Good kids do good work at workcamp

Thomas Frazier, a Bluffton resident who suffers from asthma, is looking forward to having some improvements made to his home next week.

Luckily, he won't have to do them himself.

About 350 high school seniors will be in the Lowcountry this week to help disabled and elderly residents with home repairs on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton, Beaufort, Hardeeville and Ridgeland.

"It's great for me," Frazier said. "I wouldn't be able to do it myself."

He said crews will be fixing his porch and doing some repainting.

The students, who will divide into small groups to work on about 60 projects over the course of the week, are coming from across the country as part of the Catholic HEART (Helping Everyone Attain Repairs Today) workcamp.

Maggie McGowan, who attends the Church of the Resurrection in Lakeland, Fla., worked with United Way of the Lowcountry to coordinate HEART's 10th annual visit here.

She said some students will be visiting from Florida and Indiana. The kids pay a $300 fee to come, which goes toward materials. They are also are responsible for their travel expenses. They'll be staying at H.E. McCracken Middle School.

Hilton Head/Bluffton Glidden is donatingpaint.

"They get to experience helping somebody in need," McGowan said. "And they get to make friends from across the country."