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Local teens have logged in more than 15,000 hours of volunteer service since the conception of Community Action Missions in 1999, assisting more than 30 different local non-profit agencies.
Formerly known as Community Action Ministries, CAM has been hosting free local mission CAMps for 10 years. The organization's three main goals are to teach young people the importance of helping in their community; build unity in the body of Christ by giving young people of all denominations an opportunity to serve God together; and challenge participants to step into leadership roles in their churches and community.
"Foreign mission trips can be expensive. CAM believes that we have a mission in our own backyard," said Donna Hooper.
At the CAMps, participants do similar types of activities that one might experience on more conventional mission trips. Local churches open up their facilities to host the CAMps.
"The YMCA allows our group to come in and take showers after a hard day's work. And, because of the support of local merchants and restaurants, the cost of running the camps is minimal.
"Even though we do not charge participants to attend the CAMps, there is an expense to run them. Tax-deductible donations are welcome," Hooper said.
CAM already has held two local CAMps this year. Their third CAMp, scheduled for Aug. 12-15, will be hosted by McFarlin Methodist Church. The CAMps start at 8:45 p.m. Aug. 12 and go until 8 p.m. Aug. 15.
The CAMp maxes out at 30 participants and is avialable on a first come-first serve basis. Participants for the overnight CAMps must be out of sixth grade or older.
"For this third camp we will be helping a variety of organizations such as HUB, Child Share, Reaching Our City, Feed the Children and The Girl Scout Foundation," Hooper said. "The evenings are filled with the Youth Advisory Council leading praise and worship services as well as evening devotions. There also will be times for team building activities."
Anyone interested in joining in the last CAMp for the summer is invited to contact Hooper at 329-8041 or by e-mail at donna@communityactionmissions.com.
July 29 is the deadline to sign-up. Parent permission forms and adult volunteer forms may be downloaded at www.communityactionmissions.com.
