Appalachia Service Project (ASP)
Making Homes Warmer, Safer, Drier, Transforming Lives
2024 will mark Good Samaritan’s 43rd year of participation in ASP. The need in the Appalachia area has not diminished and neither has our commitment to serving the wonderful people in that area.
According to the ASP website, “each year, more than 15,000 volunteers serve with ASP, providing critical repairs for more than 350 families.” Projects can include roofing, flooring, shoring up foundations, digging drainage ditches, making rooms or homes wheel-chair accessible, or other projects that help make homes warmer, safer, and drier. In addition to building and improving homes, ASP is also a relational ministry for both the families we serve as well as those serving.
This ministry is about lifting the spirits of Appalachian families and reminding them that God’s love knows no boundaries. In the process of putting your faith in action, God acts in your heart. And when you change the lives of others, they have a way of changing you.
All students who have completed the 8th grade or higher are invited to serve with families in Central Appalachia. Students who are not members of or otherwise affiliated with Good Samaritan church are also invited to participate in the ASP trip. Bring a friend.
For more information contact Amy Manolis at AMANOLIS@MAC.COM or Jan Russell at JAN@GOOD.ORG.
Trip Information
- 2024 will be Good Samaritan’s 43rd year serving at ASP.
- Dates: June 15-23, 2024
- Total cost: $500 per person. Scholarships are available to help pay the cost of the trip; contact Jan Russell at JAN@GOOD.ORG for information.
- Destination: TBD
- ASP 2024 theme: TBD
Registering for the trip
- Before registering each participant and parent/guardian of each youth participant must read and understand the ASP 2024 Expectations.
- To register for the trip complete the ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM.
- To secure your spot on the trip (or a spot on the waiting list if the trip is full), please submit a $100 deposit on your trip fees. See instruction in the next section.
Paying for the trip
- To secure your spot on the trip (or a spot on the waiting list if the trip is full), please submit a $100 deposit on your trip fees.
- The remaining balance of your trip fees is due shortly before departure for ASP.
- Pay your trip fees ONLINE. You may pay just your $100 deposit initially then pay the balance of the trip fees at a later date. Alternately, you can pay your full trip cost all at once. When you pay online, a processing fee is taken out of the amount paid. Please consider checking the box to add 2.5% to your payment to help cover the cost of the processing fee so that the ASP trip gets the full amount of your trip fees.
- If you would like help with the cost of the trip, please contact Jan Russell at Jan@good.org.
- Your trip fees are refundable if you are replaced on the trip roster by someone on the waiting list or in the event that the entire trip is cancelled.
Medical Information
- Immunizations – Up-to-date immunization for tetanus is required for all participants.
- Hepatitis A immunization is strongly recommended. Plan ahead because Hepatitis A requires two shots 6 months apart.
- Parents of youth participants: If requested, adult ASP leaders will assist with ensuring that your youth takes medications on schedule while on the ASP trip.
Important dates – Your participation in all applicable events is crucial to the success of the trip.
- December 12, 2023: ASP planning committee meeting.
- January 9, 2024: ASP planning committee meeting.
- January 10, 2024: ASP information night, 7:00pm. For all adults and youth who would like to know more about the trip.
- January 20, 2024: Deadline for completing your registration and paying your $100 deposit for the ASP 2024 trip.
- January 28, 2024: Take orders for Super Bowl subs at church.
- February 4, 2024: Take orders for Super Bowl subs at church.
- February 11, 2024: Make Super Bowl subs at church at 8:30am. Distribute subs that were ordered and sell additional subs at 11:00am after the church service. For all participants.
- February 13, 2024: ASP planning committee meeting.
- February 25, 2024: ASP information night, 7:00pm. For all adults and youth who would like to know more about the trip.
- March 12, 2024: ASP planning committee meeting.
- April 23, 2024: ASP planning committee meeting.
- April 21, 2024: Culture and Sensitivity night at 6:00pm. Balance of ASP trip fees due. For all participants.
- May 11, 2024: Tool Time. For all participants.
- May 14, 2024: ASP planning committee meeting.
- May 28, 2024: Adult leader meeting, 7:00-8:30pm. For all adult leaders.
- June 9, 2024: Commissioning Sunday. Commissioning of the group during the church worship service. For all participants.
- June 11, 2024: ASP planning committee meeting.
- June 15, 2024: Departure meeting, 6:00pm. Drop off your gear for the trip at the church. For all participants.
- June 16, 2024: Depart for ASP. Arrive at the church no later than 4:55am. Load the vans and depart by 5:30am.
- June 23, 2024: Return from ASP and join the church worship service.
- July 9, 2024: ASP planning committee trip review meeting.
- August 4, 2024: ASP Sunday. Highlights of the trip during the church worship service. For all participants.
Departure preparation
- ASP Packing List– What you should take to ASP and what you should leave at home.
- Volunteer Trip Agreement and Medical Form – Please print this form two-sided. Complete the form and turn it in on Commissioning Sunday.
- ASP Additional Medical Information Form – Complete this form and turn it in on Commissioning Sunday.
ASP’s Required Reading for All Volunteers – What must I know before going to ASP?
All ASP volunteers must read the “ASP Required Reading for All Volunteers”. This document contains important information about:
- ASP Mission, Vision & Guiding Principles
- ASP Rules and Regulations
- ASP 3 S’s
- ASP Safety Manual
Other informative reading and viewing
- Check out our ASP Reading and Viewing Suggestions to discover additional background material about the area of Appalachia where Good Samaritan serves at ASP.
- Check out ASP’s material for learning more about Appalachian culture at Appalachian Cultural Resources.
New to ASP or need an inspiring refresher? – Below are some suggestions for familiarizing yourself with the ASP experience.
- Visit the ASP web site.
- Read the “required reading” documents (see above).
- Sample the “optional reading and viewing” resources (see above).
- Read about ASP Summer Mission Trips.
- Curious about what happens each day at ASP? Learn about the typical daily schedule at ASP and other topics for volunteers in the information for Group Members.
- Watch some of the many educational and inspirational videos on ASP’S YOUTUBE PAGE.
- Browse through a wealth of information about the ASP experience in the Trip Coordinator Resources.
- Pick up construction tips and learn about ASP home repair projects in the ASP Construction Videos.
- Browse through the ASP CONSTRUCTION MANUAL, the how-to guide for the types of home repair projects encountered at ASP.
- For all adult group leaders: Attend the adult participant meeting, held just before the trip, where you can ask questions and learn about the trip from all the other adults who are going to ASP.
- View the presentation about our ASP PROGRAM AT GOOD SAMARITAN.
Questions? If you have any questions about ASP 2024, contact Amy Manolis at AMANOLIS@MAC.COM or Jan Russell at JAN@GOOD.ORG.
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