PETROLIA — For the Chicora Alliance Church's youth group and adult volunteers, charity begins at home.

Or rather, charity begins at homes in Karns City, Petrolia and Worthington this week as the group launched three renovation projects.

Brandy Waldroup, coordinator of the effort, said for years the church sent youth and adult volunteers on mission trips to Michigan, New York and locations in Pennsylvania through Reach Mission Trips. The COVID-19 pandemic killed those plans last year and again this year, so the church decided to do construction projects locally.

Waldroup said last year the volunteers worked on four homes. This year, the 21 youth group members and nine adult volunteers, starting Monday, split up into three groups for the projects, which included a new metal porch roof and porch repairs at 106 Hope Lane, Karns City; a new deck at the home of an elderly church member at 613 Craigsville Road in Worthington; and a new porch and roof at the home of Jim and Lisa Roudebush at 281 Argyle St. In Petrolia.

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