wfn.org | ELCA Youth Impress Residents With Their Work Ethic

[NEWS@ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

July 30, 2003

ELCA Youth Impress Residents With Their Work Ethic
03-YG-13-MR

     ATLANTA (ELCA) -- Thousands of high-school-age and adult
Lutherans spent several afternoons here cleaning parks and
neighborhoods, impressing some residents with their enthusiasm
and work ethic.  The young people were in town for the 2003 Youth
Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
     The gathering met July 16-20 and July 23-27 at the Georgia
Dome and Georgia World Congress Center.  Under the theme, "Do
Life! Ubuntu," the two events brought together some 40,000 youth
and adult Lutherans from across the country and around the world
to participate in worship, community service, Bible study and
fun.
     A special feature of the ELCA Youth Gathering was servant
events -- one-hour to five-hour work projects in the Atlanta
area.  Projects included cleaning parks and neighborhoods,
building and painting houses and serving in soup kitchens.
     During the 10 days of the gathering, Lutheran youth
completed the equivalent of three years worth of volunteer work
cleaning parks, uncovering acres of abandoned park land, said Ray
Mock, field coordinator of Park Pride, a nonprofit organization
designed to involve communities in preserving park land in the
Atlanta area.
     About two years ago Atlanta park employees set out to
recover park land that had been abandoned and overgrown, Mock
said.  Certain species of plants native to the state were lost,
and people used park land as dumping grounds.  Government budget
reductions led to decreased funding for park maintenance, he
said.
     Lutheran youth have given the City of Atlanta a gift the
equivalent of $140,000.  Once-closed park land can now be opened,
thanks to the work of the youth, he said.
     "I am impressed and personally inspired by the work of the
youth.	They never complained and did their work happily with
confidence and competency.  They are industrious," he said.
"They've made a positive impact here."
     Mock said he has received numerous calls from neighbors
wondering who the "kids were and expressing gratitude."
Neighbors have also taken a new interest in keeping the parks
clean, he added.
     In addition to service projects, Lutheran youth have
purchased more than $18,000 worth of gift certificates from
national retail stores for Lutheran Services of Georgia.  The
gift certificates will enable Lutheran Services of Georgia to
provide enrichment materials, back-to-school supplies, clothing,
specialized medical supplies and Christmas gifts for the many
children it serves throughout the state in foster care, refugee
and child care programs.  The gifts are especially timely with
school supplies at the top of the list of many foster care and
refugee children's most-needed lists, said a July 28 news release
issued by Lutheran Services of Georgia.
     "It's encouraging to know that youth today care enough to
think of those less fortunate," said the Rev. Gary L. Danielsen,
president and chief executive officer, Lutheran Service of
Georgia.  "Lutheran Services of Georgia is pleased to be the
recipient of such generosity and good will."
     "Those who attended the gathering can return home knowing
that their simple act of purchasing a $5 or $10 gift certificate
will have a dramatic impact in the lives of the children we
serve," Danielsen said.  "We are truly grateful to all who
participated in this offering."

Information about the 2003 ELCA Youth Gathering is maintained at
http://www.elca.org/gathering/ on the Internet.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news