| In July some 80 young people and adults are going to come to town to make life a little better for some residents. They are part of Youth Force Oklahoma and will be hosted by the First United Methodist Church July 26 through 31. Pastor Kyle Kiner told Henryetta Lions club members the six-day stop here is designed to help local residents with home repairs. That can include anything from painting to tearing down dilapidated sheds and even trash removal. "They will be helping people who can't help themselves." The 20-year-old program has some 500 young people and adults going out in five different areas. "They will be broken down into eight groups we call 'God Squads' that go to the various projects. They get to know the homeowner while working there and learn about the community." |  |
| Each project site will see eight to ten young people and adult supervisors on hand. Local residents have been asked to either register for help or friends, family members and neighbors have designated some projects. One of those the group will tackle is at the Senior Citizens Center. "They will be painting lines for parking and pour cement to help people with walkers get to the building." About the only thing the Youth Force will not tackle is roof repairs. Kiner said the chance for accidents or a project turning into too large a project to be completed in a week has forced that decision. "They move quickly on the projects," he said. While the Youth Force members are in town, they will be staying at the Methodist Church. The pastor said they bring their own bedding and even contribute $200 each to help pay for food and expenses. Local church members are trying to raise between $4,000 and $5,000 to pay for project materials. That money can come from donations with $500 getting the donor recognized as a "Project Sponsor." The pastor was quick to say, "We will accept less," and told Lions that businesses and individuals making donations would be included on special t-shirts. Anyone wishing to donate to the projects or needing more information should contact the church at 918-652-4452. The pastor can also receive email questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | |
