For the past 17 years the St. Elizabeth Youth Group has traveled to Pendleton County, West Virginia to work with Habitat for Humanity over Spring Break.
Pendleton County is one of the poorest counties in the country and each year the community is overwhelmed by impact of our group.
Besides building and repairing homes in the area, with the help of our parishioners, we are able to bring 5 tons of food to the local food pantry which
stocks their shelves for several months. In addition to service we do on this trip, there is also a strong spiritual component. On this trip you will
not only learn how to use various tools likes a hammer and a circular saw, you will also learn how to grow in your faith life. We have mass daily, even
mass on a mountain, along with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, opportunities for Reconciliation, praise and worship music, and plenty of awesome prayer
opportunities. Contact us if you have any questions about this trip.
Saturday, April 3 – Saturday, April 10
Because of the size of the volunteer center where stay, we must limit the number of people who attend the Spring Break Habitat for Humanity Mission Trip to 46 teens and 14 adults. Please read the Participation Policy below to find out how you can get a spot on the trip!
Eligibility will be based on the amount of time spent by teens participating in various aspects of St. Elizabeth’s High School Youth Ministry Program. Starting September 1st, teens will receive points based on the activities that they attend. Activities include any event sponsored by the High School Youth Ministry Program that involves faith development, spirituality, and service. The High School Youth Ministry Director will determine if and how many points will be received for each event prior to the event. The teens will be responsible for signing in on the day of the event in order to keep track of their attendance. The Youth Ministry Director will maintain records of attendance and will update point totals for each teen who signs in for an event. On February 15th, the teens who have expressed interest in participating in the Spring Break Mission Trip will be ranked based on their number of acquired points. The top 46 teens in attendance points, and with the recommendation of the Youth Ministry Director, will be the first teens eligible to attend. Those teens that are not ranked high enough to fill a spot will be placed on a waiting list. The teens ranked high enough will have until March 1st to reserve their spot by turning in completed forms and full payment for the trip. In the event of a waiting list, those active in the Youth Ministry Program will be placed at the top of the list followed by high school teens from St. Elizabeth, then teens from other parishes, then any teens in the area. Please note that the final trip roster is ultimately determined by the Youth Ministry Director in consultation with the Pastor and Director of Formation who has the authority to make changes at any time in regards to this policy.
A total of 14 chaperones will be taken on the Spring Break Mission Trip including the Youth Ministry Director as well as a parish priest if available. All chaperones must be active and practicing members of St. Elizabeth parish and over 21 years of age. The roles of the chaperone include, but are not limited to, driving a vehicle of teens during the trip, supervising worksites, helping to organize and plan the trip, and being a Catholic role model in attitude and behavior. Any adult interested in being a chaperone must notify Youth Ministry Director of his/her interest by January 15th. Chaperones will then be selected based on the needs of the group (i.e. construction experience, gender balance, special skills such as nurse/doctor, etc.). All interested chaperones will be notified by February 1st if they will be attending the trip. Interested adults who are not selected will be placed on a back-up list. To allow more adults the opportunity to chaperone, only one parent per family will be permitted to attend. Please note that the Youth Ministry Director in consultation with the Pastor can make changes to this policy at any time.