DALTON, Ga. — Peter Pridgen, a 14-year-old volunteer with the Dalton Area Project, said he “kind of cried” after seeing how happy Hubert Jones was after the group did repairs on Jones’ home. 

“It’s a heartwarming feeling,” said Pridgen, who helped build a new deck for Jones’ home on Bobby Drive in Dalton. 

The Dalton Area Project is a student-led, adult-supported mission effort through Dalton First United Methodist Church that was started six years ago by church members.

“Since their beginning, Dalton Area Project has helped over 70 deserving families,” its website states. “Repairs are made to homes, and projects are varied, depending on the need.”

This year from July 13-17, members of the organization renovated six homes in Whitfield and Murray counties and the City of Refuge warehouse. City of Refuge provides services to the homeless and low-income families — including transitional housing, a food pantry, a clothing store, education programs for both children and adults, and hot meals.

Anna Grace Rogers, a student tour guide, said each year the number of volunteers varies.

“I’m responsible for allocating where everyone is supposed to be and doing,” she said. “Tour guides also lead devotions and prayers on site.”

Rogers, a rising senior at Dalton High School, has participated with the Dalton Area Project since it started.

“We’ve had multiple church members volunteer from the area,” she said. “We’ve had as many as 300 people, and this year we have about 100.” 

Rogers said each year she works at different sites.

“It’s cool to see the changes, go to different places and complete projects, all in the name of Christ,” she said. 

Fourteen students and adults worked on Jones’ home. The group replaced his deck and stairs and put new plywood on the home. 

Jones, 64, has lived in the home for 12 years.

“I’m very grateful,” he said. “I can say thank you all day long, but that wouldn’t be enough. I feel really blessed.” 

The group also painted. They trimmed bushes around the house as well.

Jones said he plans to eat breakfast on his new deck. 

“In all honesty they could’ve done half as much work and I would still feel blessed,” he said. 

Rogers said there are adults at each site, but guides are leading the projects. She was the tour guide for Jones’ home. 

Rogers said the tour guides also worked “hands on” with the rest of the team.

“We’re doing everything from cutting boards to nailing things, digging up dirt and painting,” she said. 

Nathan Brown, 19, was the student leader for the Jones site. He said each morning the group sat down with the homeowner for “bonding time” and to talk about plans for the day.  

“Each day after we’re done working, site supervisor John Patrick wrote a list of everything we needed for the next day,” Brown said. “My job is to get the supplies (from the store) and bring them to the site.”

This is Brown’s sixth year volunteering with the Dalton Area Project. 

“It’s heartwarming to know people in our community need help and we’re able to do it,” he said. “If you walk around you may see some people in a store and never know how their life is.”