I'm on the Porch!

After 10 hours of transit and nine months of living in Boston, returning to the Porch yesterday felt like I was merely waking up from a dream. I left Claiborne County yesterday, right?

I'm currently at our training facility in Jonesville, VA, which we affectionately call The Porch. All 130+ of the summer staff are gathered here for a week and a half for training. I will be here until May 31st, attending some training sessions, teaching some sessions, running errands as need be, and (attempt to be) getting to know the rest of the staff!

My mailing address while in Jonesville is:

ASP Lee County VA Center
PO Box 250
Jonesville, VA 24263-0250

After training, I will depart and be serving the centers in Kentucky and Virginia. My centers to visit are: Breathitt County, Clay County, Harlan County, Knott Lotts Creek, Knott Topmost, Knox County, Leslie County, Magoffin County, Martin County, Wolfe County, and Perry County, all of which are in Kentucky. My lone Virginia county is Lee County.

I will have a home base in Knott County, Lotts Creek Center, which means that if anyone wants to send me a letter, you can send it here! The mailing address is:

ASP Knott Center-Lotts Creek
General Delivery
Bulan, KY 41722

Here are some pictures from Training (thus far):

The Porch itself!

Our summer's theme: Putting FAITH Forward. This is ASP's 40th year of service in Appalachia, starting with Tex Evans initial vision in 1969.

Rachel Naumann, Program Manager, welcomes staff to the Porch.


Today was Sim Day, where all the returning staff members acted out scenarios that the new staff are likely to encounter throughout the summer. New staffers also had an opportunity to practice driving 15 passenger vans, assess and address situations onsite, and learn some construction. I had a great time leading a van of first years today, since in years past I have been the returning staffer teaching construction, and before that the nervous first year staffer driving a 15 passenger van for the first time!

Some Sim Day Pictures:
Staffers loosening the "flat tire"

Me and Becky Long, my returner's little sib

Mitch, Allie, and Alex performing the "expansion and contraction" dance, which explains the particular nailing pattern used in installing vinyl siding.


Happy staffers!!