Newtown teens find healing in disaster relief service

June 20, 2015 12:00 am • Last Updated: June 21, 2015 9:15 pm

By Pat Eaton-Robb, Associated Press

In this July 31, 2014 photo released by Ben's Lighthouse, Clare Boyle, left, Kate Fallon, center, and Rachel Wolf, right, move stones during the group's service project in Loveland, Colo. The annual service trip is run by Ben’s Lighthouse, a nonprofit founded to help children from Newtown, Conn., recover from the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The organization is named after 6-year-old victim Ben Wheeler. The third annual trip will be in July 2015 to Colorado help rebuild homes devastated in the previous year’s flooding. (Ben's Lighthouse/Sue Vogelman via AP)

Newtown (AP) — A group of 20 teenagers from Newtown is heading to Colorado next month to help rebuild homes devastated in last year's flooding.

It's the third annual service trip run by Ben's Lighthouse, a nonprofit founded to help Newtown's children recover from the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The organization is named after 6-year-old victim Ben Wheeler.

The first group traveled to Oklahoma in 2013 to help with cleanup following a string of destructive tornadoes. A second group visited Colorado last summer.

Ben's Lighthouse Chairman Rick Haylon says the trips are designed to give the teenagers perspective and to empower them to help others during a time when many feel helpless.

The teens also plan to meet with survivors of the Columbine High School shooting and visit the memorial to its victims.

In this July 31, 2014 photo released by Ben's Lighthouse, Sam Cox works on a wall during the group's service project in Loveland, Colo. The annual service trip is run by Ben’s Lighthouse, a nonprofit founded to help children from Newtown, Conn., recover from the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The organization is named after 6-year-old victim Ben Wheeler. The third annual trip will be in July 2015 to Colorado help rebuild homes devastated in the previous year’s flooding. (Ben's Lighthouse/Sue Vogelman via AP)

In this July 23, 2013 photo released by Ben's Lighthouse, Trystan Wagner uses a table saw to make a cut during the group's building project after tornadoes caused destruction in Moore, Okla. The annual service trip is run by Ben’s Lighthouse, a nonprofit founded to help children from Newtown, Conn., recover from the December 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The organization is named after 6-year-old victim Ben Wheeler. The third annual trip will be in July 2015 to help rebuild homes devastated in the previous year’s flooding. (Ben's Lighthouse/Jen Marlin via AP)

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