Every two years I donate a week of time and effort to the ASP, "Appalachian Service Project," and this year I spent a hot, wet and wonderful week in Maggoffin County, Kentucky. This is the first year where the family I worked with had small children (four of them!) and the difference with those munchkins running around was dramatic!

     Technically this year I was a "float." My buddy Phil and I were designated as a "float crew" and hauled about 1000 lbs of various tools down in Phil's truck for our use. We really didn?t do much "floating," instead we spent the week with two other crews making this wonderful family's trailer home more habitable. 

     Imagine if you will a truly scenic valley nestled at the base of three mountains. They only road in or out is a single lane strip of asphalt that winds it's way along the base of one mountain to this little plot of mostly flat ground where sits a mobile home. In this fair sized trailer live two adults and 4 children under 7 years of age.

     It's a bit crowded?

     At the beginning of the summer this humble home had a leaking roof, faulty pluming and holes in the floor that were way too inviting to the local snakes and other critters that shared that scenic location. The ASP staffers decided to build a two room addition and erect a ?car port? structure over the whole thing to keep the rain off. Prior to our arrival the plumbing had been repaired, some posts for the car port put in place (poorly...) and the majority of the deck framing for the new addition had been completed. In the course of a week, with a lot of ready and willing hands our crews completed the deck, walls and sheathing on the addition. Removed the old rickety porch and made an excellent start on the framing for the new roof. It was a wonderful week!

     Off hours we stayed at the Maggoffin County High School, sleeping in the air conditioned gymnasium. Honestly, the center was among the most luxurious I have had the pleasure of staying at in the past six years.

     So, rather than tell a long winded story I am creating a new gallery of photos from ASP 2006. I will organize and add captions as time allows and I invite you to take a peek. If you have the time and the desire (construction skills are optional) I highly recommend you volunteer a week of time. You will appreciate the privileges we all enjoy so much more once you have experienced life of a different, less privileged but no less important or dignified sort. Take a walk in the mountains with ASP and you will never look at them the same way again.

Franklyn D. Garland
The Celtic Knot