Shorter College students lend a helping hand to a Trion family in need

October 2 - A group of Shorter College Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) students took a break from the books Thursday morning and extended a helping hand to a family in need.

The family of nine reside on Marsh Avenue in Trion and were flooded out of their home last week after heavy downpours pelted the area. Hearing that the family needed help, and working with the Rome-Floyd County Habitat for Humanity, the Shorter BCM stepped up to the plate.

2009 Shorter graduate Katie Clegg, who now is now a campus ministries intern, helped organize the service project and also volunteered. The group, led by Shorter College Campus Minister David Roland, left Thursday at 7 a.m. and worked until noon, painting one of the large rooms inside the 1940s-era home. Student volunteers included junior Lauren Lee, from Rome; sophomore Audrey Speight, from Mabelton, and Duluth senior Regan O’Brien.

“It was a great feeling to help this family. Even though it was a just simple task like painting, it was needed. Shorter was happy to bring a group of students over to help,” Roland said. “One of our missions at BCM is to provide students with a chance to grow in their faith through community ministries. This was a prime example of that mission in action.”

Shorter College Campus Minister David Roland is surrounded by the group of BCM volunteers that helped paint the inside of a flood-damaged home in Trion Thursday. Volunteers are: (from left to right) Audrey Speight, Reagan O’Brien, Katie Clegg and Lauren Lee.

During last week’s torrential rains, the floodwaters from a nearby river rose quickly, taking the home’s occupants by surprise. Carol Hood, who rents the property to the family, said the water came on fast and strong.

“They were trying to get their belongings out of the house and the water kept rising. It got as high as chest-level, then dropped down a few feet,” Hood said. The water left a dirty, mucky mess inside the family’s home and damaged the walls. Soon after the water receded, Hood said she and the family quickly began the process of cleaning up. “We disinfected the walls and the floor with bleach and began to paint. One of the counselors at the childrens’ school mentioned to Habitat for Humanity that we could use some help with the painting, and they set this up. We are blessed to have these students from Shorter helping today. They have helped so much, and I think we will be able to get this done sooner than we thought. I just really appreciate these students coming to help us,” Hood said.

Founded in 1873, Shorter College is a Christian college committed to excellence in education. Since 2003, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Shorter among the South’s best baccalaureate colleges. The college offers bachelor’s degrees in 48 major areas, master’s level and undergraduate degree programs for working adults, online courses, and a vibrant intercollegiate athletic program. Shorter will transition to university status June 1, 2010. For more information, visit www.shorter.edu.

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