(c)2009 NPT PHOTO BY DAVID POPIEL
Caleb Askew is happy about the new deck being built by a Sunset Gap work camp
mission group. Josh Dunn, at right, leads the summer work camps. Askew suffers
from a congenital spine problem and can't walk.

Summer's sun shows its strength above our hometown pushing temperatures to the 90s now, as many colorful red and yellow tents popped up for July 4th fireworks sales. Shade and sweet iced tea are more in demand.

Construction seems to be increasing some as the recession loosens its grip and builders strive to improve the landscape of houses and businesses around Newport. I see a new pizza restaurant being built in Parrottsville by Keith Keller.

And, little by little, Sunset Gap is putting a brighter shine on the county one house and one soul at a time thanks to hundreds of volunteers and Cocke County leaders like Josh Dunn. He had his seat band on his head, sunglasses and comfortable work clothes when the temperature was 90 on Thursday. It wasn't the first time we chatted because I had visited a project off New Cave Church Road weeks ago. Our circulation manager, Pat Helms, who is a board member at Sunset Gap Community Center told me how volunteers were helping a youth in need.

Driving off Cosby Highway and along Cave Church I came to the trailer park not far past the rear of Cracker Barrel Restaurant. Oasis Church members from Johnson City were building a deck at the mobilehome of Connie France, who is Caleb Askew's guardian/ Caleb was in his wheelchair because he suffers from spina bifida and can't walk. He held a hammer and helped as he could. Josh was supervising the work. He explained that the old deck was lower than the door opening and dangerous for Caleb on his wheelchair. Also, the bathroom could not accommodate him any longer. The Sunset Gap volunteers built a deck, did some inside renovation including installing a lift in the bathroom. Connie is a hard worker with United Business Forms and had filled out an application with Sunset Gap to seek its support during the summer work programs. One of the church groups that provided all the labor and materials also got tickets for Caleb to attend the Aaron Tippen concert yesterday, Saturday, at Gray Tenn. The Fountain of Life Motorcycle Church hosted him and made it possible for Caleb to be on stage with Tippen during a song. Josh got to attend too, as chaperone. The whole project and its good outcome has lifted Caleb's spirits and encouraged Connie to get back to attending church so it was a great outcome, said Josh.

Along with the work camps program, Sunset Gap's staff, volunteers, and supporters are committed to their local community through a variety of vital services. You will recall my recent visit with Betty Williams and Tootie Breeden, whose love, sacrifice and dedication to the Gap's Thrift Store combines a staggering 65 years of service. Melissa Williams, a 20-year veteran, leads the facility's storied pre-school program, which has been responsible for the primary education and enlightenment of hundreds of area children, including many of our current and past community leaders. When you add a vibrant food pantry and variety of offered community activities, you can only conclude that Sunset Gap is an entity that is unique and precious to the area it serves.

While we sat in the shade last Thursday off Moon Glow Way, off Green Meadow and not far from Edwina-Bridgeport Road, I learned more about Josh. Jeff and Bebe Dunn raised him in Parrottsville. She is from New Jersey where they met and later returned to Cocke Co. Josh's sisters are Melissa Cogdill, who is a nurse practitioner with Rural Medical Services, and Stacie Raines, a park ranger at Harrison Bay near Chattanooga. Josh attended South Greene High School and then entered Tenn. Tech to become an engineer. He worked with TRW in design and testing but soon discovered that he missed the outdoors and working with his hands. This is something that runs in the family as his father used to build log cabins and as a youth Josh became acquainted with hammer and saw. For a while Josh worked with Kevin and Owenby and Jeff Dunn doing construction. About five years ago he started his own construction company and soon will have his residential and small commercial license after passing the state exam. Years ago he also got acquainted with Sunset Gap, which sought a maintenance person. By 2004, Josh was running work camps and that soon became a fulltime job as facilities manager and work cap- supervisor.

He explained that the way the program works is that each year folks with housing needs and repairs make application to Sunset Gap. Usually there are about 200 applicants and a large variety of needs from handicapped residents who need a ramp or rail to others who need an entire house replaced. The list of needs is presented to churches across the US who are aware of the Sunset Gap mission. It has well-established credentials and a huge positive reputation among Christians in the US. The churches select the projects, raise their own money to buy materials and pay their way. The churches schedule visits from May through August with Josh aided by Mike Campbell of Bybee. Mike is a retired Navy man. House renovations usually focus on roofs, siding, flooring and other needs whether painting or wiring. It is referred to as emergency repairs, because these are must-do needs and not merely cosmetic improvements. There is no cost to any resident.

When we were at the Don Ellison home off Moon Glow Way, members of Jamestown Presbyterian Church, Jamestown, North Carolina, had already put the 960-sq. ft. new home under roof. Josh explained that the old house had deteriorated so much that nothing could be done to renovate it. Ellison, who was helping out, is retired but drives a bus for the First Free Wi8ll Baptist Church. Living with him at the home are his daughter, Brandi, and her son, Logan. In the meantime while the house was being built, they were living in a very small camper parked under shade trees. Several church groups worked on the home each arriving in week shifts. Other churches on this project are the Hillsboro Presbyterian Church, N.C., and Alabama Clear Branch United Methodist Church. "We are doing five houses" almost at the same time one being done by a satellite church work group in Greene County. During the week of June 21, the first official week of summer, 132 volunteers were at work. During the summer Josh estimated that about 800 volunteers would have served in the mission pro9jects. Many of the volunteers are doctors, layers, architects, professionals or regular blue-collar workers who donate at least a week of their vacations to be in Cocke County thanks to Sunset Gap. The Gap provides the housing and meals. Josh has worked with church groups on more than 300 of the house repair or replacement projects. It is literally doing the work of the Lord, he said.

Also in Jan., other church members were replacing flooring and building a handicapped accessible bath for Kenneth Hall, who had a leg amputated, said Josh, who sees all the projects as a way to extend a hand to those who need it. He has been at many work sites where the church members will break out in Gospel songs along with the homeowners. Many shares tears of joy at the success and sleep well at night on humble beds at Sunset Gap after a hearty meal prepared by Kathleen Campbell. "These volunteers are putting their faith into action," said Josh. Each of the volunteers also gives $190 per week to pay for the cost of their room and board.

The work camp program has "grown in leaps and bounds" through Sunset Gap under various directors. Years ago the work camps might have addressed the needs at 15 homes and now 50 is the minimum each summer. "Lives are improved. Homes are improved."

There is never a shortage of those in the county who need the assistance of God's workers through Sunset Gap, at the heart of the outreach. The economic impact is significant. Josh estimates that the churches will purchase more than $250,000 in building materials. In addition they buy food, gasoline, clothing, incidentals, and entertainment here, too. They provide needed funding for Sunset Gap, which lost some of its funding and also missed out on a large grant for which it had applied. Josh says he sends folks to Shirley's, Carver's Front Porch and other local restaurants. I have talked to people who estimate that the economic benefit aside from the blessings could easily reach several million dollars per year.