Appalachia, Kentucky (NAPSI) - On college campuses across the country, a new tradition is growing:

the “alternative spring break.” Instead of spending a week with the traditional sun and sand, in ever-growing numbers, college students are spending spring break helping organizations like Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) conduct service projects that make a difference in the lives of those living in Appalachia.

Each March, more than 450 students from 40 different colleges and universities gather in eastern Kentucky for CAP’s WorkFest. At WorkFest, students serve in teams to repair substandard housing and build new homes for low-income families in eastern Kentucky. No prior building experience is necessary. About 20-25 homes over a four-week period annually are served. “There’s more meaning to WorkFest. You are able to provide for people and know what’s left behind once you go back to school,” said one volunteer. WorkFest is about service to the poor, but it’s also about building community in an ecumenical Christian environment. WorkFest changes lives, not just those of the families served, but of the students who gained more than they thought they would from a week in Appalachian Kentucky! To learn more, log on to www.christianapp.org. For media inquiries, please call (859) 269-0635, ext. 263.