In the mountains of Alamosa, Colorado, Zoe Martin spent a week devoted to helping not only people, but animals as well. Martin took part in the 2013 Work camp her church, First Presbyterian Church, offers.

The group helped the San Luis Valley Animal Welfare Society, a dog shelter, in the mountains. Martin said this organization takes in stray dogs and works with PetSmart to find them homes. The students fed, walked and played with the dogs, and also organized their storage buildings and cleaned the cages. Martin said San Luis Valley Welfare Society’s help was much needed.

“There were 80 dogs and only four employees,” Martin said. “I felt bad for the people who owned the shelter and the dogs because they couldn’t afford it. [For example], they could only afford water for the dogs to drink.They didn’t have enough to give them baths.”

Martin said their work day began when the group left the church at 9 a.m. and returned at 5 in the evening.

When the group returned to the church where they were staying, they got the nights to themselves. Martin said the River of Life Church where they stayed accompanied everyone’s needs. There were basketball courts, rooms to sit and chat and areas for the Cross Country runners to run.

Martin said the group had a spiritual time where they reflected on the day and their faith.

“Focusing on just my faith alone was something I needed to do,” Martin said. “Working on my faith and strengthening it was definitely the part I enjoyed the most.”

When Martin arrived in Alamosa, she planned on devoting her time to others; however, Martin said her favorite part turned out to be strengthening her own.

“[Workcamp] helped me better appreciate the things in my life,” Martin said. “It also made me feel great by helping others, and by helping others it helped my faith grow.”

Changing lives one country at a time

Service opportunities become available over break

Senior profile: Kenny Klostermeyer