A 400-strong group of young people are spending a week of their summer vacations in Cayuga County this week to help improve dozens of properties.

And they're not asking for a dime in return. In fact, they are paying for the privilege

Affiliated with the Colorado-based Group Work Camps Foundation, the 12- to 18-year-olds and their adult supervisors are painting and repairing 60 homes occupied by low-income, disabled or elderly people. Properties in desperate need of interior and exterior painting and minor carpentry work are getting major facelifts, and the workers are making do with humble accommodations in classrooms at Auburn's West Middle School.

Affiliated nationally with Christian churches, the local work camp is being hosted by the Episcopal Church of SS. Peter and John in Auburn.

The church raised about $25,000 of the $33,000 needed for building materials, with the city of Auburn kicking in $5,000 through a federal grant.

The volunteer workers - some from as far away as Wisconsin and South Carolina, each came up with $400 to help cover the costs of meals, materials and insurance.

Twenty-two church youth groups from across the country are being represented locally, and the volunteers say their payoff is the good feelings they will leave with - and leave behind.

It's always good to see young people being exposed to the selflessness of volunteer work. When the value of doing things for others can be instilled at an early age, people will be more likely to carry these values into adulthood.

This group of 400 laborers is proof that there are people willing to help.

There are plenty of public service agencies in need of helping hands to make individual lives a little better, and the entire community benefits when young people's energy can be directed in positive ways.