Outdoor Sleep-A-Thon Will Help Campers Help Others

Youth from local Newtown churches — Newtown Congregational, St Rose, and Newtown United Methodist — are sponsoring The Great Outdoor Sleep-A-Thon, a fundraiser that will run overnight from Saturday, January 24, until Sunday, January 25. The event will take place outside Newtown Congregational Church, at 14 West Street.

Group members will build temporary shelters and sleeping outside to raise money for their June service trip to assist in home renovation and repair in the poorer neighborhoods of Oakland, Md., later this year.

The group is taking on this challenge to create awareness for the many who are living in inadequate housing and other challenging circumstances and the youth are also seeking sponsors to support them for their trip in June.

The public is invited to help the youth make a difference by making a pledge to support this important work. Contact the Newtown Congregational Church office, 426-9024, for more information or to make a pledge of support or to get more information.

Group Workcamp is an ecumenical gathering of youth from throughout the United States who spend a week repairing homes for those in need of assistance. The mission of the Newtown Ecumenical Workcamp Ministry is to help its youth gain a closer relationship with God, to provide an opportunity to touch the lives of people in other communities, and to make friends with youth from other areas of the country.

There are a limited number of spots available to attend the mission trip in June. Any interested youth may contact coordinators Sheila and Jerry Cole at 426-4529 for additional information.