Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 3 September 1998 — Page 29

The Muncie Times, September 3,1998, Page 2!

Street festival held to benefit kids

By Judy Mays and want parental involve-

ment. Part of the reason we

The Youth Department had this fund raiser is (YPD) of Shaffer Chapel A. because many of our parents

are single mothers and we don’t want the cost of robes

M. E. Church recently hosted a “Let’s Take Back Our

The God Septors from Roy Buley Center

Youth” Block festival under the direction of Charlestine Wells. Wells is the director of the historical church’s youth department. “I love the Lord and I’ve always loved children,” said Wells. The mother of five children ages 10 to 24, Wells said that she came from a family of ten and has always had kids around her. “I’d put together Easter egg hunts and other activities for children even before I became part of the church.” Wells said that even though her short term goal was to help raise funds for the youth department’s choir robes and other uniforms, her long term goal is to win kids back from the streets. “I’m sick and tired of kids being lost to the streets. Our world is in a real turmoil and we have got to turn it around. Adults are scared of children and children weren’t raised by responsible adults.” “We’ve created a jungle out there and now we’ve got to clean it up,” Wells said. The street festival, which we hope to be an annual event, is just a start. We need

and uniforms to be an additional burden on them. The festival was a success according to Wells. “We had a great time. We set up several booths for crafts and food. There were also games and a rummage sale,” added Wells. “Instead of building more prisons, our communities need to build up people. We need to keep schools open, hire qualified teachers and provide smaller classes for more individualized attention.” “My cry is for people to help me help children. People have got to take the time to

help all. There are not many activities for our youth beside skating or bowling and in the summer swimming. Recently I took a group of 10 youth to participate for the first time in a Bible Bowl with the South District Conference.” “Our group won second place. We are now studying for a competition with the north district and are hoping for first place.” “We were encouraged by Sylvia Rhinehart who is superintendent of the Sunday School department to participate,” Wells said. The kids are bringing in other kids and we hope that through our involvement and activities such as the street festival parents will begin to be involved with what their children are doing in and Out of the church.” Wells said her group meets every Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the church located at 1501 E. Highland Ave. “Anyone is welcome to join us,” said Wells. Rev. Martell Winburn is .the church’s pastor.

Left to right Fonda Bell and Alvin Jones

Left to right Fonda Bell, Twila Allen, Charlestine Wells, Ida Webster, and Alfred Basset

Left to right Betty Abbott, Thelma Evans, Mildred Jones, and Elmer Jones »

Left to right Eric Johnson, and Charlestine Wells

Kids getting in the Star Walk and even Stineal Allen riding his bike