Published: January 21, 2007 01:07 am      

Impact Huntsville sends call to local youth groups

Huntsville’s Promise is calling all local church youth groups to make a difference in their city.

Impact Huntsville, which is starting its fifth year, is a citywide community service project in which members of local church youth groups perform repairs and maintenance on houses belonging to the elderly and economically disadvantaged.

A planning meeting for this year’s project will be held Thursday evening at 5:30 at Huntsville City Hall.

Mageline Kizzee, 85, is just one of more than 50 who have been aided by the project’s generosity.

Kizzee lives alone and said she often has trouble even getting around, much less mowing her grass or maintaining her home.

“I can’t even pick up a broom to sweep my floor. I can’t do anything. I’m not able,” Kizzee said.

So the kids of Impact Huntsville swooped in, mowed her lawn, cleaned her yard and even screened in her porch for her.

“It was a blessing. Just a huge blessing,” Kizzee said.

Scott Atnip, Huntsville’s Promise executive director, said Impact Huntsville is also used as a tool to raise awareness of the needs that exist in these youths’ own backyard.

“A lot of these churches will go on mission trips to other parts of the world,” Atnip said. “But we have some of the same challenges in town that they do in other parts of the world and it gives these kids a chance to make an enormous difference,”

In addition, Atnip said it also promotes a healthy interaction between youth groups.

“This gives them a chance to work side by side with people they may not go to church with or are of a different ethnicity or background and make a difference in Huntsville with them,” Atnip said.

For Thursday’s meeting, Atnip is looking specifically for members from each church organization who have some maintenance and construction know-how who could serve as supervisors at each house.

The supervisor would not be doing any work but would instead be supervising and instructing the kids on how to perform the necessary tasks.

Financial support is also needed. Atnip said their estimated budget is normally around $5,000 to pay for building supplies and materials.

Anyone willing to participate or with questions about the event should contact Atnip at Huntsville’s Promise at (936) 291-5950.