By Sarah Schwager
A CRANBOURNE org-anisation is working to improve life for youth with concerts, games and healthy breakfasts aimed at helping young people become more involved and better adjusted.
Johnee Auvale, youth coordinator at the Hope Christian Centre Casey, started up an outreach team called Impact 316.
The team holds free concerts on the first and third Saturday of the month at Courtenay Gardens Primary School, aimed at teenagers to 20-year-olds.
The team now runs a breakfast every Wednesday morning at Lyndhurst Secondary College.
School principal Steve Phillips said the school had run the breakfast program for many years but, as enrolments grew, it had become too difficult to manage.
“The breakfasts came about because we wanted to have a program to introduce kids to healthy eating and a proper breakfast,” Mr Phillips said.
David Aberle, senior pastor, parent and school council member, approached the school about allowing Hope Christian Centre to run the program.
The centre now provides breakfast for between 200 and 300 students with a different menu each week, including eggs and bacon, pancakes, toast and hot chocolate.
Starting next week, the team will also start lunchtime school activities.
Mr Auvale said the group also tried to make the breakfasts fun.
“We run games and activities to add a different flavour into their day,” he said.
Mr Aberle said games included gladiator, the biggest bubble game, egg throwing, and other physical activities.
“The group came out of a desire to reach the youth of Cranbourne with the message that they have a future with hope,” he said.
But Impact 316 is finding it difficult to raise the money to keep the events going.
At the moment the funds come from Hope Christian Centre and Lyndhurst Secondary College, with a barbecue provided by the Lions Club of Cranbourne.
“We need help from the community,” Mr Auvale said. “We are seriously running out of cash.”
For information, sponsorship or food donations, contact Johnee Auvale, phone 0432 272 144.
