Worship

See-sawing to feed the hungry

By Jaime Anton
Staff Writer

Imagine a group of children and teens teeter-tottering for 48 hours straight outside in the bitter cold.

No, they're not trying to break into the Guinness Book of World Records. But this group does have a mission in mind.

Brenda Bentler, 15, and Jessica Willesch, 16, teeter-totter during frigid temperatures and snow for an hour during a 48-hour fundraising event over the weekend at the Middleburg Heights Community Church. Sun photo by Jamie Anton.

Kids and adults from the Middleburg Heights Community Church took turns riding a see-saw outside the church from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Sunday to raise money for a teen program at Church Street Ministries in Berea called Teen Outreach Through Christian Help.

These teens feed the hungry, take blankets to the homeless, donate clothing to the needy, and work with elderly in nursing facilities.

"This started out as a youth program — youth raising money for youth — but it has become a church program," Jane Fredriksen, church educator, said. "Kids of all ages and families work here collecting money, teeter-tottering, bringing food or supervising."

This was the 31st year the church has done this event but the first time it has donated to Church Street. Since 1976, some $134,000 has been raised.

Sandy Uhl and her husband, George, have participated in the event every year.

"It's estimated that two-thirds of the donations come from the community, and a third come from the church," Sandy Uhl said. "It's unique. We have kids from different communities come like Parma, Strongsville, Berea, Olmsted Falls and North Olmsted."

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