The Diocese of St. Augustine hosts two Urban Plunge events each summer. Urban Plunge is a local mission trip through the Diocese’s Youth Ministries where high school students put their faith in action by serving others. During the week of the Plunge, students help those in need by painting houses, building wheelchair ramps, yard work, heavy cleaning, pressure washing, large demolition, carpentry work and much more!
Asphalt Testing Solutions & Engineering (ATS) Asphalt Roadway Specialist Jamie Trull has helped lead the “plungers” for the past three years. This year he and about two dozen chaperones worked with over 40 students to complete over 60 projects fro those in need! The group worked int he Interlachen area (Putnam County) from June 29 – July 6. The volunteers donned Duval Asphalt hi-visibility bucket hats to protect them from the sun and each received a Duval Asphalt safety kit. The kits included cooling towels, electrolytes, and sunscreen.
“These kids gave up their 4th of July holiday to help those in need,” Jamie said. “It’s amazing and inspiring to see how these teens put down the phones and dive into this and selflessly work so hard! We take these teens into a client’s home who has absolutely nothing but a smile on their face praising God is good. The teens truly see the face of God in these clients and strive to show the face of God in their actions! Faith without action is dead, James 2:17-23.”
The Urban Plunge program is funded completely by donors. Between $30,000 – $40,000 is raised each year to execute the local mission trip. For more information about Urban Plunge and to donate, contact Robin Shipley, Director of Youth Ministries at the Diocese of St. Augustine.
