Youth Group

LANCASTER — Toilet humor isn’t usually a favorite topic of church-going folks, but it has been one of the most popular subjects among members of Victory Christian’s congregation for the past four weeks or so. The particular toilet being talked about is bright pink and has been showing up without warning in many different church members’ front yards. The wandering latrine is the brain child of Victory Christian’s youth minister Ricky Davis, who was looking for a way to raise money for youth group activities.

A small group of ninth-and 10th-grade girls from Wilmore United Methodist Church are on a mission - from God. “We received 21 blankets from the high-school girls' group at the church,” Wilmore fire chief Jimmy Powers said. “Basically, they were donated to us to be given out to anyone who needed them, whether it be a house fire or somebody that's going through a rough time. We've actually let the police department put some in their cruisers in case they run across somebody at a wreck scene who needs one. “It's really generous what these girls did for their community.” The blankets were received by several Wilmore firefighters and the chief during a Sunday-morning service in February after the congregation of United Methodist Church prayed over them.

Crab Orchard Baptist youth is one of three winners of $500 in a Commonwealth Cleanup Week drawing sponsored by the Department for Environmental Protection's Division of Waste Management. Nonprofit groups that registered with their county solid waste coordinator, participated in a cleanup, and turned in their totals were eligible for the drawing. The 10th anniversary of Commonwealth Cleanup Week was held March 23-29. More than 4,700 people from local communities cleaned up 26 illegal open dumps and 1,480 miles of roadways.

LANCASTER - At most churches, youth groups hold their Sunday school classes in a classroom. But at Victory Christian Church, the middle- and high school-age students in the church's youth group meet in a cafe. Enter the Common Ground Cafe, and you feel like you've stepped from a sidewalk in a big city, not a hallway in a small-town church. The ceiling is black and the walls are coffee-brown and sienna. There are four black tables with black chairs around them. And then there is, of course, coffee.

The Kids Nite Group of Salem United Methodist Church made sure the 99 kids who have dads in the Casey County Detention Center got a Christmas gift this year. The 14-member group, ranging in age from 1 to 17, got the children's names and a wish list from the state inmates at the detention center, then raised money so each child would get at last one gift. Some got more depending on the cost. The gifts also contain Christmas cards and brochures about the three churches involved in the project.

Editor's note: This is the second story in a two-part series on youth and efforts by churches to keep or draw them into the Christian fold. Last Friday's story was about the efforts of two local youth ministers. Today's story is about the youth one of those ministers serves. A group of Danville teenagers gets together every weekend to get away from the pressures that make their young lives a constant series of wound-up adults and winding-down stop watches, never-ending demands and deadlines.

The Crab Orchard Christian Church youth group and the C.O.C.C. Camp youth would like to thank June K. Bastin and the Recycling Center for the opportunity to earn extra money through the Cash for Trash Program. Not only do our young people learn the value of keeping our county roads clean, we also had some fun days working together as a group. Betty Price and Linda Houts

Rachel Fahr, left, and Evan Mallon sand the floor of one of the new preschool classrooms in the Family Development Center on Wainscott Avenue. Fahr and Mallon were part of a youth group from the First Baptist Church of Saint Charles in Waldor, Md., who worked on the preschool area this summer. The facility will house 220 Clark County Public preschool students next Friday, Aug. 22

Haley Tye is rifling through a medicine cabinet and swiping her mother's prescription drugs. She was acting, portraying one of many teens who abuse drugs in a video created by the Clark County High School's ASAP (Agency for Substance Abuse Policy) Youth Network. The video won the 2012 Keep Kentucky Kids Safe public service announcement contest, it was announced this week. Later in the video, Tye's mother, played by her real-life mom Terry Tye, discovers the misplaced drugs and disposes of them at the dropbox at the Winchester Police Department.

St. Luke's Church is observing October as Respect Life Month. In observance, members of the church's youth group painted more than 150 small white crosses to be placed on the church's lawn. The crosses represent more than 44 million abortions that have taken place since Roe v. Wade. Father Tony Stephens will bless the crosses in a special ceremony later this month, with the date to be announced in the church's bulletin. The church has been observing Respect Life Month for the past 20 years, according to Pastor Father William Bush, mostly with anti-abortion theme related sermons and prayer intentions at the mass, as well as youth group projects, such as painting the crosses.

