The Appalachia Service Project (ASP) is a weeklong trip where a group of teenagers and adults travel to a impoverish place that is in need of repair. Time spent between the months from September to July is the time of fundraising and preparation for the trip. The ASP group of 2013 traveled down to Wyoming County-Mullens, West Virginia occurred during the week of July 6th-July 14th.

ASP values doing something for others that are in more need of help than you are. It searches to find people willing to give up a week of their time to help a family that is threatened by their home that is falling apart. It allows you to realize what is important in places around you rather than focusing on what’s going on in your town. Then when you have completed your task, it’s rewarding to see the appreciation the families have for the help you have given them.

The 2013 group that went down to West Virginia this year helped 16 different families. The families had nicknames that were from Disney movies, which also represented the families’ situation in some way. One family was called Homeward Bound. This family was referred to as Homeward Bound because a father had 13 children and five of them were taken away because the house was deemed unsafe. This story is an important example of why ASP exists. The assistance ASP has given to this family over the course of this summer has been reaching to accomplish the reuniting of a family.

Senior Caroline Kiddie was one of the members of the Homeward Bound group during the ASP trip.

“It meant so much to me, it made me realize how lucky I am to live in a place like Scituate. My personal experience was I helped reunite a family, and it is an amazing feeling. I think everyone should do this kind of service, it makes you appreciate your life, family, and friends so much more,” said Kiddie.

ASP is a big organization in Scituate. Although they accept kids that go to private schools, a large chunk of the kids that go on the trip are from Scituate High School. This trip cannot only bring a family together; it can bring groups of people together that don’t normally hang out together. It’s a trip that can supply someone with a new group of friends that share the interest in helping others in need.

Being apart of the ASP group of 2013 has opened up a new door. It has been refreshing to know that a family is one step closer to being together again at the Homeward Bound site. It is also great to see the look on a person’s face and how appreciative they are when they see how a little room that was falling apart can be almost finished in a week. Something like ASP is a good organization to be a part of when wanting to do something for others and make a difference in someone else’s life.