Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Summer 2013 Issue | Page 7

“ utreach…is a two-way street, and I can get
O
back as much as I give – maybe even more.”
– Sophie Zavada

Serving those in their own backyard is the motto for
the local outreach camp at St. Mary’s, Arlington. They
organize one week for senior high students and another for
junior high. The goal of the camp is to provide awareness,
community development and engagement for youth. The
group rents a van and travels to assist local non-profit
organizations including a therapeutic riding camp, a food
pantry and a church meal program to distribute sandwiches
and eat with the homeless.

“Part of this is we want folks to know that you don’t
have to go away, while that is important too. There is a lot
of need in our own backyard, especially here in Arlington

where the cost of living is outrageous,” said Sue Cromer,
youth minister at St. Mary’s. “And the youth like to engage
because they do not realize that not everyone has what they
have or understand why they have more and others have
less. They really enjoy the camp and a lot of them ask, ‘When
is the next service event?’”

Sophie Zavada, a rising 11th -grader at St. Mary’s who
has participated in the outreach camp, said, “One particular
experience that meant a lot to me was meeting a homeless
person at the church in D.C. He said I must be spoiled
because I didn’t have to work. Talking to him really opened
my eyes. Here was a man who was homeless, even though
he really worked hard all his life, but even though he didn’t
seem to respect me he wanted to take me under his wing to
tell me how great God was. Reaching out to him helped me
realize that outreach is not just about privileged St. Mary’s
parishioners giving to people who are less privileged; it
is a two-way street, and I can get back as much as I give –
maybe even more.” t

Trinity, Fredericksburg,
in Wise, Va.

St. Mark’s, Alexandria,
in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Summer 2013 / Virginia Episcopalian

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