Teen ministry celebrates the season with giving

Our 180 youth group has been very busy with outreach projects. God is blessing the youth — and those they are touching — through these outreaches!

Kicks for Christmas shoe drive. Our teens made it to their goal of 500 pairs of brand new athletic shoes. The drive will culminate with the distribution of the shoes from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday at New Heights Community Church, 340 Flomich Street, Holly Hill. Anyone struggling this Christmas is invited to attend the shoe giveaway to receive a new pair of shoes.

After an article about the shoe drive appeared in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Ormond Beach Mayor Ed Kelley delivered 20 pairs of new shoes that he himself purchased. It was his second visit recently. Back at the end of summer, he stopped by during a teen midweek service to deliver a plaque thanking the youth for their work during Summer 50, a summer of serving through projects such as raking leaves, painting and moving.

Green Pedal Bike Ministry. The youth have taken in, refurbished, and given out 650 bikes so far to those who cannot afford them.

Requests keep pouring in, but the supply of used bicycles has kept pace. “Donations have been phenomenal!” said Pastor Bill. Tom Menzel, a 180 youth partner, leads the bicycle ministry.

New bicycles given as gifts. The youth group heard about a single lady who recently began serving as a foster mother to six children -- three developmentally disabled children from two different families. The teens were moved. They decided that the bicycles for these children must be new. So they gave babysitting and allowance money, collecting enough money for five brand new bikes with training wheels and one tricycle. The teens assembled them and delivered them this past Saturday. The Guardian Ad Litem agency got wind of the gift and decided to pitch in by donating helmets for each of the six children.

More about the 180 at Tomoka youth group is online.