YOUTH COALITION Valley groups to unite to serve at Thanksgiving

Leaders expect the young people to come away with valuable lessons.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The recently founded Interdenominational Youth Coalition is making plans for area youth group members to deliver 100 Thanksgiving meals to elderly residents throughout the community.
Youths and their adult advisers, representing a diverse coalition of church and agency youth organizations, will meet the day before Thanksgiving to cook, serve, package and deliver meals to individuals and families whose names were provided by participating congregations and agencies.
Adult leaders have met several times at the offices of the Volunteer Services Agency Inc. to plan for the preparation and distribution of meals. The menu will include several traditional choices of the holiday: turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, a vegetable, cranberry sauce, home-style bread and rolls and dessert.
Youths from several churches and community agencies will meet at St. Charles Social Hall, Boardman, the day of the event. After a brief mixer, young people will volunteer to help cook and serve the meals and to create table decorations that will be distributed with the meals.
Time of sharing
After distribution of meals, youths will reconvene for the opportunity to share reflections about their efforts and interaction with meal recipients.
Several churches and agencies whose youths constitute the membership of the newly formed Interdenominational Youth Coalition will provide or arrange for the donation of food, table service and other supplies necessary for this undertaking. Playing an active part in the project are Canfield Presbyterian, Good Hope Lutheran, Old North, Poland Presbyterian, St. Augustine's Episcopal, St. Charles Catholic, St. James Episcopal, St. John's Episcopal, Struthers Presbyterian and Westminster Presbyterian churches as well as Lutheran Social Services of the Mahoning Valley and Neighborhood Ministries.
The coalition is an opportunity for a diverse group of young people of different faiths and beliefs to work side by side in an atmosphere of respect, openness and trust. While collaborating in projects which promote a community service ethic to youths of many faith traditions, these young participants are learning firsthand that such community ministry is both a natural and necessary outgrowth of religious faith.
Volunteer Services Agency, located in Boardman, works to mobilize and coordinate volunteer activity throughout the community to enhance the quality of life in the Mahoning Valley and provide resources and assistance where needed to create a spirit of good will and cooperation within the community.