Haley Tye is rifling through a medicine cabinet and swiping her mother's prescription drugs. She was acting, portraying one of many teens who abuse drugs in a video created by the Clark County High School's ASAP (Agency for Substance Abuse Policy) Youth Network. The video won the 2012 Keep Kentucky Kids Safe public service announcement contest, it was announced this week. Later in the video, Tye's mother, played by her real-life mom Terry Tye, discovers the misplaced drugs and disposes of them at the dropbox at the Winchester Police Department.

LANCASTER - A Kentucky State Police detective is investigating a “possible misappropriation of funds” from a youth baseball organization in Garrard County. Trooper Paul Blanton confirmed Tuesday that Sgt. Eric Gibson, who works for KSP's Drug Enforcement Special Investigations, is continuing to look into allegations that money belonging to the Garrard County Parks and Recreation Board has been mishandled but declined further comment. Last month, Gibson obtained permission from a Garrard County grand jury to subpoena bank records as part of his investigation into the board's finances, according to the grand jury report.

The following students were among the 37 George Rogers Clark High School  juniors who were selected to the National Council on Youth Leadership Youth Salute. The students were recognized at a banquet and awards ceremony at Georgetown College in May. Peri Drury Peri is a dedicated student who maintains more than a 4.0 GPA with many commitments inside and outside school. She is the founder and president of the GRC Reading and Book Club and secretary of the French Club.

The following students were among the 37 Ceorge Rogers Clark juniors who were selected to the National Council on Youth Leadership Youth Salute: Kailey Faris Dailey is a member of many school organizations. She is a varsity cheerleader, member of the Beta Club, Cardinal Singers choir and D.A.R.E. This year she was selected to serve as a peer tutor for her school. She has participated in many community service projects including Walk with Friends, Salvation Army and Shop with a Cop. She also volunteers at Bourbon Heights Nursing Home and is a member of Calvary Christian Church.

HARRODSBURG - It may be Danville Christian Academy's camp, but it also belongs to Harrodsburg, too. Specifically, it also belongs to Harrodsburg Baptist Church, which has provided the facilities and some of the help for the DCA¿basketball camp, which is in its second year. A handful of members of the church's youth group are serving as volunteer instructors at the camp, where 53 kids filled the church's two gymnasiums. There are DCA¿players on hand, of course, and the camp is supervised by Jamie Middleton, the school's athletics director and girls basketball coach.

When I was five years old, my parents took me to an assessment day for incoming kindergartners where I was tasked with doing various activities, including building a block house up to code with the instructions provided to me. “Here are some blocks, now use them to build this house,” I was told, and I proceeded to build the house while the supervisors were checking on other kids. When no one came back right away, I tore down the house and began constructing my own concepts.

A small group of ninth-and 10th-grade girls from Wilmore United Methodist Church are on a mission - from God. “We received 21 blankets from the high-school girls' group at the church,” Wilmore fire chief Jimmy Powers said. “Basically, they were donated to us to be given out to anyone who needed them, whether it be a house fire or somebody that's going through a rough time. We've actually let the police department put some in their cruisers in case they run across somebody at a wreck scene who needs one. “It's really generous what these girls did for their community.” The blankets were received by several Wilmore firefighters and the chief during a Sunday-morning service in February after the congregation of United Methodist Church prayed over them.

There is little comparison between the winters of my youth and today's winters. It makes me a definite believer in global warming.  For one thing, in the past 10 years, there have been very few times that a pond of water has frozen over with ice thick enough to skate on. I remember every winter when I was younger we were able to go ice skating on our farm pond. It wasn't as deep as some of the surrounding ponds, but it was always a source of fun for me and my siblings, and the youth group from our church.  We would always invite our friends to go ice skating, but only after Daddy made sure the pond was frozen solid.

Samantha Maines GRC Samantha is an active member in many organizations and in her community. She is a member of several clubs including EGO, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, National Honor Society and Beta Club. She is also a starter on the Lady Cards varsity softball team as an outfielder. She volunteers in many community service events such as Salvation Army bell ringing, Shop with a Cop, Courtyard Cleanup, Operation Christmas Child and helping with the Clark County Community Needs Center.

Lindy Darnell GRC Lindy serves as a leader in her community as vice president of the GRC Speech Club, exercise leader of the GRC Cross Country team and indoor and outdoor track teams, which have competed at the state level the past three years. She is an active member of EGO, National Beta Club, Speech Club, National Honor Society, French Club and Junior Advisory. Through the community she has worked many community service events through the Face of Love Missions Week and 4-H Teen Leadership Club.