“The community on ASP is the most welcoming and kind-hearted I have ever experienced and together made my ASP week more special than anything I have done before.”
What's so great about Katonah ASP?
We thought it might be best to hear it straight from some of our members.
I went on my first Appalachia Service Project (ASP) trip as a reluctant sophomore in high school. My best friend and I spent the days leading up to the trip plotting ways to get out of a week of sleeping on cots, showering in an outdoor trailer, and going without Wi-Fi. Halfway through that first week, I remember turning to her as we walked to the cafeteria and asking, “How are we supposed to tell our parents that we actually really like this?”
Five years later, ASP has become the one week I look forward to most each year. What began as a trip I never wanted to take has shaped my faith, strengthened my leadership skills, and taught me the importance of stewardship, compassion, and serving others with humility. From installing siding and insulation to building relationships with fellow volunteers and the Appalachian community, I have learned that the impact of ASP extends far beyond the work we complete. It lives in the connections we make, the perspectives we gain, and the ways we grow through serving others.
ASP has given me lifelong friendships, incredible mentors, unexpected construction skills, and a deeper understanding of how God can use us to further His kingdom and bring glory to His name. It has become such a meaningful part of my life that my best friend and I now share matching tattoos in its honor (who would've guessed!). Every summer, I return knowing I will leave changed in some way. What I once tried to escape has become the most transformative week of my year, and I am forever grateful for all that ASP continues to teach me.
- Kirsten, member since 2021
