On The Record With ... Kacey Stevens

Since its inception six years ago, the impact Sharefest has had on residents in Antioch, Lake Villa and Lindenhurst is substantial.

According to organizers, volunteers with Sharefest have renovated more than 450 homes, collected more than 80,000 pounds of food, built and distributed more than 130 bunk beds to families in need, collected more than 525 units of blood and helped more than 300 families with furniture and appliance needs.

This network of area churches will pool their efforts once again this year Saturday, Oct. 2, and Sunday, Oct 3, as hundreds of volunteers will pour into the community armed with tools, food and clothing and a desire to give back.

One of the volunteers leading the way is Kacey Stevens. The Antioch resident is heading Sharefest’s senior assist program, which aims to repair the homes of area senior citizens.

Stevens recently went on the record with Lake County Journal reporter Colin Selbo to talk about Sharefest.

Selbo: How did Sharefest originate, and how did it come together for the first time?
Stevens: So, this is our seventh year. The church that I go to is NorthBridge Church, and Pastor Mark Albrecht is the senior pastor there. From my understanding, he had heard of a Sharefest initiative in Arkansas. He liked the idea of multiple churches coming together to support a community. ... [Albrecht and other area pastors] went down there to check it out and learn more about it and brought it back here. The idea was to work with Antioch, Lake Villa and Lindenhurst and understand what the community needs, and go out into the community and support those needs. So, rather than being focused inward on ourselves as a congregation, [we would be focused] more outward and doing things.

Selbo: What are some of the past projects to be completed during Sharefest?
Stevens: One of the first things that they did was ... rebuild a majority of the structure of the Grasslake school [in Antioch]. ... There is a washroom facility near the bandshell in Antioch. The village said they were looking for something like that so the churches came together. ... We have done a blood drive every year. We have worked with the seniors every year. There has been a food and clothing drive. We have built bunk beds ... over the last four years. We made dolls so that the fire department can take them to little kids. ... We've done a car wash to raise money for the police departments and fire departments. There have been beautification efforts.

Selbo: How are churches able to work better together as opposed to separately on these projects?
Stevens: It's not necessarily that we're working better together. It's that every church has its certain doctrines and ways that they like to do things. And this is a way where we can come together as one unified body as believers. So, it's letting go of [the idea that] 'OK, I go to this type of church and I'm a Lutheran, I'm a Catholic or I'm a Baptist or I'm an Evangelical.' Whatever that is, it's letting go of all that and just working together as a body of believers and showing our community that we love them and want to support them and do things for them.

Selbo: What work do you do on homes for the senior assist project?
Stevens: Whatever needs they have, really. We do window-washing. We can do minor construction projects. If we have skilled trades people, electricians or plumbers or anything like that, we can do that type of work. ... We've built stairs. [We do] cleaning or yardwork. Really it just depends on what their needs are.

Selbo: What is the reaction of recipients of the work completed during Sharefest?
Stevens: Sometimes disbelief. They say, 'OK, well how much is this?' And we say, 'There's no cost.' Sometimes we might say, 'OK, if you can purchase the paint we'll just do the work.' But for the most part I think it's disbelief that someone would be willing to do this. And I think just an overwhelming sense that 'We are not forgotten.' I think a lot of the seniors feel like they are forgotten. ... A lot of times they still want to donate. They can donate to a church, but we don't ask for it. We don't want it. We really don't. It's really [us saying], 'Let us do this for you because we love you. You've been in our shoes before and we want to show the respect that you have given us and give that back to you.'

Selbo: As a participant, how do you feel after taking part in these activities?
Stevens: I think there are moments where you are just incredibly overwhelmed with the ability to meet their needs. And there are moments of frustration in wanting to do more. ... I don't know how to explain it really. It's really overwhelming because you think about how this year we are going to have 145 homes that we service in one day. We'll have probably 150 to 160 volunteers on [the senior assist project] alone. ... It's amazing.

Selbo: Is it too late for people to get involved with Sharefest?
Stevens: No, we have the blood drive. So, if people want to sign up for the blood drive they can go to the website and there is contact information there. For the senior project they can just contact me [at 847-772-2057 or at kaceystevens@ameritech.net]. We still have a need for some volunteers. ... If they want to contribute to the food and clothing drive they can do that. There are going to be a number of the neighborhoods in the area where we will distribute bags this coming weekend. The following weekend we'll have volunteers go back to pick up those bags ... There will be a letter on the outside [of the bag] saying this is what Open Arms Mission is looking for. And all you do is leave it in there, and leave it on your doorstep ... and the volunteers sweep through the neighborhood and pick it up. ... The biggest way that people can give would probably be in that area.

Stevens lowdown

Who she is: Volunteer with Sharefest 2010
Age: 35
Family: Husband, Tim; Son, Alex
Favorite local restaurant: Hayashi Japanese Restaurant in Gurnee
Favorite TV show: Doesn't watch TV, but if she did would pick CSI
Dream vacation spot: A sailboat in the Caribbean

To learn more
For more information about Sharefest visit www.sharefestcommunity.org or call 847-838-0800