Young Life Harrison County holds an annual fundraiser and this year’s event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at Bridgeport Conference Center. This year is a special one.

 

“This fall marks 20 years that Young Life has been in Harrison County – specifically at Bridgeport High School,” said Nathaniel Lutyens, director of Young Life Harrison County.

 

The banquet will, as always, feature information about the Christian-based student group, but this year’s planning includes a little something extra.

 

“We’re putting some emphasis on getting alumni in the room and depending on what resources we have, to collect some history and have a little celebration,” Lutyens said.

Already on board are Ben and Laura Tool who started Young Life at BHS in 1998 and John and Molly Aderholt, who took over for them. The Aderholts were leaders when Lutyens attended BHS in the early 2000s. During that time, he had no idea he would one day return as director of the organization, but he does remember how Young Life changed his life.

 

“I grew up in church, but also without a working knowledge of the things I had been told all my life,” Lutyens said. “Also important to me was the relationship connections; those I had with John and Molly and some of the other kids at the time. I wouldn’t say they were my best friends, but I was certainly impacted by the older guys who headed up Young Life at the time.”

 

Already a Christian while attending high school, Young Life helped to set him on a path to serve. The organization does that for so many kids, including those who have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, he said.

 

Lutyens graduated from BHS in 2006. Prior to taking the Young Life director position in 2010, he served as a volunteer for Young Life in Morgantown for three years.

 

“I thought becoming a volunteer would be cool and one step led to the next and here I am,” he said.

 

A significant number of past BHS students who participated in Young Life have gone on to volunteer and serve in paid leader positions. Those staff positions - as well as positions for the middle school group, Wyldlife -  are paid through fundraising efforts, including the annual banquet during which individuals sign on as sponsors. There is no cost to attend the banquet, which in addition to food prepared by the culinary staff of Bridgeport Conference Center, will feature a silent auction. All proceeds will benefit Young Life and Wyldlife.

 

Lutyens’ mother-in-law Gina Yaquinta is banquet committee chair. She said she hopes this year’s silent auction to be the biggest yet and is in the process of collecting items, such as fall décor, nail and massage services, restaurant gift cards, WVU items and others.

 

“There is quite a variety so pretty much anything people can bid on,” she said. “The silent auction is a fun and easy way to make some extra money to help keep this ministry running.”

 

Those who would like to donate items to the silent auction or serve as a table sponsor for the banquet can contact Yaquinta at 304-629-8746. A sponsorship for a table of eight is $300 and the sponsor's name will be on the table, she said. Yaquinta is also looking for table captains to invite people to fill the tables. 

 

Lutyens encourages locals to get on board.

 

“Our goal is to celebrate 20 years, but also to celebrate this past year of ministry. We do that every year and we would love to have anyone interested be in the room,” he said. “It’s free to attend and we hope, if nothing else, it will be a night where they learn about Young Life and are encouraged and challenged.”