The Blue Ridge Mountains are scattered with friendly, small towns that are waiting to welcome you to their scenic and peaceful setting. From hiking the Appalachian Trail to enjoying the beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway, there is plenty to see and do here. The YouthWorks site of Taylorsville, North Carolina is a friendly, family-oriented community, but like many small towns, some residents struggle to provide for their families. Your group will serve this community through painting homes and children’s ministries.

Demographics

The breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains are located in the southern Appalachians. The town of Taylorsville, in western North Carolina, is located in the northern Piedmont foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The town is part of Alexander County, bordered on the south by the Catawba River and Lake Hickory, and on the north by the Brushy Mountains. Two-thirds of Alexander County is farmland. While agriculture provides much of the area’s income, manufacturing companies—particularly furniture producers—employ the majority of workers in the region. The Alexander County population is estimated to be 35,727, with 1,799 making their home in Taylorsville. The number of available manufacturing jobs has been shrinking in recent years, and today the unemployment rate in Alexander County is 5.5 percent. About 21 percent of Taylorsville residents live below the poverty line, including nearly 27 percent of those under age 18. Come to this peaceful and beautiful part of the country for an amazing ministry experience and an opportunity to impact many lives with the love of Christ.

About the Ministry

Participants serve in a variety of ways during a YouthWorks mission trip. Students may spend all week at one ministry or switch between ministries during the week. Ministries that your students may participate in are Kids Club and Work Projects. Kids Club is a hands-on program led by your youth offering high-energy games, crafts, skits, songs and interactive lessons all designed to help kids learn about Jesus. Whether we’re painting houses, performing minor home repair, cleaning up debris, volunteering in community gardens or other projects in the community, the projects students work on will serve as our way of blessing people in need. We cannot confirm until all groups arrive exactly what ministries your students will be a part of during the week. We ask that you come with a willing and flexible spirit!

Activities

Evening activities during a YouthWorks week are designed to give participants insight into the lives of local residents and the culture of the area. A list of evening/cultural activities we have done in the past include: attend a rodeo church service; spend an evening at a water park; go to Lowe Lookout; attend a community cookout. These are examples of what your group might partake in during your mission week. These examples are subject to change due to weather or availability. In case of change, suitable substitutes will be provided. We try to arrange for free evening activities, but from time to time, an additional cost may be required for an activity. Please plan to bring an additional $10 per person to cover any extra costs. We will confirm the details closer to your trip.

Ministry Week

Kids Club (begins June 19th) and Work Projects.

Mileage

The YouthWorks site in the Blue Ridge Mountains is located approximately one hour north of Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Transportation & Travel

Groups are responsible for transportation to and from the site, as well as during the mission week. Blue Ridge Mountains can only accommodate standard 15 passenger vans or smaller.

Additional Information

If you would like information on the Blue Ridge Parkway, check out this National Park Service’s Web site: http://www.nps.gov/blri