Brethren Volunteer Service Unit 283 begins work.

Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) volunteers from Unit 283 have begun work at projects in the US and Northern Ireland. The unit trained at Camp Ithiel in Gotha, Fla., from Jan. 25-Feb. 13. While in Florida the volunteers had several days to serve the community including workdays with local agencies in Orlando and Miami. The group also explored many issues of faith, community, peace, and social justice throughout the three-week training.

The volunteers’ home congregations or hometowns and placements follow: Dan Finkbiner of Little Swatara Church of the Brethren in Bethel, Pa., is serving at Hopewell Inn in Mesopotamia, Ohio; Emily Fuentes of Erie, Colo., is serving at the Palms of Sebring, Fla.; Max Fuerstenberg of Gerlingen, Germany, and Philipp Siedler of Rottweil, Germany, are serving at San Antonio (Texas) Catholic Worker House; Aaron Hostetler of Bremen, Ind., is serving at Abode Services in Fremont, Calif.; Sarah Hurst of Dillsburg, Pa., and Heather Thompson of Billing, Mont., is serving at Quaker Cottage in Belfast, N. Ireland; Chelsea Spade of Grossnickle Church of the Brethren in Myersville, Md., is serving at Casa de Esperanza de los Niños in Houston, Tex.; Patrick Spahn of Neustadt, Germany, is serving at the Center on Conscience and War in Washington, D.C.; Matthew Witkovsky of Stone Church of the Brethren in Huntington, Pa., is serving at the Brethren Witness/Washington Office; Lauren Young of Harrisonburg (Pa.) First Church of the Brethren is serving at Abode Services in Fremont, Calif.

For more information visit www.brethrenvolunteerservice.org or call 800-323-8039.

Source: 3/11/2009 Newsline