REGISTRATION FOR ASP 2023
- Trip Dates – July 22 to July 29, 2023
- Kick-Off Meeting – November 13, 2022 at 6:30 pm in St. Giles Campus / McDonough Hall
- Online Registration for Teens and Adult Leaders will be available HERE on this page at the beginning of November 2022
Read – Expectations for ASP Teens (PDF)
Read – Expectations for ASP Adult Leaders (PDF)
Read – ASP Facts – General Brochure (PDF)
FORMATION FOR ASP 2023
Our trip and week in Appalachia are very different from our regular lives. Therefore, we hope that each of our formation experiences help to guide and prepare you for this new encounter. Throughout these meetings, we get to know the members of our work crew, grow in our understanding of the spirit of service, and learn about the people of Appalachia and their needs and how we will meet them.
In preparation for the trip, there will be four formation meetings, a skills day, and a commissioning mass. ATTENDANCE AT FORMATION MEETINGS IS REQUIRED. If for some reason you are unable to attend a formation meeting, please make a concerted effort to reach out to your teen leader, adult leaders (in case of a teen reaching out), trip coordinators and / or crew to review the meeting materials… and to further crew connections!
Schedule – Location at McDonough Hall – 1101 Columbian Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302
- Formation Meeting # 1 – Sunday, January 8, 2023 – 6:30 pm
- Formation Meeting # 2 – Sunday, March 5, 2023 – 6:30 pm
- Formation Meeting # 3 – Sunday, May 7, 2023 – 6:30 pm
- Formation Meeting # 4 – Sunday, June 11, 2023 – 6:30 pm
- Sunday July 16, 2023 – Commissioning Mass and Q&A Session for Teens, Parents and Adult Leaders.
- Skills Day – TBD – Required for all new participants, recommended for all others.
- Adult Leader Meeting – Week of July 16, 2023, to finalize details and preparation for the trip.
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT FOR TEENS
The total financial commitment for the 2023 ASP trip is $775 per teen. This fee covers room and board for the week (7 nights lodging and 17 meals), cost of van rental, materials to complete home repair, etc. All meals are included except for the lunch and dinner on Saturday of departure, lunch on Sunday following departure and breakfast on Saturday of return trip. We estimate each teen spends about $100 on those meals as well as ice cream during the week of ASP.
There are many ways you can work to fundraise for your trip. We will be covering fundraising at the kick-off meeting.
We have created a payment schedule that must be met to participate in the 2023 trip. All fees are non-refundable after each due date.
- Initial registration – $275 (due with registration)
- February 1, 2023 – $175
- April 1, 2023 – $175
- June 1, 2023 – $150
If your contributions from your fundraising are received prior to July 1, 2023 and exceed the $775 cost, you are eligible for a refund of the additional funds. Funds received after July 1, 2022 are non-refundable.
NEW FOR 2023 – SIBLING DISCOUNTS – One parent free with 2+ siblings – If 2 siblings register for the trip, a parent’s registration cost is $0, or if a parent is not registering, then each sibling’s trip fee will be discounted to $600 (from $775).
No teen willing and committed to participating will be denied the opportunity due to the financial commitment. If the cost or payment schedule is a barrier to participating, please contact Chris Goetz, ASP Board President, at asp@stgilesparish.org as soon as possible. Any request for assistance is kept private.
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT FOR ADULT LEADERS
The total financial commitment for the 2023 ASP trip is $275 per adult. This fee is due at registration and no other payments will be expected prior to the trip. In addition, you will need to pay for the following meals: lunch & dinner on Saturday of departure, lunch on Sunday following departure & breakfast on Saturday of the return trip. We estimate adults spend about $100+ on those meals as well as ice cream during the week of ASP.
NEW FOR 2023 – SIBLING DISCOUNTS – One parent free with 2+ siblings – If 2 siblings register for the trip, a parent’s registration cost is $0, or if a parent is not registering, then each sibling’s trip fee will be discounted to $600 (from $775).
No adult willing and committed to participating will be denied the opportunity due to the financial commitment. If the cost is a barrier to participating, please contact Chris Goetz, ASP Board President, at asp@stgilesparish.org as soon as possible. Any request for assistance is kept private.
COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION
There is nothing more effective than having our ASP group on the same page and moving towards the same life-changing goals. To adequately prepare for this trip together, communication and coordination is key.
- ASP 2023 will be led by volunteer Trip Coordinators: Frank Hulefeld (fhulefeld@comcast.net or 708-308-4678) and Erich Krumrei (ewkrumrei@gmail.com or 312-206-4245)
- Our primary methods of communication will be email and Flocknotes. Please be sure to check your email regularly for any updates about our trip, your individual status, and any changes that may arise.
- All changes, updates, and information will be posted on this ASP page.
- Please contact the Trip Coordinators or Chris Goetz (asp@stgilesparish.org or 630-677-5424) if you have any questions or concerns.
COVID PROTOCOL
After a 2-year hiatus in ASP trips from St. Catherine of Siena – St. Lucy and St. Giles, 2022 marked the renewal of our commitment to serve the people of Appalachia. In 2022, ASP required that all volunteers test negative for Covid using any CDC approved rapid antigen tests, within 24 hours of their trip. In addition, St. Catherine of Siena – St. Lucy and St. Giles required that all volunteers be fully vaccinated up to and including the current FDA approved boosters for their age group. While our 2022 trip faced very challenging weather conditions, we were successful in experiencing a covid-free week! That success was clearly due to the vaccination and testing protocols in place.
For the safety of both the volunteers and the homeowners we serve, for the 2023 trip, St. Catherine of Siena – St. Lucy and St. Giles will require volunteers to have received their primary series of Covid vaccinations, as well as applicable boosters currently recommended by the CDC. However, knowing that guidelines will continue to evolve the final ASP COVID requirements will be shared in early 2023 to allow adequate time for all volunteers to comply.
