Public event this weekend First Lutheran Youth Group receives $1,000 grant to update playground

First Lutheran Church of Taylors Falls, sent a team of 16 youth on a Youthworks Mission Trip last year to the Indian Reservation in Cass Lake, MN. On the last night of their trip they met as a team and discussed how they could take what they had learned back to their community to make a difference in the lives of those living closer to home. Youthworks encourages this through something called the 1K Challenge Program. That final night of their mission trip week the team decided to pursue what it would take to update, replace, and repair the church's playground. Upon returning home the team continued to meet researching the costs, personnel, material, and the equipment to pull off such a project.

After the research was completed the student leader, Gabriel Francis, wrote up the information as a grant proposal and submitted it to the Youthworks Foundation. Every year the Youthworks Foundation awards ten $1,000 grants through their 1K Challenge Program to youth groups from all over the country who want to show Jesus' love and impact their local communities. There are very specific guidelines that must be followed in order to submit an application for the grant: 1) The ministry project is to be led by a group of students with an adult supervisor in full support of the project; 2) The ministry project is to be carried out within your home community or surrounding area; 3) Clearly outline the need in the community and explain how the ministry project can respond to the need; 4) The ministry project is to be ongoing. Create a ministry plan that can have continual (weekly/monthly) impact. 5) And the ministry project is to be relational and impacts people.

The team identified a need in both the church and community. The need applies directly to the families and children in the area around the church in Taylors Falls., for a playground with safe up-to-date equipment. The church's equipment was around 20 years old and had deteriorated. Neighborhood families like to come to play there. The team researched new pieces to add; identified what needed to be torn out, repaired and painted; who could help with construction and necessary landscaping which was up to code with safety guidelines through the church's insurance company. The new equipment and play area would be accompanied by a youth-led ministry focusing on bringing young children and their parents together in a kind of community get-together. This ministry will involve a community cook out and activity night about once a month (possibly twice a month) during nice weather months. It would include games for the children as well as structured events such as skits, stories and music, along with lots of fun play time on the new equipment. These ministry events will be staffed and run by the youth. The 1K Challenge Application was submitted by October 14 2011 and in three weeks the application was the first one chosen nation-wide.

Then in May the team held a planning meeting to figure out how to go about landscaping the area to begin the building process. It is expected of adults involved to be teaching the youth along the way, guiding them and allowing them to do as much of the work as they can. Which most of it they were able to except when it came to operating machinery. A large wood structure with a slide was repaired; sandbox removed; new geo-dome and rock climbing structures were added geared more toward elementary age children. Steel playing pieces (a car and train) were sanded and repainted looking like new! And recently, loads of black dirt were leveled around the play area and seeded to re-grow the grass. The core group of youth who have diligently headed up this project are: Gabriel Francis (student leader), Dylan Lynch, Devon Fredlund, Riley Linngren, Shawn Valez, Dustin Valez, Ben Trudeau, Kayla Donahue, Alli Nordin, Mckenzie Boerboom and Marinda Carlson. Adults supervising are Michelle Lynch (Youth Minister), Jason Fredlund (Council President and Youth Leader) and Buddy Mattson (Mission Trip Chaperone). The group decided there were five things they wanted to see happen because of this grant/project: 1) Have a safe place for children to play; 2) Build relationships; 3) Reach out to the community; 4) To serve their church and community and 5) possibly spark an interest to come and check out their church and youth program. Gabe Francis and Michelle Lynch received word from Youthworks that they believe this 1K Challenge Project is a great example to 1K Applicants of what a project should look like.

Project reps will be coming to Taylors Falls to see the playground and shoot some video footage of the team talking about the project for the 1K promo video. And they would love to do this when they are holding one of their monthly cook out activities. Church officials would love for our community to be a part of this. The playground was blessed and dedicated Sunday July 29 at an Outdoor Worship Service. The main COMMUNITY PLAYGROUND KICKOFF EVENT is being held Saturday August 4 from 3-5 p.m. Children and families are invited to attend. The Youth Ministry Program of First Lutheran is extremely proud of these youth and their vision for leadership. The church is on Chestnut St.