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Edmundite Missions has a team of AmeriCorps volunteers helping them out for the month of March.

The team of six volunteers, ranging in age from 18 – 23, are all visiting the Queen City for the first time and Edmundite Missions CEO Chad McEachern said he’s happy to have them in Selma.

“We are so excited to host them in Selma and have them experience our community,” he said.

According to McEachern, the AmeriCorps Volunteers have been lending quite a hand to the Missions since their arrival, working in the Missions’ Boutique and More organizing donated clothes and housewares, preparing, serving and delivering food at the Bosco Nutrition Center and preparing the Dr. Michael and Catherine Bullock Community and Recreation Center for its grand opening.

“We are always excited to welcome volunteers to the Missions and have them connect with the work we are doing,” said McEachern. “For us, it’s about more than having a group help do the work, although that is a blessing. The most important thing is for groups like this to experience poverty services and hopefully develop a sense of compassion for those in need throughout their lives.”

McEachern said that the Edmundite Missions requested the AmeriCorps via application process.

“With the expanded need for our services we knew this would be a great time to have a dedicated group of volunteers here to help serve those entrusted to our care,” he said.

Noah Hann-Deschaine, the communications relation representative for the group, said that the volunteers are enjoying their time in Selma with the Missions.

Hann –Deschaine said the group has traveled across the country doing all manner of community service projects, but their time in Selma has been unique.

The group is mostly does labor during their volunteer work in the form of construction or deforestation, Hann –Deschaine said it’s been interesting to have more direct contact with the people the group is serving.

“Sometimes we’re in the woods with chainsaws for 18 hours a day and we never see anyone other than our project supervisor,” he said. “It’s been really cool to connect more directly and get a better sense of the people we’re serving… Everyone has been really nice. People seem really appreciative and grateful for the work that we’re doing.”