April 7, 2005

From trash to treasure to travel—all for a good cause

Episcopal Church of Almaden Youth Group heads to Montana Indian reservation

By Kymberli W. Brady
Staff Writer

It’s not uncommon to find teenagers selling yesterday’s treasures for extra vacation spending money, but one group looks to a higher source for direction.

Members of the Episcopal Church of Almaden Senior High Youth Group kicked their fund-raising efforts into full gear with a flea market in the church parking lot last weekend. Their goal is to raise $16,000 for a missionary trip to the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana to provide home repairs for the elderly and poor. Shown from left, front row, assistant group leader Ann Mayers, Greg Lukanc (Leland), Ryan Hall (Leland), Valerie Tysanner (Pioneer), Hanah Ward (St. Francis), Alex Bishop (Pioneer), Eric McCormick (Pioneer), and group leader Robin Root. Back row, David Mastrian (Pioneer), Brad Bond (Bellarmine), Marshall Kobins (Leland), Amber Cottle (Santa Teresa), Beth Nollette (Leland), Alyce Gallego (Homestead), and Terry Root.

For the 15-member Episcopal Church of Almaden Senior High Youth Group [ASHYG], Saturday’s flea market was the first in an aggressive campaign to raise $15,000 for a not-so-customary summer trip in June. In fact, they are on a mission.

You could call it a working trip; one that will take them to the Flathead Indian Reservation in Polson, Mont., where they will spend the next week camped out on classroom floors with 300 teens from different denominations. The theme, “Living Inside Out” will center on life-changing experiences caused by working with their hands to serve the community.

“As God changes us on the inside, we display these fruits on the outside,” explained group leader Robin Root.

“That is what living inside out is all about.”

Through hands-on home repair, paint, repair drywall, porch builds with wheelchair ramps, the program is designed to give the teens the experience and satisfaction of a job well done.

“Some of the elderly, disabled or disadvantaged people we will serve have to choose between putting food on the table and fixing a leaky roof,” added Root. “They simply can’t afford the minor repairs their aging homes need, or they’re not physically able to tackle repair projects. The teens will experience firsthand the reward of sharing their Christian faith through their actions and developing new, meaningful friendship with the local resident they serve.”

According to Debbie Bishop, they have reached the half way mark and raised nearly $6,900 but still have a long way to go before they set out to provide home repairs for the elderly and poor.

From espresso machines and computer equipment to collectible 33-rpm albums and Tiffany-style lamps, shoppers delighted in finding bargain after bargain while contributing to a good cause—except for one tightfisted gentleman who refused to budge after purchasing a leather studded sofa for a mere $10, even after a better offer would have helped the group’s bottom line.

“I offered to pay him $50 for that couch,” the shopper said. “I was also willing to pay the kids an extra $100 and give him my old one for his trouble. But he wouldn’t budge. I guess he either didn’t get it or he didn’t care. What goes around comes around though and I imagine someday, he’ll be needing their help.”

Then as if by divine intervention, a classic “pay it forward” moment tore through the parking lot when Almaden’s Don Tietens inquired about the price of the laptop bag he had selected, saying that he thought it had great value, as it contained an envelope with 7 $100 bills tucked inside. He then allowed Root to try and find the previous owner of the bag and offered to donate his findings to the mission trip if she was unsuccessful. The grateful owner was located the following day and he donated $100 back to the youth group.

“This was a fabulous act of generosity that set such a wonderful example for the teens in the youth group.” Root said. “We were so grateful that he came forward when he could just as easily bought the bag and taken the money home. Thank you Don Tietens!”

Everything, experiences included, made for a huge success and the youth group raised an impressive $1,700 by the time they shut operations down at 1 p.m.

“Their goal was $500,” Bishop said. “We’re very, very pleased with that. It was very good for the kids.”

The missionary group of 15 teens and four adults representing six area high schools are now fast at work planning their next fund-raiser, where the church parking lot will be converted into a makeshift car wash on April 24. Even if you cannot attend the car wash, Bishop says they’ll happily take donations by mail.

“We don’t want anybody to miss out on being a part of it,” Bishop notes.

Charitable contributions will benefit the Senior High Youth Group and help fund their “Mission of Christian Service and Love.” Checks can be sent to the Episcopal Church of Almaden, 6581 Camden Avenue. Please add the words “mission trip” in the memo line. For more information, call Stephen Mills at 408 268-0243 or log on to http://www.eca-sj.org/text/missiontrip.htm.