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CALCUTTA - A local Bible college and church received some helping hands to help renovate the outside of a building on Calcutta-Smith Ferry Road this week.

Those helping hands came from 10 teen campers and several supervisors from the Elkhorn Valley Christian Service Camp who volunteered their time and services to help install vinyl siding on the Northeast Ohio Bible College.

According to faculty member, Dennis Arnold, the church received some sponsors that were able to help purchase the materials and the mission camp program took it upon themselves to assist in the manpower to get a large portion of the siding installation finished in a week's time.

For Arnold, the work through rain or shine is just about helping a neighbor in need.

"Something good is being done in the area," he said, taking a step back from the work. He and the campers had to remove some of the old siding that was weather damaged before placing the vinyl siding up and the hope, according to Arnold, is to reduce the amount of times the outside needs to be repaired or repainted.

It hasn't been the first time Arnold and the teen crew have helped the East Liverpool area.

Just about two years ago, the Elkhorn Valley Christian Camp helped the Heartbeat of Columbiana County with its building. Heartbeat Director Marsha J. VonLudmann, appreciative of their efforts before and now, is providing the group with lunch during their 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. day.

"The kids are so wonderful and they're sacrificing a week of their time," VonLudmann said. "They're actually paying for the privilege for coming out and doing it."

Last year, the male and female teens helped renovate the Bergholz Church of Christ.

By 4 p.m. Thursday, the gang was finishing the day, having put siding on two ends of the large structure and had the front over three-fourths of the way completed. The teens were making last minute finishes, storing the tools and ensuring all the odds and ends were picked up as one male teen was taking photos and documenting the process.

Their hard work is rewarded, in part, from a prepared dinner back at the camp in Bergholz.

Another teen, Courtney Feezle, was also finishing up at the building and was assisting her fellow co-workers by passing out water bottles to thirsty members of the camp. Feezle has been involved in the camp since kindergarten and was promoted from camper to faculty member recently.

"My parents first got me involved and I just stayed," the 18-year old said, adding she enjoys all the work that she and her friends do in the camp. "I plan on being around."

The entire group will be back at the college today finishing as much as they can before they call it a week. Arnold said, they will try to complete as much as they can before they call it quits at 4:30 p.m.

But, the minister added, if possible, the teens would come back out and help.