The Mountain Spirit (Fall/Winter 2013)

Vol. XXXII No. 1 Fall 2013

WorkFest

2013 Also In This Issue

CAP Women’s Retreat • Scenes of Summer Camp The Sound of Home • Sisters in Service A Publication of Christian Appalachian Project

Editor’s Letter

Spirit EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alyssa Miles

I

f you’re an old friend to The Mountain Spirit, you are likely looking at this publication in your hand and thinking that you may have received it in error.

This is not the same magazine that you recognize from the past. In some ways, you are entirely correct.

As the leader of a dedicated new team, it is my pleasure to introduce the redesign of The Mountain Spirit. We are thrilled to share with you a renovated magazine filled with vibrant photographs that embody our mission, and a clean, user-friendly style for your reading enjoyment.

What I also hope you notice is that the heart of The Mountain Spirit remains the same, as it always will. The reason it exists is to impart stories and triumphs of people— real people who have been personally affected by Christian Appalachian Project. Each section now focuses on one of CAP’s three core values: Faith, Service, and Compassion.

I am confident that these stories will touch your heart and move you to action, as they have me. In the following pages, you will find traces of grief and hardship, but I humbly pray that you find encouragement and joy, knowing that lives are being dramatically changed.

It is our responsibility as CAP staff to be transparent with the community through which we receive support.

This magazine is our opportunity to show you the impact your prayers, volunteer hours, and gernerous gifts have accomplished. You deserve to see the smiles of those whose lives you have touched, and I am delighted to be a part of the process the makes it happen.

There is one thing I do ask of you. Let us know what you think. Give us the opportunity to share our impact in a valuable, meaningful way. You will find contact information on this page and I would love nothing more than for you to use it.

Affectionately and enthusiastically,

Alyssa Miles Editor-in-Chief 2

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Clay Lester CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cindy Butor, Kathleen Leavell, Clay Lester, Alyssa Miles, Rayann White CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Clay Lester, Barry Powers, Rayann White CONTACT US By phone: 859.269.0635 Toll-free: 866.270.4227 Email: capinfo@chrisapp.org Website: www.christianapp.org Mail: Christian Appalachian Project P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555

SUBSCRIPTIONS The Mountain Spirit is published twice a year. The suggested donation is $20.00. Subscription requests and other correspondence should be sent to : The Mountain Spirit Christian Appalachian Project P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555

CONTENTS

OUR MISSION STATEMENT

The Christian Appalachian Project is an interdenominational, non-profit Christian organization committed to serving people in need in Appalachia by providing physical, spiritual, and emotional support through a wide variety of programs and services.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES I. To promote the dignity and self-worth of individuals by promoting self-help.

II. To practice and encourage good stewardship of and accountability for all of the resources entrusted to us.

III. To foster individual growth among staff, volunteers, donors, and program participants.

IV. To live out and promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ through all of our actions.

V. To foster open, honest, and effective communication both inside and outside the organization.

VI. To involve the Appalachian people at all social and economic levels in developing solutions to poverty.

Copyright, 2013, the Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. All rights reserved. The Christian Appalachian Project is a non-profit Christian service organization operating throughout Appalachia. The Christian Appalachian Project is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is qualified to receive tax deductible contributions.

Financial and other information about Christian Appalachian Project, Inc.’s (CAP) purpose, programs and activities can be obtained by contacting Guy Adams at 6550 South KY Rt. 321, P.O. Box 459, Hagerhill, KY 41222, 1-859-269-0635, or for residents of the following states, as stated below. Florida: SC No. CH98 A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-HELP-FLA. Maryland: For the cost of postage and copying, from the Secretary of State. Michigan: MICS No. 9993. Mississippi: The official registration and financial information of Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office by calling 1-888-236-6167. New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED

BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING (973) 504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT http://www.nj.gov/ lps/ca/charity/chardir.htm. New York: Upon request, from the Attorney General Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271. North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 1-888-830-4989 (within North Carolina) or (919) 807-2214 (outside of North Carolina). Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of Christian Appalachian Project, Inc. may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling tollfree, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Virginia: From the State Office of Consumer Affairs In the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218. Washington: From the Secretary of State at 1-800-332-4483. West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEDUCTIBLE FOR FEDERAL INCOME TAX PURPOSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW. REGISTRATION IN A STATE DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION OF CHRISTIAN APPALACHIAN PROJECT, INC. BY THE STATE. Funds received in excess of what is needed to support this ministry will be distributed to other CAP missions. From time to time CAP rents or exchanges its list of supporters with other trusted organizations to benefit CAP’s programs and activities. If you do not wish to participate in CAP’s list rental or exchange activities, or if you wish to modify the frequency of future communications from CAP, please write to us or give us a call at 1-866-270-4227.

FAITH Keeping the Faith

5

Persevering Together

6

The Church That Gives

8

Appalachian Houses of Worship

10

By Kathleen Leavell

By Rayann White

By Cindy Butor & Rayann White

By Clay Lester

SERVICE

12

Rebuilding Homes & Creating Memories

By Rayann White

15

Sisters In Service

18

Summer Camp 2013

By Alyssa Miles

By Clay Lester, Barry Powers, & Rayann White

COMPASSION Philanthropy, The Next Generation

21

Remembering the Lost Children

25

By Cindy Butor & Rayann White

By Cindy Butor & Rayann White

ARTS + CULTURE 27

Saved By the Bell

By Clay Lester

28

The Sound of Home

By Clay Lester

31

Back Porch Poetry

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

3

Appalachian Home

Order Today!

Greenery for the Holidays

1-877-919-9901 or Visit Us Online www.appalachianhome.org A portion of the proceeds from our greenery sales will go directly to Christian Appalachian Project programs. It is our hope that you will help us brighten the lives of those in need this Holiday Season.

All Prices Include Shipping & Handling Mountain Home Wreath

Our signature wreath is a real beauty. A colorful 24” Noble Fir wreath, decorated with Holly Berries and frosted Pine cones.

A large red velvet weather-resistant bow compliments this attractive wreath. The bow is fully assembled and ready to attach.

Item: MHW $42.00

Christmas Cross

A stunning 22” long cross, created with Noble Fir, Incense Cedar, and Ponderosa Pine Cones. Accented with a red velvet bow.

Item: CCW $38.00

Scent of the Season Wreath

An elegant mixture of fragrant Silver Dollar Eucalyptus and Blue Berried Juniper are accented with clusters of Red Pepper Berries and White Berries in this deluxe 26” wreath. Ships with a beautiful ready-to-attach, fully-assembled weatherresistant red velvet edged gold bow.

