NOMADS may be the best kept Methodist secret
BY PAM BRANNON Gulf Breeze News news@gulfbreezenews.com

There are NOMADS who have been staying in a parking lot in Gulf Breeze for several weeks, and most people do not even realize they are in town. "We always say the NOMADS are the best kept secret of the United Methodist Church," said Arlene Fenn. "But we are all trying to get the secret out, and let people know what we do and that if anyone needs help we are willing to help them get it, if we can."

NOMADS are a group of mostly retired couples who travel around the country in RVs, volunteering their time, talents and energies to work on projects that help improve the lives of other people.

"You do not have to be a United Methodist member to join the Nomads," Jack Fenn points out. "You don't even have to belong to any church or denomination. You just have to pay your $25 a year membership and be willing to help work on mostly building or repairing projects in different parts of the country."

The United Methodist Church NOMADS number nationally about 1,100 right now. The group was started in 1986 by one couple, wanting to do something to help other people. A group of NOMADS signed on to a project for several weeks helping Rebuild Northwest Florida, helping to repair homes damaged or destroyed in Hurricane Ivan.

Usually a group of four or five couples will work on a project for about three weeks, then they go their separate ways. But since the hurricanes hit the south - like Ivan and Katrina - the NOMADS organization started doing what they call Revolving Temporary Projects (RTP), which can last as long as 12 weeks in one area. But usually during that 12 weeks you have about three or four different groups of NOMADS revolve in and out of the area and project.

Jack and Arlene Fenn are the designated leaders of the group of NOMADS now working here with Rebuild Northwest Florida. They have been here about five weeks, and will leave the area Friday, Dec. 14.

"Nomads all take a Christmas break from doing any projects, but for this project there will actually be another group arrive back here in January," Fenn said "There is so much to be done here."

This group has been staying in the parking lot of an old Catholic church hall in Midway, next to an eye doctor's building.

"Northwest Florida has purchased this property because it has a building here with cots and facilities for people who come into the area to work," Jack explained. "We don't need that, because all the people working on this project with the NOMADS have RVs. But we do actually have people join the NOMADS who do not have RVs and only work on projects where housing is provided."

In Pensacola they have been working on dry wall, mudding dry wall, painting, hanging doors, and rebuilding floors, etc. On some projects there is also need for some good, old fashioned clerical work.

The Nomads are a mission outreach program of the United Methodist Church. There is one office with one paid staff member, in Kansas.

"The agency asking for our help is required to provide a place for our RVs to park, and all hook ups for us, at no cost to us at all. They also provide all the materials for any work they want done. They are not responsible for meals for us, but many places - especially the churches - will give us lunches or provide many meals," Arlene said.

Jack and Arlene have been Nomads for seven years, and are part of the 10 percent who work full time all year long. They sold their home in Chicago seven years ago after retiring and bought the RV just to work for the Nomads.

"We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last year, on the road, with some friends on the Nomads. It is like a big family," Arlene said.

When the NOMADS are in an area, they also visit the United Methodist Churches to let people know about the program.

"You would be surprised to see how many United Methodist pastors and members do not even know about us," Arlene said. While in Gulf Breeze they have been attending and helping with some projects - like Community Thanksgiving Dinner - at St. Paul's United Methodist, as well as attending the Community Life Center and Gulf breeze United Methodist to let people know about the program.

The Fenns do have other family. They have four sons with families, with nine grandchildren. But they say they love their work and their traveling.

Another couple working here with the group is Gary and Jeanne Judson, of New York State. For four years they have left home after Thanksgiving and worked on projects from California to New York through end of May. Gary grew up in Mobile, and still has family in Georgia.

"It is good to be back in the area," he said. This is a lifestyle for us. It is not a vacation each year. We enjoy our lifestyle - and we do not want to just sit around doing nothing all winter. We get to meet wonderful new friends and make a difference, and see interesting things around the country," Gary said.