About a dozen youth volunteers from Cheshire United Methodist Church have volunteered this week to improve homes and neighborhoods in Meriden.
Rev. Stephen Volpe said the youth will work on a number of projects that could involve tasks such as the replacement of boards on a porch or the construction of a handicapped ramp to a front walk.
The youth and five adult volunteers are participating, Volpe said, in "U.M. ARMY" (United Methodist Action Reach-Out Mission by Youth) with over 100 other volunteers from surrounding states. Meriden's United Methodist Church is hosting the event.
U.M. Army was launched in Texas, Volpe said, and spread to other states including New England. He said the project was started locally about ten years ago by Pam Currie. Volpe said he believes Hayley Petit was one the first youths from the Cheshire church who particpated along with Sean Gilleylen and Lauren Heafy. Hayley Petit, her mother; Jennifer Hawke-Petit and sister; Michaela, were killed in July, 2007 during the Cheshire home invasion.
