June 22 - 29, 2008

Space is still available. Send in your forms and payment to sign up!

Our Work: Our team will be traveling to Mississippi's Gulf Coast to work for a week in Gulfport. While there, we will be repairing hurricane-damaged homes and working to prepare houses for future storms. We'll also provide daily activities for local children.

Transportation: We will be flying from New York City airports to New Orleans, Louisiana. For airport security, you will need a DMV-issued ID card (either a driver's license or a non-driver's ID card). More info about this card is here.

Lodging: We will stay at a local hotel. (more details coming soon)

Food: On the worksite, our meals will be prepared and served by a professional caterer and served at a local church. Most dinners will also be prepared by our chef. We'll also enjoy a couple nights of dinners out, including a shrimp boil served on a pier on the Gulf of Mexico and a feast at the Preservation Hall in New Orleans while enjoying a performance of turn-of-the-20th-Century jazz music.

Trip Leadership: The trip will be directed by Ken McGarry, the church's Director of Youth Ministries. This will be the eighth summer mission trip from Wilton led by Ken and the second to Gulfport. Volunteering adults from the church will provide leadership on the worksite and will serve as chaperones. A professional builder will also be providing leadership on the worksite. There will be at least one adult for every eight young people.

Eligibility: Children of church members who are going into the 9th grade are invited to join us as are children of non-members who are going into the 10th grade. All young people going into the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades, as well as those who have just graduated from high school, are welcome to participate.

Cost: The total cost for children of church members is $1190; the cost for non-members is $1390. All payments received will be reported on an annual church giving statement as tax-deductible donations to the church. You will receive this statement even if you are not a member of the church. For more information about the deductibility of payments, click here.

Payments and Forms: Sign up for the trip by sending your initial payment to the church along with a signed Parental Permission Form and Covenant of Behavior Form. Checks should be made payable to Wilton Congregational Church and delivered to Ken McGarry, Wilton Congregational Church, 70 Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT 06897.

  • Friday, March 21 -- $300 payment due along with permission form and covenant of behavior
  • Friday, April 25 -- $300 payment due
  • Friday, May 23 -- $300 payment due
  • Friday, June 20 -- Final payment due ($290 for members; $490 for non-members)

Gift of Service Fundraiser: You can lower the amount that you will pay the church by participating in the Gift of Service, a program that allows you to work for people who make requests to the church for help (yard work, babysitting, computer help, etc.) in exchange for their contribution toward your trip cost. Requests for workers will be sent out via email. After you respond to the request, you will be connected directly with the person needing the help. After you provide the requested help, the donor will send a payment to the church. A Gift of Service Form should be given by the worker to the donor for them to send into the church along with their payment. You can also seek out your own opportunities to raise funds through the Gift of Service by contacting your neighbors and others and offering your services to them.

Sponsorship: A second way that you can raise funds to help cover your trip cost is by asking people to sponsor you. You can make requests of your family and friends to make contributions to the church (all of which are tax deductible) to help you pay for your trip expenses. Donations should be made payable to Wilton Congregational Church and sent to Ken McGarry, Wilton Congregational Church, 70 Ridgefield Road, Wilton, CT 06897, and should include your name in the memo line.

Group Fundraisers: We will have a bake sale on April 26 and 27 to raise funds for our mission expenses. These funds will help us to buy more building supplies and materials and thus to provide a better gift to our friends in Gulfport and will not lower your individual trip cost.

Community Service Events: We will have a couple of opportunities for our team to serve others in need locally before we head to Gulfport this summer. You should participate in these activities if possible. Event dates and information will be posted soon.

Additional information (itinerary, packing list, emergency contact information, requests for roommate selection, etc.) will be sent to participants and their parents via email and will also be posted on this page in the coming months.

Questions? If you have any questions about the trip, please contact Ken McGarry at the church (ken@wiltoncongregational.org or 203-762-5591 x12).