley lifts tin up to his site workers who are repairing the roof at a site in Newberry. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

NEWBERRY — The annual Salkehatchie Summer Service returned to Newberry County this year to help those in need by improving and repairing their homes.

The Salkehatchie Camp began last Saturday with 93 registered campers coming to Central Methodist Church. On Monday they began repairing homes in Newberry, Whitmire, Pomaria and Silverstreet. Each home comes with its own site leader.

This year Josh Moseley and Sarah Moseley — who happen to be brother and sister — are site leaders for two individual homes. Josh has been involved with Salkehatchie for 11 years and Sarah for nine.

“I began working with Salkehatchie in 2004 because I heard about how much fun it was from the older youth,” Josh said.

After Josh started with Salkehatchie, he inspired his sister with his stories about Salkehatchie and she soon followed in his footsteps.

“I started working with Salkehatchie when I was in high school. Josh was already doing it and he and everyone else said it was so much fun and that it was a good opportunity to learn skills,” Sarah said. “After my first year, it struck a cord. This is my hometown and I need to give back.”

Josh said he looks forward to Salkehatchie all year because there is nothing like the relationships that are built with the homeowners and the campers. Sarah agreed with her brother, and added what it means for the homeowners.

“Salkehatchie really works with Christ. We really get to see Christ and be his hands and feet. We then get to see how humble and thankful the homeowners are,” she said.

Both siblings have seen a difference going from site worker to site leader. Josh said that while he was a worker he saw the leader doing a lot of the work, but now as a leader he sees that the workers do a lot of the work.

Josh and Sarah were both leading their teams in hard work at their site locations. At Sarah’s house, the team was painting the exterior, replacing the floors, laying in carpet and tiles, building a deck, putting in a new door and putting cool seal on the tin roof.

At Josh’s location they were fixing the front of the roof, installing four new windows, putting in new outlets and switches, fixing the ceiling in two bedrooms and repairing the plumbing.

The pair’s younger brother William usually participates but had just returned from an archaeological dig in Israel and was unable to make it.

What is Salkehatchie?

Salkehatchie is a program that has been around for 37 years in South Carolina. There are about 50 camps in the state, with over 3,000 participants. Participants must be at least 14, but there is no age cap.

“The program goes through the United Methodist Church. The word gets out through youth ministries and word of mouth and in this day in age youths hear through Facebook,” said Joyce Barrow, director of Newberry Salkehatchie.

The Newberry camp began July 18 and runs through July 25. Campers stayed at the church all week, with the boys sleeping at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer and the girls at United Methodist. Each camper pays $230 to participate and that money goes toward supplies to fix the homes. All meals are provided by local churches.

“The true purpose of this camp is to serve our communities in South Carolina, and we work on homes of those who cannot help themselves, like the elderly and the disabled,” Barrow said. “The only stipulation is they must own their home.”

This year the Newberry camp worked on seven homes. They receive requests all year round and those are then added to a list. When it gets closer to the time, Salkehatchie directors go through and assess the needs of the homes.

“Some people do not have needs that require 12 people to work all week and other have needs that are beyond our skill set,” said Steve Barrow, director of Newberry Salkehatchie.

The decision on what houses are picked involves home visits, and meetings with the owners. This year, the type of repairs the camp conducted included repairing floors, replacing roofs and ceilings, painting, building porches and shower access for elderly.

Another aspect of the camp also includes worship.

“A part of the camp that is just as major is that we have some sort of worship every night. We have a praise band each night and a talent show on Wednesday. This allows the kids to let off some steam,” Joyce Barrow said.

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @TheNBOnews.