Jim Reis, Nederland.

Have you seen them this summer? Small to large groups of teens working hard, wearing their blue or red Rocky Mountain Mission t-shirts? Working at the roundabout, building trails at Chipeta Park or hauling away slash at your elderly neighbor’s house?

These teenage volunteers have been sweating all summer for the betterment of the Nederland community.

Nederland Presbyterian Community Church (NCPC) began the Rocky Mountain Mission (RMM) program in July 2014 to pair eager young people with opportunities to serve, all surrounded by a stunning natural environment that can help them consider God’s place in their lives.

Rocky Mountain Mission is now in year 5 of performing service projects for seniors and disabled folks as well as the greater Nederland community. Groups of up to 20 volunteers from other churches, travel to Nederland for a week of outreach, becoming closer to God through acts of selfless service and nightly devotional lessons.

This program has become a reality through the vision and leadership of our Pastor, Hansen Wendlandt. In addition to Hansen, RMM is run by Jim Reis as the Work Coordinator, who plans and oversees the service projects, and Bailey Johnson, our Community Coordinator, who leads the fun activities, nightly devotional lessons and singing of Jesus jams! On Wednesdays, each group has a free day to explore Rocky Mountain National Park or go white water rafting, with a picnic hosted at a church member's house that evening.  

In 2018 we have been honored to host 72 volunteers from 7 churches in Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado. Our first RMM group arrived in Nederland on June 17, 2018 and the last group departs on Aug. 11. We also received help from 11 local volunteers who helped to complete service projects.

During the summer of 2018, Rocky Mountain Mission volunteers completed over 30 service projects, including:

-Rebuilding trails from pedestrian bridge to the fishing pond at Chipeta Park and bringing trails up to ADA standards so the park is accessible for those in wheelchairs to enjoy.

-Pruning back branches and installing benches along the trails leading to/through Chipeta Park.

-Removing a squatter’s trailer and a ton of construction material from Sunnyside neighborhood.

-Beatifying the Nederland roundabout by planting shrubs and putting down mulch.

-Building a wheelchair ramp for a disabled senior.

-Cutting down trees and hauling rounds/slash for several folks.

-Cleaning up campsites at West Magnolia.

-Washing windows at Carousel of Happiness.

-Doing repair projects at the Nederland Community Center.

-Tearing down/rebuilding fences and other repair projects for the elderly.

-Doing yard work, hauling away appliances/junk for multiple Nederland area seniors.  

-Painting and repair projects for the Boulder County Housing Authority.

-Stocking shelves and sorting clothes at the Nederland Food Pantry and Clothes Closet.

-Preparing and serving lunch to the homeless for NCPC's Socks & Sandwiches program.

Thank You to the volunteers from the following churches who came and spent a week working in Nederland:

Community Presbyterian Church - Terry, MT

First Presbyterian Church - Sterling, CO

Cross Roads Church - San Antonio, TX

First Presbyterian Church - Alamogordo, NM

First Presbyterian Church - Las Animas, CO

St. Mark Presbyterian Church - Boerne, TX

Fort Calhoun Presbyterian Church - Fort Calhoun, NE

I am extremely proud to have worked with these teens who decided to leave behind their Xboxes and busy social lives to come do service projects in our mountain community. Rocky Mountain Mission Volunteers, I Salute You!

(Originally published in the August 16, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)