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In a rarity, 2025 was without an expansive work camp for the city of Winchester. 

However, support for helping others still reigned strong for people from outside the area. 

Winchester recently benefitted from members of a school in Elmhurst, IL, visiting the area – with youth helping to oversee construction at a home to benefit one of Clark County’s local citizens. 

“It’s very rewarding to see the students help,” said Allison Connelly, an English teacher at IC Catholic Prep in Elmhurst. “It’s rewarding to see the kids really get this experience of…gaining these life skills.” 

The project happened in collaboration with Winchester Work Camp and Habitat for Humanity of Madison and Clark Counties – with current city commissioner Shannon Cox playing an active role. 

Frank Johnson, a member of Heritage Baptist Church who does mission work with Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, helped oversee the labor. 

“Habitat [for Humanity] brought them here…they’re actually staying there. Habitat has a location that has [approximately] twenty-two bunks and a kitchenette…they’re staying over there.” 

While the work crew might have stayed at Habitat for Humanity’s facility, they worked at more than one site in Winchester. 

Among those were the home of Jackie Kirby. 

Kirby, who has a battery powered mobility scooter, was in need of a porch that could connect straight from her door opening to the front driveway so that she could more easily access her automobile. 

As such, multiple steps were constructed and laid down – creating a ramp – that, when combined with a railing on the side, allowed for easy accessibility. 

As a power saw cutting pieces of wood could be heard in the background, Kirby offered a personal reflection. 

“The kids are doing wonderful. This is their service project,” she said. “I hope…they get blessed and realize [through] the experience the value of helping others…these kids are actually rolling up their sleeves and getting dirty and seeing what it really takes to work.” 

Asked what he hoped was the biggest impact for students, Johnson responded further. 

“It’s ministry. That’s what the reward is,” he said. “We’re helping [people] that [need] help, and that’s what God called us to do.”