Item: SSW $48.00

Velvet Basket

This basket has the simple grace of Noble Fir, Western Red Cedar, Princess Pine, Oregon Juniper & Holly, accented with Red Berries and two beautiful velvet ribbon cone sets.

Item: VBC $38.00

Appalachian Home Wreath

This 24” mixed greenery wreath is a base of fragrant Noble Fir decorated with Incense Cedar, Juniper, and cones. A ready-to-attach, fully-assembled, weatherresistant traditional plaid bow sets off this welcoming wreath.

Item: AHW $40.00

Yuletide Cheer Swag

This cheerful 24” swag is a base of Noble Fir decorated with Incense Cedar, Blue Berried Juniper, a spray of Red Berries, and Lodge Pole cones. Accented with a red velvet bow.

Item: YCS $36.00

FAITH

O

ften our founder, the late Rev. Ralph Beiting, was asked, “What would you say is the single most important accomplishment of the Christian Appalachian Project?” His answer is as true today as it was when he first set about this mission. He said, “We know that with God we can do all things and without Him we can do nothing.”

Of all the amazing stories and achievements over the last half century, this may not be the answer many might expect, but it opens the gate to everything we have been able to accomplish and all that lies ahead.

Poverty is powerful and relentless. It’s not the kind of adversary one takes on alone. It takes more than an individual, more than a team, and more than an organization.

Each of us at CAP has to know that we are dependent upon God first--first before our own talents, before our own ideas, before our own strengths and resources. We can’t just think it or just hope for it. We really have to know it.

It isn’t a matter of logic. Sometimes it’s not even a matter of common sense. It’s a matter of faith.

It is in faith that we are called to begin each day here in prayer. Whether in one of our chapels or wherever our scheduled assignments have us, we are expected to begin each day connecting with our mission and with God’s Plan for this day. We are called to begin every meeting, every budget preparation, and every planning session in prayer to keep

KEEPING THE FAITH

By Kathleen Leavell

us mindful that we are not about our own work but about something truly sacred.

It is in faith that volunteers respond to God’s call to service here. There is no other way that volunteers can leave their family and friends to give a year of their lives, committed to service that they neither began nor will see completed, without depending upon their faith.

It is only in faith that our donors can give so generously to an organization they have never seen and can believe so passionately in the Appalachian people, whom they have never met.

Poverty is powerful and relentless.

It’s not the kind of adversary one takes on alone.

For our greatest example of faith, we look to those we serve; those who find the strength within themselves to try one more time; those who summon the courage to emerge from isolation and develop new skills; those who are blessed to look beyond what is and believe in what they can become.

It is our faith that ties us together. This is the common thread that binds every donor, volunteer, staff, and those we serve into one mission. This is the same faith that was given freely to each of us by God. And in the end, this is all that will be asked of us. n

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

5

FAITH

PERSEVERING TOGETHER

CAP WOMEN’S RETREAT OFFERS SPIRITUAL RENEWAL

A

By Rayann White

ppalachian women have lived through hard hands-on work and isolation, raising both children and food. They’ve lived through being crowded together in coal camps, fought hard battles physically and mentally, and nursed babies and broken hearts. Appalachian women bore the iniquities of a whole people on their backs - whether the burdens they bore were any fault of their own or not. They live by stern principles. They live by know-how and have strength many wouldn’t even pretend to know. It’s a strength that is bigger than they are, because their faith does not stand in self or circumstances. It is a faith with a foundation that truth is truth, and anything else will eventually pass away and can be endured.

The Christian Appalachian Project’s (CAP) Family Advocacy program recently held its 10th Annual Women’s Retreat May 14-16. The Advocacy program is a core part of CAP’s mission and provides short-term emergency assistance to people needing food, utilities, shelter, medical supplies, household goods, or clothing. It works closely with community-based organizations (including 12 other CAP programs) to address the family’s long-term growth and goals, while focusing on preserving their dignity and encouraging self-help.

The retreat was held at CAP’s Camp Andrew Jackson, nestled in the mountains of the Daniel Boone National Forest in McKee, Kentucky. There were fifty-two women from McCreary, Owsley, Jackson, and Rockcastle Counties, who gathered for a time of spiritual refreshment, renewal, relaxation, and activities.

The theme, “Running with Perseverance,” was based on Hebrews 12. The ladies who attended were encouraged to set goals and pursue their dreams and to never give up,

6

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

despite any difficulties and oppositions that might come against them.

Robyn Renner, Family Advocacy Manager, always prepares for the retreat with much enthusiasm. “I love the ladies who attend our retreat and look forward to seeing them return year after year. After all the planning, it is very rewarding to see the relationships built during these three days,” Renner said. “I have been inspired by the ladies’ faith and strength to battle through whatever trials come their way; many of these ladies have a variety of needs. I see the struggles they go through, and I feel their hurt and their pain.”

During the Women’s Retreat, the camaraderie between the ladies was obvious. Age was definitely just a number for the women, who ranged from 20 to 89 years, as they reached out to pray and encourage one another, forming what one could truly call “sisterhood.”

Program Coordinator Jenny King stated that, “The retreat is our staff’s favorite program of the year. It provides us with a chance to get to know and relate to our participants on an emotional and spiritual level. It’s a blessing to be a part of something so special.”

The retreat was clearly designed as just that: a true retreat

with no worry of details for the participants. The women who register need only to get to Camp AJ and leave the rest up to the staff. The three days were well organized, with sessions planned throughout the week addressing spiritual, emotional, and physical health needs.

Speakers addressed topics such as stress and healthy living, which allowed opportunities for learning and discussion.

FAITH

“They love feeling beautiful, and we hope that they know they already are.”

Participants were also offered the opportunity for creativity through arts and crafts, in addition to canoeing on the lake, fishing, swimming, and taking nature walks through the woods. Some chose to just relax on the porch, which overlooks the beautiful mountains, listening to the faint sound of a waterfall.

It’s a rarity for most of these women to have any time or resources for themselves, so Glamour Shots and BINGO are a huge hit. “They love both of these, and it’s a release for them. They love feeling beautiful, and we hope that they know they already are,” Jenny said.

The retreat allows women to break away from the ordinary. For many, the responsibilities of having raised children (as well as their children’s children, in some cases) are viewed as less a burden than a blessing.

One woman shared, “I was always told how to do things by other people on the outside, how to raise my children, how to be a wife. Back then, it just seemed our way was never good enough because it wasn’t like the way those outside of these hills did things, but look at these hills,” she instructed. “They take a different way of life. The city takes a different way of life than the country. Living by the ocean takes different know-how than living on the plains. I can’t pretend to know what is best for anyone other than myself; I’ve lived in these mountains my whole life, and with all that I’ve seen, and all that I’ve gone though, I wouldn’t change anything.”

