Baltimore County Christian Workcamp

(BCCW)

42nd Annual BCCW Project: July 20-26, 2025 

“Workcamp is often hard work and the weather conditions and work environment may not be that great; however, it is satisfying to truly help someone to have a better quality of life, as well as following the many biblical admonitions to help one’s neighbor.”

The task of Baltimore County Christian Workcamp (BCCW) is to share the love of Christ by assisting vulnerable, limited-income families in Baltimore County with crucial home improvements by volunteers of all ages. The mission is one of Hunt’s major outreach projects and one of its oldest. Hunt’s has supported BCCW since its founding in 1984 by two Methodist pastors. Since 1992, the work camp has been based at Hunt’s Church (half of our garage is for BCCW supplies).

The Workcamp is held for one week in July and on a limited basis the rest of the year. BCCW is a “commuter’s workcamp” where you can commit to working as little as one-half day and sleep in your own bed at night.

Pre-COVID, each year, 150-250 volunteers of all ages would repair and improve over 50 houses in Baltimore County. Volunteers would work Monday-Friday on various inside and outside projects, including, but not limited to, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, ceilings, walls, roofs, porches, steps, insulation, general clean-up, interior and exterior painting, caulking, ramps, yard work. There were also a variety of meal/social functions too. During the first three years after COVID emerged, the “meal” activities greatly decreased, as well as an emphasis on outside projects (e.g., only outside projects in 2020). Subsequently, the “social” activities have expanded; some have been modified that have not worked out. Unfortunately, the overall participation, including church groups, has drastically decreased from pre-COVID times, plus the aging out or loss of some of the participants, including some “skilled” craftsmen, has reduced the type of work that BCCW can do. Notwithstanding, BCCW continues; BCCW will do what they can with whoever shows with whatever skill set they bring.

As a result, BCCW  now has a “hybrid” system that will be reviewed each year. The 41st annual BCCW in 2024 occurred from Sunday, July 21 to Saturday, July 27.

The basic schedule was as follows:

• Sunday: There was a final planning meeting, kick-off dinner, and orientation at Hunt’s. (For photos, click  https://photos.app.goo.gl/sHQmT51KUd4rcdD26 )
• Monday-Friday: Work performed at sites throughout the County. Volunteers went directly to their sites from their homes.
• Tuesday and Thursday evening: Dinner at Catonsville UMC and Mt. Carmel UMC, respectively. (For photos, click on https://photos.app.goo.gl/TuucvSZHadbyZHos6 )
• Saturday: Lunch and closing ceremony at Epworth UMC (For photos, click on https://photos.app.goo.gl/XEa4GVB3PrHDhDSf8 )

The 2025 BCCW schedule from Sunday, July 20- Saturday, July 26 will be comparable to 2024’s:

• Sunday: Final planning meeting, kick-off dinner, orientation meeting, but at Epworth UMC this year.
• Tuesday and Thursday dinners: Locations TBD.
• Saturday: Lunch and closing ceremony at Epworth UMC.
• MONDAY-FRIDAY: Work performed at sites throughout the County.

Volunteers choose their site and the type of work, based on what they like to do and/or the location of the work site. Some churches may bring entire work crews and pre-select their sites. Hunt’s assembles a crew from Hunt’s members, augmented by other volunteers as necessary, and selects one or more sites; typically, especially for the past ten years or so, we have been doing outside projects, primarily the construction of new ramps and repair of ramps. Following are the “Hunt’s” sites since 2013; some of the ramps also included landings, porch overlays, repair of or addition of steps, gates on the ramp, wedge ramps on porches, etc.:

• 2024: 
• 48’ ramp In Parkville, with steps and gate off the porch platform, started Monday (rain delay with a 2:00 pm wrap-up) and was completed by noon on Wednesday. (For photos, click https://photos.app.goo.gl/rrKYN1PSS6EbfEeHA.)
• 32’ ramp in Randallstown, with minor repairs of wedge ramps on the front porch and to a shed, started Wednesday afternoon and was completed by noon on Friday. (For photos, click https://photos.app.goo.gl/vjRnfp2wmx4rbUhy5.)
• 4’x16’ porch razing and new porch, steps, and gate, in Lutherville, from November 4-5. (For photos, click https://photos.app.goo.gl/mwYM4KWUFgwnnrQt7.)
• 2023: 25’ ramp in Edmondson Heights in Catonsville and 58’ one in Randallstown, plus a  65‘ ramp in Overlea in October
• 2022: 81’ ramp in Catonsville and 67’ one in Randallstown (needed 1/2 day on Saturday to finish); plus railings for steps in Dundalk in October
• 2021: 66’ ramp in Randallstown and extensive repair of a 56’ one in Edgemere
• 2020: 36’ ramp in Rosedale (COVID year)
• 2019: 77’ ramp in Pikesville and 49’ one in Halethorpe (plus extensive deck repair)
• 2018: 78’ ramp in Dundalk and 59’ in east Towson, plus a 56’ one in Dundalk in November
• 2017: 47’ ramp in Edgemere and 46’ in Lansdowne
• 2016: 164’ ramp system (of which 99’ was a “boardwalk” ramp) in Gwynn Oak (BCCW’s longest ever ramp system and was its most expensive one too.)
• 2015: 44’ ramp in Windsor Mill and 73’ one in Pikesville
• 2014: 61’ and 14’ ramps at the same location in Rosedale, and a 27’ one in Eastpoint
• 2013: 46’ ramp in Essex and 45’ one in Edgemere

Hunt’s members may elect to work on a “Hunt’s” site or choose another site. Online registration is required; however, because there is a special offering for BCCW, Hunt’s members pay no registration fee. (However, for 2024 and 2025, BCCW has opted to waive registration fees, albeit registration is still required. Donations are always welcomed.) In addition, the Carroll’s-Gill’s Permanent Endowment Fund has generously supported BCCW for many years.

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