Denver Church Helps Alamosa Community

Volunteers from First Christian Reformed Church in Denver, Colo., traveled a couple of hundred miles recently to help residents of San Luis Valley near Alamosa.

A volunteer measures the door to be installed for improved security in Roxanne Kent’s house.

Working with Christian Community Service Projects (CCSP), an organization based in Alamosa, they did various projects, including rebuilding a porch.

“They painted a house in a day for a lady named Lucy Salazar,” CCSP manager Suzanne Tolsma said. Another job was securing the skirting of a mobile home to the ground to keep out rodents and protect pipes from freezing.

CCSP is an interdenominational organization that helps residents in the San Luis Valley community. Volunteer groups from throughout the United States donate their labor as well as money to fund some of the project work.

“Beforehand I do radio interviews and put ads in the newspaper to see what residents need help with in their homes,” Tolsma said. Once applications are received, Tolsma and job site coordinator Bob Jones visit the homes.

“Most of the residents that we help include those of low income or no income, they’re handicapped or elderly,” Tolsma said.

First CRC had connections through Alamosa Christian Reformed Church and has previously worked with CCSP.