Another woman has attended every retreat. Her poor health allowed her only to attend day camp this year, accompanied by her devoted daughter, Cynthia, and loving granddaughter, Melinda. “I’ve been involved with CAP since 1965, which is when I first met Father Beiting [the founder of CAP]. I started coming to these retreats when they first started 10 years ago, and I’ve returned every year since –- it’s a sisterhood.”

Through the yearly retreats, Renner has seen the women battle through many highs and lows. One participant lost her daughter to suicide, while another lost two sisters-one to an overdose. Both attended the retreat in the past.

The same woman shared a story about the abuse of a granddaughter, whom she then raised.

Caseworker Bunny Clevenger, a CAP counselor, participated in the retreat. Bunny, a widow, held a session on grief, offering advice on how to deal with a loss or separation. The session offered many of the women a loving support that was long overdue.

“Look at these hills--they take a different way of life.”

“I have seen these women come in shy and apprehensive, but by the time they leave on day three, they are writing messages in each others’ journals--memories that will offer them relief in times of distress and comfort in a time of need until they get back together again next year,” said Renner.

The final day of the retreat is filled with laughter and tears of joy. It is an experience that the women will certainly carry with them for a long time. Memories gained from the retreat will not fit in a suitcase and will flood their hearts for a lifetime. It will remind them that they can run with perseverance the race that is set before them, with God as the author and finisher of their faith. n

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

7

FAITH

THE CHURCH THAT GIVES Down to its Last Two Mites

By Cindy Butor & Rayann White

I

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts, but a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.”

-- Mark 12:41 – 44, NIV

n the parable of Jesus and the poor widow who gave her last two pennies, the Bible teaches us to give all of our possessions to God. Though this is a central tenet of Christianity – the giving of yourself to others and to God – few individuals truly exemplify this generosity. It is easy to get caught up in our own wants and needs, forgetting to listen to the counsel of God or to the suffering of others. However, the Community Christian Center of Hesperia, California, exemplifies this, caring deeply enough to give of itself, even when it has fallen on hard times.

The Community Christian Center does something truly unique: it follows the Bible’s precedent to give tithes by earmarking 10% of all its monthly collections to the Christian Appalachian Project (CAP). The church has been doing this since 2008 when CAP came to its attention through a series of serendipitous events.

Debi Salisbury, the church secretary and financial officer, was instructed to find an organization that served Appalachian Kentucky and Tennessee, where founder of the church Lee Mansker’s wife Joyce originated. After some researching, she discovered CAP and was impressed by how

88

THE THE MOUNTAIN MOUNTAIN SPIRIT SPIRIT || FALL FALL 2013 2013

much the organization gives directly to service (instead of to overhead). Shortly after the church chose CAP as its tithing recipient, CAP was featured on Diane Sawyer’s “A Hidden America: Children of the Mountains.” That, Debi said in a recent phone interview, “cement[ed] it. [It was] God’s confirmation that we’d picked the right place.”

Since then, the church has given over $35,000 to CAP and plans to maintain their tithe in the future. “It’s just a blessing what you guys are doing and the area that you’re doing it in,” Debi said.

Even in our darkest moments and deepest struggles, there is always time for generosity.

Even more remarkable than the center’s desire to set a tithe for CAP is their willingness to continue doing so even as their church has fallen onto hard times. Over the past year, the area has gone into a depression, and the church, along with its neighbors, has suffered. They currently lack a paid staff and lost their assistant pastor, who retired and moved out of state. Their small congregation of 40 – 50 people is mostly unemployed or on disability. “Our church

FAITH has really, really struggled,” Debi said. For a community in such dire need of help themselves, it’s amazing that they will take the time to send donations to CAP, which helps individuals over 2,200 miles away.

“You know, when I say we’re in a depression, [the people of Appalachia] have traditionally always had trouble. For us, it ebbs and flows, but there it’s constant.”

The church, however, is hopeful that the hard times will begin to lessen. Fortunately, a group of energetic young adults has joined the church and begun a massive outreach campaign that has included fundraisers and coordinating youth groups. They are currently working tirelessly on a concert in late July that will include local Christian bands and have begun to bring the organization to social media, updating their website and Facebook page. Everyone is optimistic that these measures will bring the church back into the community spotlight and encourage new parishioners.

Regardless of the outcome of these events, Debi remains cheerful. “God has really blessed us that we’re able to make

the rent, and we’re not in debt,” she says with a laugh.

“There are a lot of churches in debt. At least we’re not in that bondage.”

CAP is thankful for the Community Christian Center’s continued wiliness to give, and their willingness to see themselves through this dark time with humor, compassion, and generosity. The church feels compelled to give, Debi confided, even in their leanest times. “It’s just so much better than what you would be able to do with the money,” she says. “You know, when I say we’re in a depression, [the people of Appalachia] have traditionally always had trouble.

For us, it ebbs and flows, but there it’s constant.”

“There are a lot of churches in debt. At least we’re not in that bondage.”

The Community Christian Center’s monthly tithe has helped thousands of people throughout Appalachia, providing needy families with food, rent assistance, home repairs, and the knowledge that they have not been forgotten. The church has also shown the world that, even in our darkest moments and deepest struggles, there is always time for generosity. n

Join the Story!

Support Christian Appalachian Project with a donation of $20 or more and receive a complimentary subscription to The Mountain Spirit. Not only will you be enriched with stories of faith, service, and compassion in every issue, but your gift will help to support all of CAP’s programs. For more information about donating to Christian Appalachian Project, call 1.866.270.4227.

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG CHRISTIANAPP.ORG| |FALL FALL 2013 2013

99

FAITH

HOUSES of WORSHIP in

APPALACHIA The church house is an enduring and ubiquitous emblem of Appalachian faith, community, and culture. These historic buildings, almost all of which are still in use, serve as reminders of the deep-rooted and widespread role spirituality has played and continues to play in the Appalachian experience.

Over the course of the next few issues, The Mountain Spirit will take you down twisting and turning roads, over hills and through valleys to glimpse some of these iconic landmarks.

10

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

clay lester, photographer

FAITH

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

11

SERVICE

Rebuilding Homes & Creating Memories WorkFest 2013

By Rayann White

O

n college campuses across the country, a new tradition is growing: the “alternative spring break.” Instead of spending a week with the traditional sun and sand, in ever-growing numbers, college students are spending spring break helping organizations like Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) conduct service projects that make a difference in the lives of those living in Appalachia.

CAP started WorkFest in 1992 as an alternative spring break for college students. The event has grown to attract more than 400 students from 40 different colleges and universities, serving about 20-25 homes over a four-week period annually.

