Jesse Lee ASP Info Meeting – Jan 24 @ 7:30

High-school teens and adults are invited to attend an information session on Wednesday, January 24th. Leaders and previous volunteers will share details about the preparation and home-repair week planned for this summer with the Jesse Lee Appalachia Service Project (ASP). This year’s trip is scheduled for June 29th-July 7th.

This no-obligation meeting will introduce students and their parents – and any other interested adults – to the Appalachia Service Project overall and the developing plan for Jesse Lee ASP’s 40th year.

The one-hour information session will start at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary at Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church, 207 Main Street.

ASP is a national Christian volunteer organization founded by Rev. Glenn “Tex” Evans, a Methodist minister, in 1969. Since then, more than 420,000 volunteers from across the nation have participated in weeklong mission trips to make more than 18,500 homes in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina “warmer, safer and drier.”

Jesse Lee ASP is open to anyone who will have completed their freshman year of high school this summer. Adults are encouraged to volunteer – both those who have teens participating and those who do not. You don’t have to be a member of Jesse Lee or any church, you don’t have to live in Ridgefield, and you don’t need to be an expert with a hammer to volunteer. Basic construction skills and safety rules are taught in training sessions prior to going on ASP.

You don’t have to pre-register for the January 24th information session.

Previous ASP volunteers need not attend the information meeting. However, they should plan to attend one of the two required “first orientation” meetings on either Wednesday, Feb. 7th or Tuesday, Feb. 13th.

For more details, feel free to browse through this website or call Deb Ahle (203-438-6782).

Henry Idone Wins 2023 John Ward Award

Jesse Lee ASP is excited to announce that the winner of the 2023 John Ward “Love in Action” Scholarship Award is Henry Idone.

Henry is a recent graduate of Ridgefield High School and a 3-year participant of Appalachia Service Project.

Henry is involved in sports, playing hockey and tennis.  At RHS he played cello in the symphonic orchestra.  He also was part of the Future Business Leaders of America, the Math Team, the Investment Club and Music Mentors. 

In memory of his grandfather, Henry co-founded the Ridgefield Community Cello Ensemble to bring student cellists (from 7th to 12 grade) together to perform at local nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

This fall Henry will be attending Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts where he plans to study data science and business.   We are very pleased to present him with this award.

John Ward

The John Ward Love in Action Award was established by Jesse Lee ASP in 2017 to honor John Ward’s 30th Appalachia Service Project Trip. It is a $1000 grant given each year to a high school senior who has participated in ASP and dedicated themself to other forms of community service.

Winners of the John Ward Award have been:

  • 2023 – Henry Idone
  • 2022 – Parker Etzbach
  • 2021 – Kate Fleming
  • 2020 – Matt Carpenter
  • 2019 – Miles Tullo
  • 2018 – Gillian Retter
  • 2017 – Petros Papadopolous

174 JLASP Volunteers Repair Homes in Virginia

High-school students and adults from the Ridgefield area are on their annual Appalachia Service Project mission trip this week, with 174 volunteers working to make homes “warmer, safer and drier” in two counties in Virginia.

Based out of Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church, Jesse Lee ASP is in its 39th year and is one of the largest local ASP groups in the country.

The 174 traveling volunteers departed early Saturday morning after a commissioning ceremony at Jesse Lee with family and friends. They split up, working this week in Wise and Dickenson counties in western Virginia. Crews of two adults and four students team up to repair, build or replace roofs, foundations, mobile-home underpinning and wheelchair ramps, while also developing relationships with the homes’ residents. They’re eating and sleeping in “centers” organized and operated in schools and churches by the national ASP organization.

Saturday’s departure celebration included recognition of 10 Ridgefield teens who have participated in ASP during all four years of high school. They are: Max Barlow, Sophie Browning, Maya Chauhan, Ryder Dadasovich, Caroline DelGiudice, Alex Doman, Kenny Muller, Matt Neligan, Henry Osher and Alex Prokopczyk.

Additionally, another recent RHS graduate, Hank Idone, was named the recipient of the John Ward Love in Action Award, a $1,000 scholarship established in 2017 that honors John Ward, who is in his 35th year of participating in Jesse Lee ASP. The scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who has been on ASP at least once and who has committed to ongoing community service in other arenas besides ASP.

