Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Area young good Samaritans

Seen all those young people out around town this past week working in the heat?

Bet you were wondering what they were up to? Well it was the Beech Street Baptist Church Youth Group, and they were doing community service work of their own volition.

Each summer the Beech Street youth join in mission work to help better communities and show banning together really makes a difference.

The youth have been to Alabama, Iowa and even Guatemala. They have been to many different states in the past to help paint low-income houses and educate others on the plan of salvation.

However, this year the Beech Street Youth Minister Rusty Ross gave the group the choice of going somewhere else or staying and helping their own community. The youth decided it was a good idea to help Gurdon.

Ross said, "I don't think the youth group realized how much they could help their own community until they started this project."

Some members have said it would be a good idea to continue the project maybe one Saturday out of each month.

This past week these youngsters have painted, mowed and raked yards, spread gravel, presented puppet shows, sang at the senior adult center, delivered meals on wheels to the elderly, held Bible school at the Gurdon housing authority, visited the area nursing homes, cleaned houses, helped a lady move, provided yard work for the Courage House and went to DeGray to pass out water, sun screen and frisbees. These guys and gals have been busy.

The temperatures have been soaring around the 100 degree mark plus the humidity. Hot and tired this gang has been up to eat breakfast at the church each morning at 8 with 60 youths and adults showing up on Monday morning ready to work.

They work until 11:30 a.m. and then they take a lunch break back at the church were the meal has been prepared by members who volunteer their time. After lunch they are back at it again until about 4:30. Ross said, "I have not heard any complaints from my volunteers. This group of youth has a great attitude."

The Beech Street Youth Group plans to continue it's Gurdon Mission Project throughout the year and designate another week next summer to devote themselves to helping the community.