Students get the chance to serve others by repairing substandard housing for low-income families in Eastern Kentucky. Upon their arrival, they are divided into teams and placed with experienced crew leaders. They typically serve on one or two home projects during their one-week stay, which may include new home construction, roofing, flooring, siding, insulation, window replacement, hanging drywall, and building ramps and porches. With each home that is improved, someone is offered hope for a better quality of life.

“I’ve done alternative spring break trips before and it was more or less busy work, nothing truly permanent. There’s more meaning to WorkFest. You are able to provide for people and know what’s left behind once you go back to 12

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

school,” said Chantanae Singletary of Drexel University.

Volunteer Gerard Alba of the University of Illinois at Chicago shared, “While we came to build houses, the most important part of our trip is the relationships that we build, and that will last a lifetime.”

This year’s 16 WorkFest jobs were located mostly in McCreary County, Kentucky, on the western side (the Cumberland Valley) and in Johnson, Floyd, Lawrence, and Knott counties on the eastern side (the Sandy Valley). The theme for this year’s WorkFest was “Die to Self: Live for Christ.”

CAP’s Housing program, which coordinates the yearly event, provides home repair and reconstruction services on a year-round basis to participant families and individuals who otherwise could not afford decent living conditions.

A number of permanent crews, consisting of an experienced industry-trained crew leader and several longterm volunteers, perform all types of home repair and reconstruction.

Families requesting help complete an application, which is reviewed by a CAP caseworker who then schedules home visits to assess the participant’s needs. For some applicants, their families’ living conditions have remained the same for generations. Many of those served are elderly individuals who live alone and have no extended families. For the vast majority of applicants, their present housing is all they have

SERVICE

“There’s more meaning to WorkFest. You are able to provide for people and know what’s left behind once you go back to school.”

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

13

SERVICE ever known.

Robyn Renner, Manager of CAP’s Housing and Family Advocacy program shared, “Many of the homes we renovate are in desperate need of repair. Our goal is to improve health and provide comfort and safety for our participants.”

Applicants must agree to three requirements prior to approval into the housing program: 1) Create a 30-day budget with assistance from a CAP Caseworker, 2) Partial payback over an extended period of time for the cost of materials, and 3) Sweat equity, whether working with the crew to repair the home or preparing lunch.

Many families are excited to make contributions towards their home improvement. In fact, one woman in particular provided lunch every day to the hungry volunteers who worked to repair her home. Being able to contribute helps people feel a sense of pride and ownership in the repair process and drives home the CAP philosophy of providing a “hand-up” instead of a “hand-out.”

Volunteers can see this process firsthand by working elbow-to-elbow with participants. In many cases, doing so develops relationships that don’t end when the crew picks up their equipment, loads the truck, and drives away.

“When you go into their home and you’re there for several weeks, you really get acquainted with them. When you leave, you feel as though you’ve known them your whole life,” said Renner.

Perhaps the most important lesson WorkFest teaches is to see the people of Appalachia as individuals deserving not of pity, but respect.

“Our goal is to improve health and provide comfort and safety for our participants.”

One such individual is Jimmy. Jimmy is a Vietnam Veteran and a life-long resident of Kentucky. Two years ago, however, Jimmy returned home from a camping trip to find his home engulfed in flames. It burned down to its framework.

Since then, Jimmy has stayed with various family members for as long as they could financially afford to care for him. As this was not a long-term solution, Jimmy had been looking for a way to get his home repaired.

Jimmy was introduced to CAP’s program by way of referral from another organization. For several years, Jimmy applied for assistance to rebuild and was denied until the

14

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

day he received a visit from CAP’s Housing Coordinator, Julianna O’Brien. A few months later, Jimmy received good news from Mrs. O’Brien: his application had been approved.

“We look for someone who genuinely needs the help as well as wants to be involved in the process of fixing up the home,” said O’Brien.

“There are not too many college students who will give up their time to do something like this,” said Jimmy. “You have to trust [God] and have faith, and if you keep asking, the Lord will help you. God’s timing is always the right timing.”

Jimmy shared his story with the volunteers who arrived to help him repair his house. Volunteers were touched by his persistence and optimism and felt connected to him.

Volunteer Jake Porter stated, “We are now able to give back to [Jimmy] and serve him, the same way that he has served our country.”

Thanks to selfless individuals like Porter, Appalachia’s housing need is slowly being chipped away. With every swing of the hammer, every turn of the screw, and every college student who uses his or her spring break to help another, homes are being rebuilt, memories are being made, and the people of Appalachia are offered hope. n

SERVICE

Sisters in Service

By Alyssa Miles

E

agle Child Development Center in Parkers Lake, Kentucky is dedicated to serving children—an integral piece of the CAP mission. Tucked out past the Cumberland Falls, Eagle is located on a beautiful piece of land. Even more beautiful are the women who make the center a possibility: Manager Brinda Campbell; Child Care Workers Sharon Patrick, Andrea Warman, and Phyllis Ridner; Cook Donna Ridenour; and CAP Volunteer Kate Biegner.

For women who have been unable to see their own worth in the past, the center has meant so much more to them than a place to get a paycheck. Brinda, manager of the program, has had the privilege of seeing each of these women reach her potential through working at the center.

When asked how CAP has impacted her life, each woman was able to agree on one key element: empowerment.

Sharon shared that prior to working at Eagle she was struggling both financially and emotionally, and dealing with a lot of issues with which she wasn’t ready to cope.

“When I had my breakdown, Brinda was there,” Sharon shared as she and Brinda held a momentary knowing glance.

“Once she was directed to the right help, [Sharon] realized she was a lot stronger than she thought,” Brinda explained. “I think the breakdown empowered her to reach for help and realize she could handle this.”

Andrea, whose daughter now attends the center, is very familiar with Eagle, as she attended preschool there as a child. When she was younger, Andrea said that she always wanted to work there, and now she has achieved that dream. Aside from working with the children, she is also going to school to become a preschool teacher. Brinda

noted that she sees Andrea empowered to be a wonderful mother to her little girl, using the childcare techniques she learned at the center.

Being an employee at the CAP center has helped the women with more than just career goals. Phyllis was going through a personal tragedy three months into her tenure at Eagle when her son was killed in a drunk driving accident.

She referred to her colleagues at the time as her family, helping her get through this horrific event.

“God brought us all here for a reason,” she said with a smile. Brinda encouraged Phyllis, saying she could tell that Phyllis had much greater confidence now, and she was proud of her.

“That’s why it’s the perfect place to work. We could find jobs anywhere, but you can’t find a job like this,” said Phyllis.

When asked how CAP has impacted her life, each woman was able to agree on one key element: empowerment.

