Barbara Lawlor, Nederland.         Last week, a group of young adults came to  Nederland on a mission trip to help local residents and non-profit organizations with some of their needs. Wes Stiefer organized the trip with the help of Hansen Wendlandt  and the Nederland Community Presbyterian Church.

Stiefer, now a Nederland resident, says the project, God is Alive in Colorado,  is one of 21 mission trips he has organized. There were 13 volunteers from Oklahoma, three from Texas, and 11 from the NCPC, as well as abundant help from the community.

The volunteers were housed at the NCPC, sleeping on air mattresses on the floor and showering at the Gilpin County Recreation Center for a discounted fee. Local families hosted meals for the group.

The incentive for the mission came from a tip from the Nederland Area Seniors about a senior resident who needed some help fixing up her house to get ready for winter. Stiefer contacted a former member of the church he attended in Texas, who is now a pastor in Oklahoma, and the two agreed to adopt the house in Coal Creek Canyon.

In the time they were here, the volunteers scraped and painted the exterior of the CCC house, sanded and painted the deck, and cut and hauled kindling and firewood for the winter.

At the home of an elderly couple in Nederland, the group raked, cleaned the yard, pulled weeds, removed dead branches and trees, and prepped a sidewalk for gravel delivery. They even washed the windows.

During the week, the group moved and sorted books in preparation for the Nederland Community Library Book Sale. They sorted and organized food and did general cleaning and maintenance for the Nederland Food Pantry.

Nineteen workers can get a lot done in a short amount of time. These visitors also worked on the trail from the pedestrian trail to Chipeta Park, hauling 123 wheelbarrow loads of road base and rock to fill in the path where it had eroded. They also re-sloped and raised parts of the trail to combat future erosion.

Stiefer says the trip was a success. "I hope this is just the beginning. "Next summer we hope to host 2 or 3 mission groups and help more families next year."