Some Backstory of the Apppalachia Help Weeks

 

The Appalachia Help Week program was founded in 1986 by teenagers Heather Mulvey and Jenny Murray, in response to the news of the devastating Cheat River flood in West Virginia.  Heather realized that in order to take effective action she needed to find a partner organization. She brought the idea of inspiring volunteers to provide services to those in need in the flood zone to her Youth Minister, Father Paddy O’Donovan, at St. Patrick Church in Chatham, New Jersey. He graciously agreed and thus the Appalachia Help Week program was established.  During the several months leading up to the first Appalachia Help Week trip in August 1986, the groundwork included establishing a relationship between St. Pat’s and St. Philomena Catholic Church in Rowlesburg, West Virginia and identifying those in need; grassroots fundraising took place through car washes, appeals to the parish, and articles in the bulletin; youth volunteers and adult chaperones were rallied; and the home base of operations was identified at the Rowlesburg VFW Post 3008.  Among the first volunteers that Heather asked to join her were Christine Grobert and Lynda Monks (all of whom still participate).  On that first trip in August 1986, seven girls and three adults from St. Patrick Church served the Rowlesburg community.  The relationships established on that first trip were meaningful and the work impactful.  Sharing the stories of the experience upon their return home inspired more youth and adult volunteers from St. Pat’s, including Fred Mercadante (CPM President) to join them on the second Appalachia Help Week trip the following year.  The program has since grown exponentially.

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Each year participation grew with new parishes and Catholic schools joining the service trip.  Today parishes across four states (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and now Arizona) volunteer to serve 200+ families each year through our partnership with the Catholic Church of Preston County, West Virginia.