After speaking of each of these women, Brinda glowed with the pride of a mother seeing her children overcome major challenges. Of Donna, Brinda shared that Eagle is what built her trust in people. Donna confirmed, saying that it has helped immensely in building her confidence and self-esteem. She is now able to instill these in her daughter, CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

15

SERVICE

work will continue after she leaves is meaningful to her.

“I know you are invested in the work you are doing,” Kate said, looking around at the familiar faces of her colleagues. “This is your home.”

“Every year is an adventure. If you can make a difference in one child’s life, it’s worth all the hair-pullin’.”

who is a participant at Eagle. The ladies joked about how Donna used to be painfully shy and now she is even pulling pranks on them at work. They lovingly refer to her as their leprechaun.

What sets the women of Eagle apart from other centers is that they not only work in the community, they all live there. Even Kate, originally from Massachusetts, has adopted the community as her own. She feels it helps her identify with the families and know how to better help the children who attend. Kate also said that she feels bad for CAP volunteers who are unable to reach that true sense of community within the towns they serve. Knowing that the 16

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

Phyllis also found their presence in the community important. She shared that since they are from the community, they know the people here and can understand what they go through. She has been around to see many children come and go from the center. Her own children, now 28 and 29 years old, also went to preschool here.

When asked how the children have impacted her, Phyllis looked around the room, as though she could see each child who has entered her life in her 17 years with CAP. “Every year is an adventure,” she said, her ever-present smile curled on her lips. “If you can make a difference in one child’s life, it’s worth all the hair-pullin’.”

Each woman gazed at the others with a smile. An energy of acceptance and joy was palpable in the summer air, as the love they had for each other was evident on each face.

This is more than a job for these women. It is more than the daily nine-to-five grind. This program has saved these women and helped them forge a bond with each other and each child that will last a lifetime. n

Charitable Gift Annuity Program Make a gift to the Christian Appalachian Project and receive an income for life.

This is possible when you fund a CAP charitable gift annuity.

A charitable gift annuity is a contract between you and CAP. In exchange for cash or other assets (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.) of $2,500 or more, CAP guarantees to make fixed payments for the rest of your life (and the life of a second beneficiary, if desired). Following your life, the assets remaining are used to fund the work of CAP.

Please use the following information to calculate my charitable gift annuity: Name (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss)__________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________________ City_________________________________State______ Zip_______________ Telephone (_____)___________________Birthdate: _______/_____/________ Amount of Gift Considered $___________________________ Frequency of Payment Desired: qAnnual q2 times/year ($2,500 min)

q4 times/year ($5,000 min) qMonthly ($10,000 min)

Yes, I am interested in a Two-life Charitable Gift Annuity illustration.

q

Name of Second

Beneficiary____________________________Birthdate______/_____/________

Advantages of a Charitable Gift Annuity with CAP • Rates far superior to CDs or Money Market funds.

• Fixed payments for life.

• A charitable income tax deduction the year the charitable gift annuity is funded.

• A portion of each life- time payment considered a tax-free return of principal.

• An opportunity to make a significant commitment to the Christian Appalachian Project and enable us to help people in need in Appalachia.

Please Complete & Return Form to: Paula Ballard Christian Appalachian Project Planned Giving Department P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555 or Call: 1-866-270-4CAP (4227) (All information provided is confidential)

SERVICE

SUMMER

CAMP Camp Andrew Jackson and Camp Shawnee hosted around 1000 children and teens throughout the summer of 2013. These are some images of the their unforgettable summer.

18

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

SERVICE

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

19

SERVICE

20

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

COMPASSION

CAP volunteer Nathaniel Tennant and his sister, Angelica, on a YouthFest site in April.

I

n 2008, the nonprofit community experienced that while young people are interested in helping a shocking decrease in revenue: a loss of over nonprofits, they’d rather do it their own way: through $17 billion from individual donors. Since volunteering. then, donations have been slow to return According to the report, over 93% of teens say they to their 2007 figures with most nonprofits want to volunteer, but just over half (54.2%) do. saying that the recession isn’t over yet. In Their reasons for not doing so include: fact, researchers at Giving USA are calculating that • Their friends don’t want to do it it will take at least six more years for giving patterns • The time commitment is too long to return to • They pre-recession just weren’t levels. “meant” to be The most volunteers

By Cindy Butor & Rayann White obvious • There reason for aren’t any this sudden decrease and slow return is the economic volunteer opportunities in their area recession, which resulted in over 30 million people The number one factor influencing a young person’s being unemployed and a national debt of over $16 volunteering habits is whether or not their friends do trillion and climbing. Lack of job security and less so regularly. The report recommends that nonprofits upward employment mobility forced many individuals create volunteer activities that are mobile, flexible, and to withhold their generosity. above all, social. It concludes that, “Volunteering, like Nonprofits are continually trying to find innovative everything else, is about blending in, making friends, ways to spread their message to new generations, and having a good time.” through methods such as email solicitation, The Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) has always downloadable apps, and social networking. A strived to understand what a volunteer program should recent report from DoSomething.org has shown offer its volunteers, what it should accomplish, and

Philanthropy, The Next Generation

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

21

COMPASSION Student volunteers during YouthFest 2013

how to let volunteers know they are appreciated. A common phrase within CAP is that “Volunteers are the backbone of the organization,” and this attitude has helped CAP’s volunteer program become a successful and wide-reaching program.

Annually, the organization brings in over 1,000 volunteers. These volunteers can be of any age, ethnicity, or income bracket, and come from every corner of the country. Many are affiliated with religous organizations. They can stay for as short as one week to as long as two years and learn a variety of skills including classroom management, teaching, contract work, basic carpentry, and how to relate to and serve victims of domestic violence. Many volunteers come back year after year.

One of the primary programs that hooks younger volunteers is YouthFest, a three-week long extravaganza that brings in over 400 high school students from around the country to repair and renovate the homes of economically disadvantaged people living in Eastern Kentucky. These high schoolers come with their parents, friends, and church or school groups, learning not only how to swing a hammer or dig a foundation, but also the true extent of poverty in Eastern Kentucky (where in some counties unemployment is still over 40%).

22

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

One such individual is Nathaniel Tennant, a 19-year-old long-term volunteer from Syracuse, New York who serves in the Elderly Housing program in Sandy Valley.

Nathaniel originally came to Youthfest in 2010 with his family and church, Pompey Community Church.

“I don’t think there’s anything more important than to serve others...”

“I immediately grew attached to the program and the service that they did,” Nathaniel recalls in a recent phone interview. “Then I felt God calling me to come down and volunteer for a year, so I went back down in 2012 for Youthfest. It just kind of finalized my decision to become a volunteer, so I graduated high school and came down.” Less than one year later, Nathaniel realized that he wasn’t ready to leave the program after only a year of service and opted to extend his contract. “It started feeling like home,” he said.

