[August 2008]

Teens participating in the Bell-Whitley Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Youth Program recently got a chance to help provide a little happiness to children and their families during a time they could definitely use it.
  
As a summer project, four youth program participants helped build a playhouse to be used by children visiting the Ronald McDonald House in Lexington.
  
The Ronald McDonald House on the University of Kentucky campus serves as a “home away from home” for sick children who are receiving treatment at Lexington hospitals and their families. Shawn Jones, WIA Youth Transition Program coordinator, said he and his family stayed there in 1996 when his daughter was born with an illness.
  
He said it was “unbelievable” how nice the experience was, and since then, he has known many friends from the local area who have also stayed there.
  
The WIA Youth Program arranges for summer projects in which participants can serve the community. The teens are paid for participating in these programs through funding from the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. (EKCEP), which administers WIA Youth Programs in 23 eastern Kentucky counties. The program is delivered locally by the Bell-Whitley Community Action Agency.
  
Jones and WIA Youth Program Coordinator Janet Jackson said although the Ronald McDonald House is not located in Bell County, they thought building the playhouse would be a good fit for the youth program because the facility serves local people.
  
During the project, Jones worked with Kevin Lefevers, a master carpenter. After Lefevers designed the ten-foot-tall playhouse, four participants were enlisted to help put it together.
  
Don Hobbs and Jeffery Cox, both 17-year-old Pineville High School Students, said they were grateful for the chance to help the children.
  
“That makes it worthwhile. It feels important,” Cox said.
 
Two other teens, Dean Clark and P.J. Taylor, also assisted with the playhouse.
  
After some classroom safety lessons, the work of assembling the playhouse and painting it began in early June.
  
“He (Lefevers) already had the wood cut,” Hobbs said, “so it was like a big puzzle we had to put together.”
  
Jones said the playhouse was painted in neutral colors to appeal to both girls and boys. The project also included a six-foot-long, five-foot-tall display case to house pictures of families that have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House.
  
Thanks to donations from Faith Temple church in Middlesboro, the group was also able to bring cleaning supplies, pots and pans, car seats, baby carriers, and other items to the facility along with the playhouse and display case at the end of June.
  
Jones said the Ronald McDonald House staff appreciated the gift and even planned to put video of the donation up on their YouTube Internet video site.
  
“They were just overwhelmed,” Jones said.

For more information on the Workforce Investment Act Youth Program in Bell County, contact Janet Jackson or Shawn Jones at 606-337-3044.