Youth groups attempt to make an IMPACT on community
Published 10:32 am Wednesday, May 18, 2016
As far as lawncare is concerned, I.M.P.A.C.T. was able to help three families on Hunterdale Road as well help put mulch down and clean-up outside Franklin Cooperative Ministry. — SUBMITTED | DIANE ZEIGLER
FRANKLIN
Several youth groups came together over the weekend to make an impact on the community through a one-day mission. This is the second event that I.M.P.A.C.T. (Impacting Many People Alongside Christ Together) 7-5-7 has held, and it was just as successful as the last.
Youth groups from Franklin Baptist Church, Black Creek Baptist Church, Holland Baptist Church, High Street United Methodist Church and Courtland United Methodist Church came together to form one group, I.M.P.A.C.T 7-5-7, and helped out the community in a variety of ways.
Children ages 10 to 17, along with several chaperones, started their day off handing out bibles and giving away free soft drinks at Walmart and Farm Fresh on Armory Drive. Part of the one-day mission also included doing other people’s laundry for free at the Laundry Land Laundromat in downtown Franklin.
The second half of the day consisted of the group splitting up and helping others with their lawn care needs. Some of them went to Franklin Cooperative Ministry and put mulch down, painted and cleaned up outside. The rest went to Hunterdale Road and knocked on people’s doors to see if they could assist them with anything outside. They were to help three different families in cleaning up their yards, putting mulch down and anything else to help them get ready for the rest of spring and summer.
“The best part of all of this was being able to see the excitement in the faces of those we helped and knowing that the youth brought them that excitement,” Cody Billups, youth leader at Franklin Baptist Church, said.
Billups organized this event and Franklin Baptist Church provided the necessary funds to make it happen. Billups said that good communication, knowing everyone’s expectations and prayer are what has made this event fruitful.
Although the date has not been set, I.M.P.A.C.T 7-5-7 will be hosting another one of these one-day missions in the community in the near future.
“We are trying to make it [the event] two times a year, once in the fall and once in the spring,” Billups said.
When asked why he created this event and wants to continue to do it, he added, “Each and every day we need to inconvenience ourselves to make an IMPACT for God.”