The ASP volunteers will return to Ridgefield in a long honking caravan on Sun., July 9 around 5 p.m. for a welcoming reception at Jesse Lee. For an updated time of return, watch the website www.jesseleeasp.org on Sunday afternoon.

Funds to support Jesse Lee ASP’s work were raised through car washes held at Jesse Lee on Saturdays this spring, from “stock” sold by participants, and through gifts from the Jesse Lee congregation.

Jesse Lee ASP will celebrate its 2023 work in two ways: with an ice cream social at the church on Sat., July 15 at 6:30 p.m. featuring a slide show of all the crews’ experiences; and a special Sunday-morning service at Jesse Lee on July 16 at 9:30 a.m. All are invited to both.

In addition to the volunteers working this week in Virginia, two Ridgefield women are working in Appalachia all summer as paid ASP staff members. Claire Dollins is program manager at ASP’s main center in Jonesville, VA, while Bella Lussi is finance coordinator in Breathitt County, KY. Their tasks include helping to evaluate applications from homeowners, stocking the “center” with tools and supplies, planning and overseeing home repairs, hosting and assisting the weekly teams of volunteers, and much more.

Appalachia Service Project is a national Christian volunteer organization whose participants make an annual weeklong mission trip where they work to make local folks’ homes “warmer, safer and drier.” Since its founding in 1969, more than 420,000 volunteers from across the nation have repaired 18,500 homes in central Appalachia.

Jesse Lee ASP is open to anyone who has completed their freshman year of high school.

For more information about the local Appalachia Service Project, call Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church at (203) 438-8791 or go to www.jesseleeasp.org.

Background Verification Forms

Background Verification – Required for Adults & College Students

In accordance with the Safe Sanctuary Policy of the Jesse Lee Memorial UMC, all adult and young adult volunteers (anybody out of high school) need to submit to a background check once every three years. The background check form and a copy of our policy and procedure can be downloaded here.

ASP Volunteer Trip Agreement

ASP Volunteer Trip AgreementRequired for All Volunteers

All volunteers will need to complete the ASP Volunteer Agreement form. If you have not done so, please download the form below, sign it and bring it to one of the orientations or form drop off meetings listed on the events page.

Jesse Lee Waiver Form

Jesse Lee ASP Waiver FormRequired for All Volunteers

You will need to turn in your Jesse Lee ASP Release and Liability Waiver form prior to participating in Basic Skills or Ramp Building. If you have not done so, please download the form below, sign it and bring it to one of the orientations or form drop off meetings listed on the events page.

Parker Etzbach Wins 2022 John Ward Award

Jesse Lee ASP is excited to announce that the winner of the 2022 John Ward “Love in Action” Scholarship Award is Parker Etzbach.

Parker is a recent graduate of Wooster School and a 5-year participant of Appalachia Service Project. The earlier years Parker served as a youth volunteer and this past year he co-led a team in a young adult capacity. 

Parker is very involved in sports playing soccer and tennis.  At Wooster he was a Social Impact Executive Board Member where he helped plan service and community education opportunities for the Wooster community and bring service opportunities to Wooster students and faculty.   He also was a Student Ambassador, where he led tours for prospective students and represented Wooster in front of alumni and board members at events.

A member of Jesse Lee United Methodist Church, he also assists their Spirit Builders construct and assemble wheelchair ramps across Connecticut providing greater accessibility for the homebound. 

This fall Parker will be attending Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota where he plans to study chemistry.   We are very pleased to present him with this award.

John Ward

The John Ward Love in Action Award was established by Jesse Lee ASP in 2017 to honor John Ward’s 30th Appalachia Service Project Trip. It is a $1000 grant given each year to a high school senior who has participated in ASP and dedicated themself to other forms of community service.

Winners of the John Ward Award have been:

  • 2022 – Parker Etzbach
  • 2021 – Kate Fleming
  • 2020 – Matt Carpenter
  • 2019 – Miles Tullo
  • 2018 – Gillian Retter
  • 2017 – Petros Papadopolous

Kate Fleming Wins 2021 John Ward Award

Jesse Lee ASP is excited to announce that the winner of the 2020 John Ward “Love in Action” Scholarship Award is Kate Fleming.

