The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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    Helping hands

August 6, 2009

Youth group staying home

'CSI: Mankato' project helping local people

By Tanner Kent

MANKATO — Working in a backyard in hilltop Mankato, the youth group at Bethlehem Lutheran Church could have been in Guatemala instead.

Or Michigan. Or North Carolina. Or Montana, or any number of distant locations in which Bethlehem youth have conducted charitable mission efforts during the past several years.

But this year is different.

With so many local organizations strapped for funds and struggling to keep their doors open, Bethlehem decided to keep its efforts at home this year. And instead of traveling the hemisphere to make a difference, the church decided to host a weeklong local mission trip that involves several local service organizations and culminates today with a visit to the ECHO Food Shelf.

“We’ve been working hard,” said Emily Pipes after she and a dozen other Bethlehem youth had finished yard chores for one of VINE’s elderly clients. “But it’s been a lot of fun, too.”

Dubbed “CSI: Mankato” — which stands for Christ’s Servants Involved — the project evolved from Lance Quick’s realization that, especially in these times, service was needed at home. Quick, who is Bethlehem’s director of youth ministry, contacted officials at VINE and asked if they were interested (they were).

Soon after, Quick called the Theresa House, MRCI, the Summit Center and the Salvation Army, whose staff were all equally excited about the project. He then enlisted the help of about 30 Bethlehem youth and scheduled a full docket of volunteer opportunities.

“I’ve always asked why we need to go out of town to do good,” Quick said. “With other mission trips, we’ve found a lot of kids couldn’t afford to go. And right now, dollars are tight in the community.”

And now, Quick said, the Mankato community is learning what others have known for a long time: When the Bethlehem youth come marching in, the good deeds get done.

The group prepared food, served meals and cleaned storage rooms at the Salvation Army. They line-danced at the Summit Center and played Wii with disabled adults MRCI. The group made house calls for VINE, doing yard work and house chores for elderly folks. Some students helped distribute Meals on Wheels while others spent time chatting with Alzheimer’s patients.

“I think we’ll remember the way we’ve made people feel,” said Amber Steen. “Making people feel good — that’s all we’re really trying to do.”

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