Kannapolis high school students use carpentry class to help struggling veterans

Kannapolis, N.C. (WBTV) - Students in a carpentry class at A.L. Brown High School have made it their mission to help local veterans that are struggling or homeless.

“These kids are breaking all the molds about what the community thinks these kids can do,” said carpentry teacher Jim Busse. “Anyone that thinks kids can’t do? They need to look at A.L. Brown.”

It was the vision of one of the students, Makenzie Davis, to have a safe haven for veterans that needed it. A place where veterans can have access to shelter to get out of any weather elements.

“Using this to get as many people involved and help as many people. It has become so much bigger than I could have imagined,” said Davis.

Over the past two semesters, the classes have built three shelters. The plan is to build another three next semester.

“I am sorry it took so long. This is something that should already have been happening for them,” said Davis.

Once the shelters were built, the question became, ‘where to put them?’

A phone call between Jim Busse and Rod Weaver answered that question.

“He said, ‘I have a property that I am looking to do exactly what you are talking about,’ so we went from a concept on a Tuesday to a place to go on Friday,” said Busse.

Weaver owns Weaver Acres and is a co-owner of Wisdom Way, which is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and placement of neglected horses. They also help ‘broken-spirited’ people through horse therapy.

The shelters the students built will be on Weaver’s Acre and give those that come on the property a place to build relationships or escape weather elements.

“It makes me feel good. It makes me feel like I have done something for the community,” said student Edwin Castro.

“Not all of us are out here doing the wrong thing. Some of us have kind hearts and are doing things for others,” said another student, Jaidea Yetes.

“It is heartwarming to be able to drive by and say, ‘Wow! I actually helped out with that!’,” said Jayden Moser, a student at A.L. Brown.

The goal is to create a property that will serve those struggling with whatever they need. The shelters are one of the first steps in making that a reality.

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