One Community Project makes a difference

GILFORD — A joint collaboration started in 2011 by Gilford Community Church and Gilford Youth Center, One Community Project provides local kids and adults with the opportunity to make a difference in the community.

“About five years ago, we noticed more than just our church kids were showing up,” said Scott Hodsdon, who oversees OCP. “It is now a community event.”

Over the years, he said they have painted and landscaped nearly a dozen homes, worked at the town fields, town beach, Gilford Youth Center, Gilford Community Church, and other locations. Recently, they spent six days at an elderly resident’s home in Gilford.

“He cannot get around like he used to, so we spent a lot of time clearing brush,” said Hodsdon. “You couldn’t even see his house from the street because of all the brush. We had Jason Drouin from Drouin Custom Homes spent time here working with us, too.”

This recent job was likely “the biggest” project the group has taken on to date.

“We have probably had 15 to 20 people that have come to work on this particular job — some everyday and some just one day,” said Hodsdon, who emphasized OCP’s community-based approach.

“This is not just about our church or our members,” he said. “This is about our community, our neighbors…We are willing to help anyone that needs it — not just the people that walk through our doors.”

According to Michael Graham, Pastor of Gilford Community Church, OCP is important because it reflects the church’s “inclusive philosophy.”

To learn more about One Community Project, or Gilford Community Church, visit gilfordcommunitychurch.org.