Nathaniel comes from a strong tradition of volunteerism. Both of his parents have worked for

COMPASSION nonprofits. His father, Steve Tennant, worked at the youth group, they discovered Nathaniel would be their Syracuse Rescue Mission for 37 years (following a group leader. “That was extra special,” Steve said in one-year stint as a volunteer) and is now the ministry a phone interview, “to see him in action and to work coordinator and assistant pastor at the Pompey closely with him...We’re thrilled and proud of him.”

Community Church. His mother, Michele Tennant, Nathaniel, who will continue his work at CAP also worked at the Syracuse Rescue Mission, which is until August 2014, has found his volunteer work where she and Steve met. For the past 19 years, she particularly edifying. Moving almost 700 miles by has been a stay-at-home mother and home school himself and living in a volunteer-run house taught educator, teaching all three of her children. Thanks him how to be more independent while his work to his parents’ encouragement, Nathaniel spent his and his housemates helped deepen and strengthen teenage years volunteering at the Rescue Mission his spirituality. He is even looking into staying in doing maintenance and construction work, which Kentucky permanently, though he hasn’t made any led to a desire to have a career in construction. His decisions yet. three younger In many siblings have also ways, Nathaniel volunteered. exemplifies Both Nathaniel the traits the and his family DoSomething.org strongly believe report found to We have beds for long and short in the importance be most common term volunteers in houses. of volunteering. in volunteers: Nathaniel • He came to characterized CAP through a it as “a way of religious youth We have beds available for showing God’s group, which groups in the Sandy Valley Region. love to other is the primary people… to be organizer of able to minister We have beds available for groups volunteering and reach out just activities for in the Cumberland Valley Region. as Jesus calls us to young people. do.” He believes • He is a sociable that volunteering volunteer, is important for working alongside all people to do, regardless of age, saying that, “When and being motivated by his friends. you’re younger, it really is a great way to be able to • He worked with economically disadvantaged shift your focus and take time to see exactly where individuals. you’re supposed to be headed for the rest of your life.

• He, like most young male volunteers, volunteered Then, as you get older, it might be… just being able to in a way that required more physical activity. take time, to pull away from the busyness and craziness • He became involved in volunteering due to his of life and just focus on God and serving others.” parents’ influence.

Nathaniel’s father agrees, saying, “I don’t think • Finally, he encouraged his good friend Carmen to there’s anything more important than to serve others... volunteer a year at CAP, proving that young people to follow Christ’s example to lay your life down for are more likely to find out about and participate in other people and to look out for the needs of others. volunteer activities if their friends do so as well.

It gets you outside of your own world, [and] it helps to The benefits of engaging young people in identify the needs that are out there in other people’s volunteerism are significant. Annually, CAP lives and in other communities.” volunteers log over 150,000 hours of work – valued The Tennant family was especially excited when,

by Independent Sector at over $2.8 million. They while attending YouthFest this year with their church complete construction projects that should cost

CAP Is Ready for YOU 67

6

146

58

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

23

COMPASSION over $10,000 for less than $2,000, reducing CAP’s overhead. They, like Nathaniel, become charmed by Kentucky’s natural beauty and plan to live and work in the area, which improves the economy. They learn valuable job skills which they can take back to their communities and future employers. These volunteers remain connected with CAP far beyond the time they serve, often going on to either donate or work fulltime for the organization. Of the 148 people who currently work with CAP, more than 20 had previously volunteered, including the organization’s President Guy Adams and Vice President of Human Services Anita Seals.

“Volunteering, like everything else, is about blending in, making friends, and having a good time.”

Volunteerism is truly the gift that keeps on giving and is one way for nonprofits to increase their vitality.

It benefits both the organization and the individual, with volunteers rating 24% higher on a life satisfaction scale than non-volunteers. Over the course of the next 30 years, the face of donor demographics could change dramatically, but CAP has always and will always embrace the opportunity to engage younger generations with opportunities for philanthropic service. n

To learn more about CAP’s volunteer program, contact the Volunteer Office at (606) 256-0973 or toll free at 800-7555322. CAP accepts all volunteers regardless of ethnicity, race, religion, or income.

Hands-on service and intentional community in Eastern Kentucky.

Serve for a month, a summer, or a year.

800.755.5322 volunteer@chrisapp.org 24 THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013 www.christianapp.org/vol

Christian

Appalachian

Project

COMPASSION

REMEMBERING THE

I

LOST CHILDREN

By Cindy Butor & Rayann White

n a crowded classroom of 20 or more young students, all vying for one over-worked teacher’s attention, some students get lost. These are the students with a little too much energy, who fuss and fidget, eliciting a dozen exasperated cries of, “Can’t you just sit still?” These are the students who puzzle over what their friends can do so easily.

These are the students yearning for a quiet, safe place to learn.

These are the students with special needs who need help.

An individual is diagnosed with special needs if they have a learning difficulty, physical disability, or emotional and behavioral difficulties. If their condition is not addressed early enough or if it’s severe enough, they may require specialized educational, medical, or psychological care for the rest of their lives.

According to the National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families, in 2011 68% of all children in Kentucky (or 116,082) had at least one risk factor known to increase the chance of poor health, school, and developmental outcomes.

The KIDS COUNT Data Center estimated that in 2007 24% of all children in Kentucky (or 40,970) were diagnosed with special health care needs. Annually, the state of Kentucky spends $31 million on children’s special health care needs.

“It creates a difference for people to… be part of this grassroots effort.”

Children with special needs require extra care, especially in the early developmental years of their lives. Neglecting these critical years can weaken babies’ brain development, crippling their ability to think, reason, or analyze and can result in a lifetime of problems.

The Christian Appalachian Project’s Parents Are Teachers program bridges the gap between early intervention programs and occupational therapists by providing at-home, one-on-one care for young children with developmental delays.

The program is a home-based early-intervention program for infants and children with defined disabilities and developmental delays or who are at risk for delays. The

participating children come from households living at or below the poverty line in Rockcastle and Jackson counties.

The program believes that every child has the right to reach his or her full potential in the least restrictive environment possible and that all children should be valued and identified by their strengths regardless of their mental, physical, or emotional delays/disabilities.

Suzann Fenton is the program’s dedicated resident teacher.

She holds degrees in Elementary Education and Early Childhood and has been teaching for over 40 years. “I’ve always been interested in people that were delayed or struggled with education, and I think a lot of that is because I really struggled when I was in school,” Suzann said in an interview.

