Five students from the Charleston Job Corps Center were selected to participate in the Long’s Chapel Restoration Project. Other students from Muhlenberg and Carl D. Perkins participated. The project ran from October 19-30, 2015. CJCC students were accompanied by Joshua Salinas, Career Technical Training Manager, who worked alongside students during the two-week project. Ms. Frances Shearin, Counselor was on site for the final week of the project, along with Facilities Maintenance Instructor Kristopher Woody who accompanied students during the weekend.

Long’s Chapel is a historic site located just outside Harrisonburg, VA, that served as a center for worship, education and community for newly freed slaves living in the rural community of Zenda. The simple wooden structure was purchased in 1869 and became a focal point for Zenda residents before eventually falling into despair.

The project ended with a dedication ceremony Oct. 30. As part of the ceremony CJCC Counselor, Frances Shearin spoke about the history of Long’s Chapel and local educator Lucy Simms, who was the first teacher at the chapel, which doubled as a school for the Zenda Community. CJCC Student, Malachi Hall presented a 1858 half dollar coin that he found on the chapel site to Al Jenkins, president of the Long’s Chapel Preservation Society. The coin will be included in the Zenda/Long’s Chapel museum.

For more information about Long’s Chapel and the work the students did there, please visit the project’s website

www.longschapelproject.com