Karrah Maxwell of Huntingdon puts the finishing touches on a home on Todd Street in Dyersburg as her week in the West Tennessee Work Camp nears an end. The 16-year-old joined team members from Mississippi, Illinois and communities of all sizes throughout West Tennessee for the camp.

Nearly 150 teen-agers from all over the region were let loose in Dyer County last week. And the results were facelifts for 11 Dyersburg homes and mission projects planned to spread the Gospel throughout the community.

Students from Tennessee locations including Clarksburg, Humboldt, Milan, Three-Way, McKenzie, Sitka, Jackson, Lexington, Martin, Lebanon and Huntingdon joined workers from Carbondale, Ill. and Starkville, Miss. to give up a week of their summer break to paint houses and participate in outreach projects locally. Workers from 14 congregations participated in the event.

The missionaries participating in the 10th annual West Tennessee Work Camp were hosted by West Dyersburg Church of Christ, with members of the congregation opening their homes to the teams.

"Everyone asks us, 'Why do you do this? What is the catch?'" said West Dyersburg Church of Christ Youth Minister John Morris. "We are trying to teach our kids that it is about serving others like Christ did for us, to show them that life is not about serving yourself."

The youngest member of the team painting a Todd Street home, 9-year-old Mikyla Klamm said her specialty was painting low places her co-workers had trouble reaching. Here, Klamm shows her versatility by painting from a ladder. [Click to enlarge]

Participating teenagers seem to have learned that lesson well, with several returning to the project for another round of service. Throughout the last decade, the camp has also provided mission work in Jackson and the Gulf Coast. This is the program's second year in Dyersburg.

"I think it is awesome," said 17-year-old Brian Ferrell of McKenzie. "You would think it would be hard to come out here and do all this work, but it is actually a lot of fun."

"It seems like you just don't want to do it, you just want to stay home and rest, but once you get the hang of it, it's really fun," said 9-year-old Mikyla Klamm, who said her small size ended up being helpful to members of her team. "Being real young, I can paint lower spots that are harder on the other painters."

"We try and support a lot of foreign missions," said 16-year-old Jeffrey Jinkerson of Starkville, Miss., who has experienced foreign missions himself on a mission trip to Honduras. "(The trip) was fantastic and I loved it, but it is also cool to help people close to home and where I live."

Homes from RoEllen to Bonicord were painted, as well as several in the Milltown community.

"They have done a terrific job," said Sarah McKee of Pate Street, in Dyersburg. "I am very well pleased with it. They cleaned the brick and everything. They have really worked hard. It's made a world of difference."

"We are so appreciative," said Mary Ann Sewell of Todd Street. "They are just a wonderful group of young people. Such hard workers. They have done a fabulous job on our house. They scraped and they did a lot of work before they ever got started. It's a wonderful thing."

"I think work camp is a great experience because you get to meet people from different places and you get to help people," said 12-year-old Havanna Klamm of Clarksburg. "People say, 'Wow! Teen-agers really did this.'"

"(People think it is hard for us) to sacrifice a week of our time to help other people do things they can't," said 16-year-old J.D. Russell of McKenzie.

Sewell tried to make the event a fun one for the hard-working students, offering them cookies and watermelon and plenty of hugs throughout the week.

"Words can't explain the appreciation," said Sewell. "They have worked so hard and been so kind and loving, it just makes you feel good. They are the sweetest bunch. I don't think I'm ready to let them go."