Youth Programs
MDS Summer Youth Program
The objective of the MDS Summer Youth Program is to provide an environment that will meet the needs of youth volunteers as they reflect the love of Christ by assisting disaster survivors. It is the goal of MDS to nurture volunteers on all our sites, especially those involving youth. Youth projects in the summer of 2008 will be in a rural camp setting in La Crete, Alberta, New Orleans, Louisiana and Pass Christian, Mississippi.
The Summer youth programs are fully booked with youth volunteers. There is still a need for adult construction managers and experienced crew leaders to serve for 2 or more weeks. If you are able to serve in this capacity, call 800-241-8111 for more information.
All youth volunteers must have a medical release form. Click on the link below to download the form.
2008 Summer Youth Projects
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans was damaged not so much by the wind and rain of Hurricane Katrina, but by the failure of the levees surrounding the city to keep out the waters of adjacent Lake Pontchartrain. Much of the city was flooded and many homes still stand empty almost three years later.
MDS is repairing and rebuilding homes in various areas of New Orleans, including Gentilly, Lower 9th Ward and Upper 9th Ward.
Pass Christian, Mississippi
Pass Christian is on Mississippi's coast and is one of the communities most devastated by Katrina. The 30-foot storm surge killed 22 people, destroyed nearly all business property, and damaged or destroyed 90 percent of the town's homes. Initially about 25 percent of Pass Christian's 6,500 residents remained.
Together with the local recovery committee and readily available funds, MDS has completed 22 new builds, 15 major repairs and 42 minor repairs.
La Crete, Alberta
The Canadian MDS Summer Youth Project will take place at Pine Lodge Bible Camp. This is a small camp that is run by the Bergthaler and Evangelical Mennonite Conference (EMC) churches in the La Crete area.
The MDS youth will build cabins at the camp, so that more children can use the camp in the summer, and will also assist in constructing hiking trails.
Directions: Follow map to La Crete. You will come in on 100th Street. At 94th Ave turn left and drive 7.42 kilometres until you see the Pine Lodge Bible Camp sign on your right. Turn left and drive until you see the bush camp. We’ll have an MDS sign at the road as well. If you miss the turn off to the camp – don’t worry – when you get to the Peace River you will know you’ve gone too far!!
Photo Gallery
Project Reports
Project statistics
2008 Summer Youth Projects
Pine Lodge Bible Camp, La Crete, Alberta
July 13- August 8
MDS La Crete
Box 643
La Crete AB T08 2H0
Project Directors:
July 13-July 25 Harold and Sandra Friesen
July 28- Aug 8 Gary and Anne Wiens
New Orleans, Louisiana
June 8 - August 16
MDS
7520 Hayne Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70126
Project Director: Leonard Penner and Eddie Neufeld
Phone: (504) 309-9406
Fax: (504) 309-9423
neworleans(at)mds.mennonite.net
Pass Christian, Mississippi
June 8 - August 16
MDS
503 Church St.
Pass Christian, MS 39571
Project Directors: Dave and Anna Wiebe
Tel: (228) 452-1114
Fax: (228) 452-1116
