Young women learn the art of building, plumbing, and other trades at We Build Camp

Photo Contributed.

For five days recently 29 Rutherford County young ladies from the fourth to seventh grade gathered for the annual We Build Day Camp at Isothermal Community College (ICC).

Sponsored by Rutherford Housing Partnership with the Women Roofers and ICC, the students arrived each day with a new challenge to build before them.

Camp Director Ali High said, "I started the week excited to play a part in empowering this group of campers. By Monday afternoon I realized that they were empowering me just as much as I was helping empower them."

High said camp was an amazing week with a wonderful group of strong women, not little girls.

"Those who had the opportunity to walk through the different sessions got to witness that so much more was going on at camp than simply just building. Our future is in their hands and I couldn't be more proud to say that," High added.

Campers were Melody Xiong Davis, Eva Ryan, Alexis Maughan, Abigail Crawford, Elise Logan, Elora Nunez, Baylee Millwood, Holley Wright, Alliana Koone, Sadie Kernodle, Hailie Bradley, Ava McClung, Cora Harding, Malia Davis, Anna Mercantini, Reagan Edwards, Ada Hendrix, Sophia Weathers, Rhiannon Greene, Ashlynn Jean Maughan, Bailey Wiig, Faune Roche, Samantha Brown, Rebecca Waters, Layla Langley, Hailey Toney, Jordyn Staley, Braylen Staley.

The WeBuild Camp began on Monday and concluded Friday with a water fun day after the building projects were completed.

During camp, the girls did string art to practice hammering, made pencil holders to practice drilling, wood burning and sanding, made stools to practice measuring, cutting, drilling, sanding, glueing, made a lamp where they practiced wire stripping, wire cutting, switch wiring, and connecting wires to the electrical source, mansory where they practiced laying brick.

Interactive presentations were given by Rutherford Electric Membership Corporation (REMC), Southeastern Concrete Masonry Association, and Broad River Water Authority.

Mike Lyda, a member of the RHP Board of Directors and construction instructor at ICC, also assisted at the camp.

On the last day of camp, the campers played in the water and learned about plumbing, thanks to the Broad River Authority.

Thanks were expressed to those who provided snacks throughout the week.

In addition to the Women Roofers, RHP staff, community volunteers and young people helped with the camp.