Teenagers participated in 47 different projects in July as part of the Salem, Illinois, Youth Invasion community service event.

Grace Church of the Nazarene spearheaded the service event that had 78 teenagers and 32 adults making a difference in the community.
 
"Five of those projects were what I call spontaneous service,” coordinator Angie Courtright told WJBD News. “The kids would look around (and) they would be finishing up at one job site. They would look over and see a neighbor out doing yard work or other work and they would just run over and volunteer to help them. That really did my heart a lot of good, because it showed the kids were getting the message of the entire week.”

Projects included construction projects, porch repairs, power washing homes, painting, and yard work. Youth also distributed water bottles with labels containing scripture and delivered home-baked cookies to teens who had suffered recent losses or illness.  

Youth Invasion was formed to help local residents in need, instead of sending youth away on mission trips.

This is the second Youth Invasion to take place in Salem, and Courtright said organizers plan to have another one next year.
 
“As a matter of fact we are hoping to broaden our horizons a little bit,” Courtright told WJBD. “We got a phone call from a Centralia church who asked if we would help them plan a Youth Invasion in Clinton County. That was exciting.”  

Although the event was coordinated by Grace Church, many teens who participated came from several different churches in town. 

Even teens from California and South Carolina participated in the event. The teens were in Salem visiting relatives last summer and made it a point to return during the Youth Invasion this year, Courtright said. 

Organizers hope other churches will help sponsor the event in the future.
--NCN News submissions