“I feel that that’s helped to make me a lot more compassionate because I struggled so hard in school to make it through. I can really identify with my families.”

Suzann came to the Parents Are Teachers program in 1987 and has risen to become the head of it. “I feel like I’ve found my niche in Parents Are Teachers. I just really love it,” she said.

In the past 26 years, Suzann has helped hundreds of children throughout the Cumberland Valley and garnered both local and international praise. One mother, who wished to remain anonymous, said of Suzann’s work with her daughter, “You could tell a difference in a week. It was just really amazing, and [Suzann] has helped me understand how [my daughter] develops, when she should develop, [and] certain areas and milestones. She’s just always been there to answers questions or

Parents Are Teachers participants William, Amy, and April, and their mother, Verla Miller.

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

25

COMPASSION any concerns. We just really appreciate everything that she’s done for us.”

However, Suzann’s dedication to her participants doesn’t end when they “graduate” from Parents are Teachers and go on to preschool or kindergarten. She remains in contact with her former students for years and will often visit them in their homes, sharing old photographs and memories.

One group of students that she’s particularly proud of is the Miller children: April, 17; William, 13; and Amy, 10. All three children participated in the Parents are Teachers program and worked with either an occupational therapist or a speech therapist.

The three of them are from Eastern Kentucky, and are bright, willing to learn, and friendly--but with a dark past. An abusive living situation landed the three of them in foster care several times until they were finally adopted by Verla Miller in October of 2012. The three immediately noticed a big difference. “[Our parents] care about us more and don’t try to get rid of us,” William said. For three children with such a turbulent history, they are remarkably collected and well adjusted.

April is bright, talkative, and at ease with herself and her surroundings. She plans to go to Eastern Kentucky University in fall 2014 to become an occupational therapist. She credits Suzann and the Parents Are Teachers program with her desire to work with and help children. “When I was little,” she recalls, “I actually had an occupational therapist because I couldn’t really say my r’s. I had speech problems. I really liked [the program] a lot, and I like kids so I want to work with kids.”

In Eastern Kentucky, there are literally hundreds of children and parents with similar success stories and even more waiting for help from Suzann.

However, it wasn’t too long ago that the Parents Are Teachers program was facing possible cancellation. Due to the economic downturn, the program has been decreasing in size and Suzann had to make do with nothing more than her intelligence, compassion, and educational equipment 10 – 15 years out of date. That all began to change when the program came to the attention of the WHAS Crusade for Children.

Over 100 children have benefited from the Crusade’s help.

The Crusade is a public charity based in Louisville, Kentucky. Established in 1954 by WHAS-TV, it raises money for agencies, schools, and hospitals to better the lives of children with special needs in Kentucky and southern Indiana.

Since its inception, it has helped millions of children (over 220,000 in 2012 alone) and raised over $150 million through its annual campaign that culminates in a 30-hour-long telethon during the first full weekend in June.

Dawn Lee, the current CEO and President of the Crusade,

26

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

The 60th WHAS Crusade for Children telethon.

credits their success with their ability to keep the Crusade community-based and grassroots. She calls the Crusade “an organic fundraising effort determined by the community.” To that end, the Crusade tirelessly updates its outreach programs, working with fire departments through the city and nonprofits and schools throughout Kentucky and southern Indiana; unveiling a new downloadable donation app this year; and updating a live on-screen donation crawl so that donors can see their donation in action. “We really build up people feeling personal,” Dawn said. “It creates a difference for people to… be part of this grassroots effort.”

In 2011, the Parents Are Teachers program received a $4,000 grant from the Crusade to purchase updated learning and assessment equipment. The Crusade also created a short film about the program and one of its participants, which it then broadcast on the WHAS network, bringing the Parents are Teachers program to thousands of viewers throughout the area. Because of the Crusade’s exposure, the program has become more active, garnering donors from across the country and enabling supervisors to organize more events for the families and children. Over 100 children have benefited from the Crusade’s help.

Thanks to early intervention programs like Parents Are Teachers and tireless charities like the WHAS Crusade for Children, fewer children will find themselves lost when they enter school. Fewer will have to repeat grades. Fewer will be told they’ll never graduate high school and go to college. And perhaps more will go on to believe in themselves. Parents are Teachers and the Crusade stand hand-in-hand to make that future a reality. n To learn more about the Parents Are Teachers program and how to help, visist the Christian Appalachian Project website at christianapp.org. To learn how you can donate to the WHAS Crusade for Children and participate in their yearly campaign, go to their website at crusadeforchildren.org or call (502) 582-7706.

ARTS + CULTURE

Saved By The Bell

accompaniment to prayer and contemplation.

Apart from their unique sonic signature, these bells may find value as simply aesthetically pleasing additions to one’s front porch. Once the bottom has been safely removed from the original tanks, Fred uses his blow torch to adorn each bell with a design unique to its own shape, markings, flaws, and defects, after which he applies a clear coating.

The effect is visually stunning, creating seemingly organic, natural patterns and shapes on objects previously marked by the ugly functionality of modern industrialism. At craft fairs and festivals, Fred likes to display his bells hanging amongst the trees whenever possible in order to highlight the natural beauty inherent in these objects.

Fred’s bells represent a certain resourcefulness particular to the Appalachian experience. And this re-appropriation

By Clay Lester

A

constellation of deep, sustained tones echo down a winding series of unfinished roads, guiding wanderers and passersby through the dense woods of Wolf Gap toward the hidden workshop of Fred Asplen. Fred’s property rests atop a hill at the end of one of these unfinished roads, a cozy testament to the self-reliance and independence of so many in Appalachia. Beyond his sprawling, organic garden, Fred’s work-in-progress home/workshop overlooks a steep hillside dotted with an array of additional herbal and floral gardens planted and tended by his daughter. A tour of the house reveals, among other things, the prioritization of space: 20 percent living area, 80 percent workshop. Even the living area is filled with Fred’s various handmade crafts and passions—from woodworking projects and leatherwork to colorful homemade hoops. But as the house gives way to the sizeable workshop, it becomes immediately evident that Fred’s current passion is the one to which he has devoted the majority of his time, energy, and space: bells.

The term “bells” is perhaps a bit misleading, as Fred’s bells are more akin to the gong family than to the instrument paraded through the streets by carolers during the holidays.

Constructed from the remnants of discarded oxygen and helium tanks, these large, hanging objects produce a richly satisfying pitch when struck with one of Fred’s hand-crafted wooden mallets, the reverberations of which sink to one’s core. The haunting effect of these bells is so profound, in fact, that Asplen suggests utilizing these objects as a form of meditative aid. “Sometimes it can be difficult to slow down and focus--to center ourselves. I’ve found that these bells help me do this,” explains Fred.

