Alaskan Teens Demo Disaster Response

"We believe that teens can be involved in church-planned community service events," emphasized Tammie Kovalenko, teen division camp meeting leader, to Butch Palmero of Adventist Community Services Alaska.

Alaskan Adventist teens have been one of the most volunteer-oriented groups at this camp meeting and their community always dwells on their youthful exuberance to demonstrate compassion to victims of disasters.

Charlie Kovalenko, Delta Junction Adventist Church elder and husband to Tammie, and Dan Lesch, Kodiak pastor, organized and led 50 teens in sorting out 24 boxes of donated clothing for ACS Alaska. ACS Alaska currently manages multiagency donations for the Alaska Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters.

Teens doing community outreach are an important facet of Youth Empowered to Serve. YES is the network of young people throughout North America who engage in random acts of kindness, strategically planned service events, disaster response and emergency relief. These young people demonstrate compassion and follow Christ's example in meeting the needs of others.

When you combine the assets of youth ministries with ACS's mission of compassion, young people are truly "serving communities in Christ's name."

Featured in: September 2011

Author

Butch Palmero

Alaska Conference youth ministries and community services director