Youth Mission Trips
Appalachia Pikeville, Kentucky Mission Trip
July 23-28, 2023 plus some travel to and from site
Participants
- Katelyn Andersen
- Beverlyann Brown
- Tyler Brown
- Abigail Castillo Olson
- Lauren Hinkley
- Dakota Norwell
- Issac Russell
- Sophia Russell
- Joy Shimenga
- Pastor Amanda Olson de Castillo
- Cheri Farrer
- Herb Russell
- Scott Perkins
Community Profile – information from Experience Mission
In the heart of the Bluegrass State of Kentucky, we find the beautiful Pike County. Pike County is known as Kentucky’s “Mountain Treasure.” Pike County is Kentucky’s largest county in terms of land area and has a population of 68,736.
History
Pike County was founded in 1821 and was named for General Zebulon Pike, the same explorer who discovered Pikes Peak. You may have heard of Pike County as they are known for the famous Hatfield-McCoy feud. This feud was an Appalachian vendetta between two families that lasted from the 1860s up to the 1890s.
Pike County is true to the Appalachian way of coal mining and has trademarked itself as “America’s Energy Capital” because of its immense reserves of coal and natural gas. They are a leader in the nation’s coal & gas production and are continually developing strategies to further lead the nation into more comprehensive energy plans. Pikeville, a town within Pike County is the 3rd largest banking center in the commonwealth and is considered an economic hub in Eastern Kentucky.
Needs
The median income per family in Pike County is $34,700 per year. Many of the people who live under the median income are elderly or disabled. Because of this, the elderly or disabled families, as well as other families who have fallen on tough times, fall through the cracks and do not make enough to pay for the labor of keeping up their homes. There is a large need for manual labor as well as skilled labor.
Work Projects
In all Eastern Kentucky communities, work projects are organized to support the needs and vision of the community and are designed to connect team members with local people and families. There is a large population of elderly and disabled shut-ins in this community and many are the focus of our projects.
Your team will be involved in home repair, yard cleanup, landscaping, and community restoration work projects that reach out to those in need in various practical ways. We will work in neighborhoods with a diverse group of people and circumstances. Team members will have the opportunity to share their lives through service, prayer, and time spent with the families and children they come to work amongst.
Outreach Ministry
In Pike County, there may be additional opportunities to serve in various types of relational ministry if the need arises. These could include: visiting the elderly, singing at a nursing home, gardening, cleaning, etc.