Indeed, the centering effect of these sounds is particularly soothing yet energizing, making them an appropriate

of materials deemed garbage by the broader culture, whose value have been extended far beyond their practical usefulness through the eyes of the artisan, represents, perhaps, something more profound about the Appalachian culture and its people: hope. It is the ability to witness beauty where others see only refuse and to see whimsy in what others view as the mundane. In the practiced hands of an Appalachian craftsperson such as Fred Asplen, even hollowed shells of discarded metal are given to song; if one listens closely they can hear their voices lift from the valleys to somewhere beyond the mountains. n For more information on Fred’s bells, contact Fred Asplen at fredasplen@hotmail.com

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

27

ARTS + CULTURE

THE SOUND OF

HOME

By Clay Lester

“I’ve been involved in music all my life,” muses Mark Eubank, as his eyes shift from mine to the menagerie of meticulously handcrafted dulcimers hanging above the fireplace. “My dad played the guitar and the harmonica, and he sang. He had a family quartet—my earliest memories are of hearing them practice as I went to sleep. And sometimes Dad would play the guitar and sing me to sleep; he had this deep bass voice that would just rattle the windows. I wasn’t blessed with that bass voice,” Mark chuckles in his sharp tenor. As we sit across from one another in the rustic cabin nestled behind his house, Mark reminisces on the people and circumstances which drew him to first begin crafting Appalachian dulcimers nearly 17 years ago.

As a mechanic, musician, and minister, Mark’s father instilled in him the virtue of hard work and the curiosity to “tinker” with things. For Mark, this translated to woodworking, of which he has been a student and practitioner for as long as he can remember. Although Mark was a skilled woodworker, it wasn’t until a chance encounter with a fellow craftsman and musician at

28

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

a particularly slow craft show that he began to hone in on what would eventually become his niche in the woodworking community. On the second day of the show, Mark brought out his guitar and a gentleman from Texas brought out his dulcimer and they played together to pass the time. In the midst of their playing, the gentleman began to challenge Mark to make a dulcimer of his own.

“You ever think about building these? This is what you ought to be doing; you ought to be building dulcimers, because I can see you take pride in your work,” the older gentleman suggested. “Son, any old man with a jigsaw and a piece of wood can make toys and sell them for nothing— you’re never gonna make a living doing that.”

After carefully inspecting the dimensions and measurements of the gentleman’s dulcimer, particularly the fret board, Mark began work on his first dulcimer. By the time he was halfway finished, he was already considering changes he could make to the next one. When the final product actually played and noted true, Mark was hooked.

The Appalachian (or Mountain) dulcimer emerged in the early 19th century within Scotch-Irish immigrant communities settled in the southern part of the Appalachian mountain region. This iteration of the dulcimer was something new, although it did share some

ARTS + CULTURE

“I haven’t built the ultimate dulcimer yet--probably never will. But I’m hoping to get closer.”

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

29

ARTS + CULTURE similarities to other instruments in the zither family, whose roots can be traced to various European regions. The Appalachian dulcimer, while evolutionarily tied to the old world, is a uniquely indigenous creation of the Appalachian people.

“I haven’t built the ultimate dulcimer yet--probably never will. But I’m hoping to get closer,” explains Mark.

He has been refining his approach to dulcimer design and construction over the better part of the past two decades, though his instruments are always informed and measured by a basic standard: they must produce a resonant sound that notes true. Mark admits, “Anybody can build a box and put strings on it, and some of these will sound pretty good.” A skilled dulcimer crafter, however, understands why it sounds good and is capable of replicating this process.

The sound dictates the design to a great degree, and this is always Mark’s primary concern.

“Life is simple, but sometimes we just complicate it.”

The sound of a dulcimer begins with the woods used in its construction. As Mark points out, the traditional dulcimer was typically built from a single hardwood, walnut or cherry. When people began mixing woods, a favorite combination was a walnut base with a wormy chestnut top, although an infinite number of exotic wood combinations have emerged over time. Mark explains, “In general terms, harder woods give you brighter sounds, and softer or coarser-grained woods produce a mellower sound. So if you mix the woods you can take the edge off the really bright tones but still retain the resonance.”

The wood is also central to the overall aesthetic beauty of these instruments, allowing for an array of colors and textures that reflect a simple and natural loveliness.

While Mark often adds inlays and ornamental flourishes to his dulcimers, he maintains the attitude that simple tends to better—in dulcimer design and in life. “The embellishment, whatever it may be, I want to be tasteful and simple. And this is not from the standpoint that simpler is easier to do; in some cases it’s harder to make it simple, because then you can’t hide the blemishes and mistakes. Life is simple, but sometimes we just complicate it.”

Traditionally, the dulcimer was an individual instrument whose sound filled many a front porch or living room

30

THE MOUNTAIN SPIRIT | FALL 2013

with the music of the mountains. Today, however, it is far more than simply a symbol of a more primitive time in Appalachian life, a relic to the days of old. In the mid 20th century, the dulcimer captured the ears and imaginations of the broader culture when Kentucky native Jean Ritchie played the instrument for New York City audiences. By the mid 1960s, the dulcimer had become a staple of the folk music revival and a familiar instrument to Americans well beyond the geographic reaches of Appalachia.

“It just reminds you of home, wherever that may be.”

Mark has found that many of his non-local customers share a similar story: a tale of families whose lives and livelihoods led them away from their Appalachian roots but who long for a piece of their own cultural history. On rare occasion, Mark has even had the opportunity to use reclaimed wood literally pulled from someone’s past, as was the case when he crafted a dulcimer for his wife from the wood of her grandfather’s barn. “The dulcimer, that’s home to them,” Mark reasons. “The sound of that instrument is home. It just reminds you of home, wherever that may be.” Indeed, as Mark strums the chords of “Morning Has Broken” on one of his many dulcimers, one can’t help but to be filled with a deeply comforting sense of peace and nostalgia. n For more information on Mark’s dulcimers, contact Mark Eubank at markestrings@yahoo.com.

ARTS + CULTURE

Back Porch Poetry I THE T I N CUP

I the tin cup on Your porch rail, dented, mud-smeared, cradling stray and crumbling leaf yet noticed by You, taken up and carried in to the kitchen of God, washed in Blood, dried with fine white linen and set up with the vessels of noble use ‌ underwhelming, overvalued, dizzied by the height and giddy with the grace that pours me full of You and lifts me, gleaming golden, to Your lips.

--Sandy Mayle Erie, PA

CHRISTIANAPP.ORG | FALL 2013

31

P.O. Box 55911 Lexington, KY 40555-9944 The Mountain Spirit

christianapp.org

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID Christian Appalachian Project