COLLEGE-AGED (18-21 year olds) &
​ADULT VOLUNTEERS (Advisors)

FOA's 15th Trip
      June ?th - July ?th, 2026
      Central Appalachia
​Meetings are held at Trumbull Congregational Church Sundays 6:30-8:00pm      see Calendar Tab 
​

ADVISOR APPLICATION FOR THE FOA2026 TRIP - will be opened in november

$150 DEPOSIT IS DUE WITH THE SUBMISSION OF YOUR APPLICATION - use the QR code below to submit deposit

SAFE SANCTUARY TRAINING and QUIZ - REQUIRED BY JANUARY

ADVISOR MANUAl - required reading

VOCABULARY FOR ADVISORS

ASP VOLUNTEER STATEMENT AND REGISTRATION FORM - due may 1 

ASP EXPECTATIONS, RULES & REGULATIONS - required reading

INDIVIDUAL PACKING LIST

GROUP PACKING LIST

SOLICITATION LETTER

 This is a youth-focused, outreach ministry trip,
but it would not be possible without our dedicated,
fun-loving and well-trained adult leaders.


FOA-experienced adults: Our returning adult volunteers are the backbone of this wonderful, life-changing event -- your dedication, leadership and spirit make it happen.  But without enough adults to accompany them, this life-changing experience of service will not be possible for our kids!  Therefore we are always interested in having new adults join us! FOA and ASP require two advisors for every work crew of four/five youth.
If you have a heart for giving to others, the aspirations to make a difference, and a week to give: we need you! 

​New FOA adult advisors (over 22 years of age/25 and over for driving our vehicles):  You will make a difference in the lives of many young people. You will experience service and fellowship in different and wonderful ways. The fresh perspective and enthusiasm of our new adult volunteers gives us many new ideas every year. But we do not send you off without equipping you. There is training, orientation, team building, fund-raising, and bonding that happens in every activity we sponsor to prepare all participants to act as a team, use their skills and talents and share our love for each other and the Appalachian families we serve on the trip. It is imperative that our adult volunteers are full participants in each activity that leads up to the trip. 
After reading this entire page... if you want to learn more about the 2025 trip – here’s what to do next:
 Read through the ‘ADVISOR MANUAL’ link above. Know what you’re getting into!
Make sure that the tasks (and joys!) of an adult advisor/leader sound like something you can do and would enjoy doing!
Then: If you’re “in” –
please go to our "ADVISOR APPLICATION" and register.
We will also schedule a time to talk together about the trip with several Advisors/Board Members to help answer any questions.
​
College-Aged Leaders-In-Training (CA/LIT's) (high school graduates thru 21 years of age): If you participated with FOA during high school and you would like to continue the adventure, we would like to welcome you in your new role as a young adult volunteer.  

​We hope the FOA/ASP experience for you!
It is a lot of work but is as much fun for the adults as it is for the kids.
It is a considerable time commitment, but you'll come home with new friends and incredible memories in the same way as the kids do!
There is nothing else like it.

  Application Information 
  Volunteers can fill out and submit their application form using the Black Box links above. 
​Application fee of $150 must be submitted with your application. All Donations into your volunteer account is non-refundable. 
Safe Sanctuary will need to be submitted as soon as possible and is required prior to participating in any skills training. 
Volunteer/Medical Form and Drivers License is due by May 1st. 
All CA/LIT's and Adult Advisors need to submit to a background check every three years
(​ In April you will receive an email with the form to fill out and email back ) and
every two years for First Aide/CPR/AED training (prior to June).

Adult Advisor cost of participation in the Friends of Appalachia 2025 Trip is $750.
CA/LIT's (19-21 years of age on the trip) cost of participation in the Friends of Appalachia 2025 Trip is $550.
 
The application and any other information requested by FOA is being gathered for the safety of the participants. Our adult volunteers will be responsible for the well-being of the youth participants. This could include seeking emergency medical attention. It is imperative that we have a comprehensive report of any medical or dietary concerns and any medication that is being taken.

It is suggested that $150 be deposited into your account each month. The minimum cost amount must be paid prior to the May Meeting.
​These payments can be made with your own QR Code to your account
or
Checks can be made payable to "FOA" with your name in the 'Memo' section and brought to any event/meeting.

$1300 Club - entitles you to an extra FOA gift and input on an extra purchase for your work site home,
​$1500 Club - entitles you to 2 extra FOA gifts and input on an extra purchase for your work site home 
​
Trip Preparation Meetings
All ASP volunteers are required to attend and participate in all of our pre-trip meetings, community help opportunities, solicitations and fundraisers.  Please click CALENDAR tab above.

Basic Construction Skills Training 
In the Monthly Meeting Notice - IF Construction Training is on the agenda, everyone needs to wear proper work site attire: long pants, a shirt that tucks in (no sleeveless shirts; no low necklines), work boots (no sneakers). Participants with improper attire will not be able to participate. Instruction includes supervised individual practice on the safe use of the circular saw, power drill and hammer among other skills. Everyone will need to bring a "Construction Bag" to that meeting that includes a 16 oz. hammer, a pair of safety glasses, and a pair of work gloves. Be sure to mark your name on your tool bag and tools that you bring, because they will tend to look a lot like somebody else's.
​The same consideration might be given to your work boots.

Expectations during the trip and at the Work Site
 Volunteers participating in Friends of Appalachia Trip will be expected to be involved in specific home building and repair projects. These projects can include activities such as roofing, carpentry, sheet rocking (drywall), digging, building steps, footers and piers, plumbing, insulating, painting, flooring, masonry, electrical wiring and other facets of home repair, remodeling and renovation. These activities include, but are not limited to, the use of power tools such as saws and drills as well as the use of hand tools. These activities will also require climbing, with or without supplies, tools and materials, as well as working in high places such as rooftops, small or confined spaces such as crawlspaces, and other facets of construction work. These activities may be done in any type of setting, including remote, rural, urban, small and large towns. 

You will be expected to work hard. But you will be able to do it!
Each participant is assigned to a particular work crew, a mix of age, gender and experience. a crew is made up of approx 5 Youth and 2 Adult Advisors. 
You are guaranteed to make new friends! 

When and where do we go?
The dates of our trip is June 28th - July 6, 2025. FOA will be assigned to 1 of the 5 states of Central Appalachia. Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, or North Carolina. We will be traveling in van/suburban type vehicles. We won't know exactly where til the springtime. During our time on the trip, we stay in an ASP Summer Center, generally set up in a school or community center building, sleeping on floors and eating in the cafeteria. 

What happens on the Trip?
On Saturday June 28th,  all participants meet at 6:15am. Our fleet of vehicles will drive to Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg VA, for our first night of the trip in the college dorms. 

​On Sunday, June 29th, after morning devotions together, we continue to our ASP assigned County. 
From Monday to Friday (June 30th - July 4th), we will begin each day with breakfast and devotions, work on our homes from 8am-4pm, and then be back together in the evening for free time, dinner, chores, and "evening gathering".
​
On Saturday, July 5th about 7am we will leave our center and return to EMU.
On Sunday July 6th , we will leave EMU and drive home to Trumbull arriving approximately 4pm. We will then have our Family Picnic (Unity Park) to celebrate our Week of Work and Fellowship. 

Packing and Departing
​The success of the ASP trip is highly dependent on proper preparation, and that is true for packing. Every participant should download the packing list and follow the instructions very carefully. Please click on the Individual Packing box at the top of this page. ​