Kate is a recent graduate of Ridgefield High School and a 4-year participant of Appalachia Service Project. In addition to attending the trip, she has been a valued member of the ASP Orientation Team for the last three years as well as the ASP Music Team. Kate is so committed to ASP that when she wasn’t able to drive down with all the volunteers at the start of the week this past summer, she flew down mid-week to join her crew.

Kate is a member of The National Honor Society. While at Ridgefield High she was involved in the Nightingales A Cappella Group (holding roles as treasurer and soprano 1 section leader), RHS Theatre, RPS Friends Club and on the Varsity Swim and Dive Team. She was also an active member of Ridgefield Young Life.

She works as a sales associate at Sammy + Nat, a children’s clothing boutique and has volunteered at many places through National Charity League including the Women’s Center of Danbury, RVNAhealth, Meals on Wheels, Dorothy Day House and group COVID-19 relief efforts.

This fall Kate will be attending Loyola University in Maryland where she plans to study communications/journalism. We are very pleased to present her with this award.

John Ward

The John Ward Love in Action Award was established by Jesse Lee ASP in 2017 to honor John Ward’s 30th Appalachia Service Project Trip. It is a $1000 grant given each year to a high school senior who has participated in ASP and dedicated themself to other forms of community service.

Winners of the John Ward Award have been:

  • 2021 – Kate Fleming
  • 2020 – Matt Carpenter
  • 2019 – Miles Tullo
  • 2018 – Gillian Retter
  • 2017 – Petros Papadopolous

Interested Volunteers Asked to Register Now for ASP 2021

Although the COVID-19 pandemic may prohibit or alter this summer’s mission trip, Jesse Lee Appalachia Service Project is asking high-school teens and adults to register now as volunteers for ASP 2021.

Jesse Lee ASP hopes to take volunteers down to Appalachia June 26-July 4 for a week of meaningful home repair. While there currently is uncertainty because of COVID over what will happen this summer, the organization needs to begin registering and training volunteers now.

“If we are able to make the trip happen this summer, it’s important to begin to prepare our crews for where we’ll be going, what to expect there, what work we’ll be doing there, and how to safely do it,” said Steve Coppock of the Jesse Lee ASP council.

At least for now, there’s no cost to express interest in volunteering. Register with no obligation at www.jesseleeasp.org.

Online monthly trainings will begin soon to plan for the summer trip and to review the ASP guiding principles of safety, stewardship and sensitivity.

If a decision is made this spring that the COVID risk is too great for traveling to Appalachia, Coppock said, Jesse Lee ASP may pivot to doing work locally.

ASP is a national Christian volunteer organization founded by Rev. Glenn “Tex” Evans, a Methodist minister, in 1969. Since then, some 400,000 volunteers from across the nation have participated in weeklong mission trips to make nearly 18,000 homes in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina “warmer, safer and drier.”

Last year – in what would have been Jesse Lee ASP’s 37th year – the entire ASP summer program in Appalachia was canceled because of COVID. Some 270 volunteers had signed up through Jesse Lee ASP, again making it the second-largest local ASP group in America.

This summer, the national ASP organization has added a number of COVID safety protocols, including: limiting the number of volunteers who can stay at its “centers”; requiring that masks be worn unless volunteers are eating, sleeping or showering; and prioritizing exterior home repairs, like roof and siding replacements.

Jesse Lee ASP is open to anyone who will have completed their freshman year of high school. Adults are encouraged to volunteer – both those who have teens participating and those who don’t. You don’t have to be a member of Jesse Lee or any church, you don’t have to live in Ridgefield, and you don’t need to be an expert with a hammer to volunteer. Basic construction skills and safety rules are taught in training sessions prior to going on ASP. There’s also a fund-raising component. And it helps if you like ice cream.

Home base for Jesse Lee ASP is Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church, 207 Main St.  Learn more and register for this year’s work at www.jesseleeasp.org.