BUTLER TWP - Not even the sweltering heat could break the spirit of the 480 youths who emerged on Butler Monday to volunteer their time to those in need.

The youths, from many states across the country, were part of the Butler Project/REACH Work Camp 2005, which began Sunday night in Butler.

REACH is a Christian work camp organization based in Loveland, Colo. It was started by the Loveland Church and has since spread to other churches across the country. The organization prides itself on helping others and has helped organize work camps both within the country and on an international basis.

The local effort is being organized by the Westminster Presbyterian Church in America on North Main Street. A total of 75 local adult volunteers will be working with the youths throughout the week.

Ed Wehr, an elder at Westminster Presbyterian and local organizer for the event, said the youths would be working on 53 houses in Butler County that are in need of repair or refurbishing.

It is the first time REACH has been to Butler since 1997, when 38 sites were completed, Wehr said.

"We do this every year, though, with our local youth group (from Westminster Presbyterian)," Wehr said. "But it's only three or four projects because that's all we have time to do."

But with 480 sets of hands available this summer, more homes could be done.

Homes included in this year's project were located through the help of local agencies like the Butler Area Agency on Aging, Wehr said.

"There were a few that I got by word of mouth, but most of them were from local agencies," Wehr said.

To qualify to receive help from the project, homeowners must have shown they could not do the work themselves due to either age, lack of income or health.

Wehr said some of the requests had to be scaled down due to time restraints and lack of manpower available to complete them all by week's end.

At one of the locations Monday afternoon in Butler Township, eight youth volunteers were busy installing drywall in a room.

The youth endured 90-plus degree weather with high humidity for their first official day on the job, but it didn't stop them from getting the job done.

Adult volunteer Ken McCafferty was helping to oversee the work.

"Every house is having something different done to it, but on this one, they're tearing out drywall in one room and re-installing new drywall," he said.

Vanessa Flores, 15, of Holland, Mich., said it was her first time trying to drywall anything.

"But it's fun," she said, smiling. "I've never done this before, but I'm learning, so it's a good opportunity."

Flores said it was her first time participating with REACH but that she was learning many valuable lessons.

John Moon, 17, of Philadelphia, also said it was his first time with REACH.

"I heard it was a really good experience and I wanted to come here and find out what it's all about," he said. "But it takes a little time to get used to all this."

Erin Gollihue, 16, of New Jersey, said it's her second year in REACH but "it's fun to help people who are less fortunate than you. I really like giving back to other people."

A veteran of the program, 17-year-old Lindsay Hamel of New York has been participating for six years with REACH.

"It changes my life every time," she said. "I learn something new about myself every time."

Hamel, who said she also has never worked with drywall before now, said the key to being able to get any job done is putting your best foot forward.

"As long as you try your hardest, nothing is impossible," she said.

Sabrina Birkmeyer, 15, also of New York, was another first-timer to REACH.

"I wanted a new experience," she said. "My friends told me I should go here and they were right."

The youths will be in Butler until Friday afternoon, according to project coordinator Jean Garrett.

During the week, the youth will be housed at Butler Senior High School, sleeping on cots or in sleeping bags in 30 classrooms.

Transportation from the school to the work sites was provided by local volunteers and students took lunches with them to the sites. Breakfast and dinner were served at the high school, where students were staying.

Every evening, various activities were planned at the high school for the students to keep them occupied when they weren't working on site, Garrett said.

The school district donated the use of its building, with REACH paying for cooks and security while the youths are there.

Each youth raised $360 to be able to participate in the work camp and there was no cost for materials or labor to the homeowners participating in the project.

Many local businesses donated money and materials to the projects, Garrett said.

Garrett, who volunteers her time supervising the youths, said she enjoys working with them and learns something new every time.

"It's just a wonderful thing," she said. "These kids really inspire you to get involved."