Every year, a group of teenagers from Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva (UUSG) give up part of their summer vacations to work with Habitat for Humanity. This year, 21 local high school students will travel to Grand Rapids, Minnesota, July 9-17 to work on building a new house and a greater sense of community.

They will start with just a concrete slab and blueprints. Through a week of hard work, they will finish with a nearly complete house that will soon be ready for a family in need. Trip coordinator Laura Laughlin said that the teens particularly enjoy the challenge of putting the roof up, manipulating the trusses one story above the ground.

For the first time this year, parents and other UUSG members will be able to follow the group online. The teens will provide frequent Facebook updates through the UUSG page (http://www.facebook.com/uusg1) and also post live on a dedicated trip blog.

The students come from across the far western suburbs and attend high school at Saint Charles East, Saint Charles North, Geneva, Batavia, Elgin, Bartlett, and IMSA.

The UUSG group is hosted by the First Assembly of God congregation in Grand Rapids. This interaction provides a memorable cross-faith experience for both the hosts and visitors from Geneva.

Donations to help fund this and future Habitat for Humanity trips should be sent to UUSG, P.O. Box 107, Geneva, IL 60134-0107.

About UUSG

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, established in 1842 and the oldest church in Geneva, is a diverse, welcoming community that endeavors to make its Covenant a living reality. We provide religious education and opportunities for spiritual growth. We encourage individual and mutual responsibility as together we work to be a liberal religious voice in the community and a force for compassionate social justice. For more information, visit www.uusg.org.