Day 39: Workday in Craig, CO

By Mark Major
This is our fifth workday. Though Craig Colorado is quite a reach from Americus Georgia, their Fuller Center for Housing Covenant Partner program is strong. They have a rental property and an ongoing build project in the works, but being a small community the resources aren’t as many. Still, the hard work of Neil Folks and Vicki Burns and their team is producing results. Vicki has been a 28 year resident of Craig, hailing from Florida originally, and a dynamic community leader who also owns Brass Key Realty, she’s the Financial Secretary of the First Congregational United Church of Christ, and is heavily involved with the local Interfaith Food Bank. I hope that when we’re not here she can get some relaxation, for from the moment I first saw her two days ago she hasn’t stopped. We can’t thank Vicki enough for her work encouraging local businesses and churches toward our support. Craig Colorado will not blend into the blur of towns we’ve passed through; this has been a very memorable visit and experience. 

We had eleven projects today so we split into teams to accomplish them. Ours was to scrape and paint in the morning and then yard work in the afternoon. This is an aging community so the needs of the elderly are what need attending. That is what is unique about the Fuller foundation; the Covenant Partners are autonomous so can attend to the needs they see in their community without being tightly reined.  As with any organization there must be sound business practices followed, but this type of work must follow principles that may seem counter to corporate mindset of central control. Charity needs are best recognized and cared for by the immediate community as immediately as possible. Volunteers such as I’ve seen with the Fuller Center have amazed and inspired me. I hope to serve as well one day.