Press Releases For More Information: Sean O'Brien
Guilford Couple Serves as Role Model for their Children GUILFORD, CT, May 17, 2006 - Saws were buzzing and hammers were pounding as dozens of people at each of ten sites throughout the Greater New Haven area and along the Shoreline participated in the 19th annual AmeriCares HomeFront Day during the first weekend in May. And who better to oversee all ten teams than the man who, for the past 16 years, has led a home-repair group from Connecticut to Booneville, Kentucky. Booneville is in Owsley County, one of the ten poorest counties in the United States. Guilford resident Alan Armstrong is a physician's assistant by profession and a home repair volunteer by avocation. Each year for the past 16 years, Armstrong, accompanied by his wife Denise Armstrong, has coordinated and chaperoned a youth trip to the Appalachian region in Kentucky. The trip is co-sponsored by their parish, St. George in Guilford, and Notre Dame Church in Durham, Connecticut. Although the age requirement for participation in the Appalachian group is 15 years old through college, with adult supervision, the Armstrong's two children were allowed to join their parents at a much earlier age. Since they were supervising, Alan and his wife wanted their children to experience all that goes along with the trip at as early an age as possible. In the 19 total years that the Armstrong's have been involved in the trip to Booneville, they have built 3 houses. The trip is eight days in length and they work on 12 to 15 homes per trip. Armstrong said they've rebuilt or repaired existing homes, everything from roofing to rooms, and built a lot of porches. "Porches are a big social item there," Armstrong noted. The team drives to its destination, taking its own food and tools, sleeping on cement at night in the County garage, and taking cold showers. "It's experiencing rural poverty at its worst," Armstrong said. "It's something of a cultural exchange," he added. According to Armstrong, everyone gets involved at one point or another - "jocks, brains, geeks. You name it. We've had them on the trip." "With all of this experience behind them, it's no wonder Alan and Denise are such an asset to the AmeriCares HomeFront program," said Executive Director Sean O'Brien. Not only do they work on HomeFront Day - Denise coordinating volunteers and tasks and working alongside the team from St. George, Alan visiting and, if necessary, troubleshooting all of the HomeFront projects along the Shoreline and in Greater New Haven -- but both Alan and Denise work through much of the year to inspect the homes of HomeFront applicants. A Snapshot of AmeriCares HomeFront HomeFront is one of three domestic assistance programs run under the auspices of the Stamford-based AmeriCares international relief agency. The Mission of the program is to help low-income homeowners stay in their houses by providing needed repairs at no cost to recipients. The program primarily serves senior citizens, those facing physical or mental challenges, those who are chronically ill, and single parents. Some 5,000 volunteers repaired 80 homes and community centers throughout much of Connecticut and in Westchester and Putnam Counties, New York, this month. The volunteer teams come from corporations, civic-based organizations, faith-based groups and members of the trade. A "Family Affair" for the Armstrong Household Whatever volunteer activity Alan and his wife are involved in, their children are too. Daughter April Armstrong Campbell made the trip from Auburn, MA, this past weekend to work at the home of Fay Crawford in Hamden, a HomeFront recipient. Her brother Ben Armstrong, who traveled from West Hartford where he graduates this weekend from UCONN Medical School, joined them, bringing his girlfriend as an additional resource. In the past, he's brought his college buddies from UCONN. Following in his father's footsteps, Ben is preparing to do his Residency in Emergency Medicine at a hospital in New Jersey. His sister April may not be far behind. She is contemplating a career in Veterinarian Medicine. Working side-by-side with her family on HomeFront Day 2006, April was overheard saying she doesn't know how her parents do all that they do. "They are great role models for me and my brother," she told an AmeriCares HomeFront staff member.
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