ELIZABETHTOWN — The Elizabethtown Rotary Club was treated to a report on the Bladen Mission Project 2015 by fellow Rotarian Chris Denny on Wednesday afternoon.

Denny told the group the mission project took place during the week of June 14-18. The folks involved in the project were housed at Wesley’s Chapel United Methodist Church located on Peanut Plant Road. Denny said the Baptist Men’s Association donated a shower unit for the use of those involved in the mission project.

He told those gathered that the project is a joint effort of numerous Bladen County churches and their youth. Denny said about 60 youth and adult leaders took part.

Denny said that, during the project, teams consisting of a combination of youth and adults worked at different locations throughout Bladen County including working in the schools. Denny said that, at East Bladen High School, a team cleaned the dugouts and they helped to paint; at Elizabethtown Middle School, a team worked on the landscaping as well as cleaning trees and vines off the fence around the softball field. At Elizabethtown Primary some painting was performed while Booker T Washington school benefited from some cleaning as well as some painting. The Clarkton School of Discovery had a team that did some painting.

Denny said a team visited the Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy and helped with moving some tables so the staff at PBA could do some cleaning. Denny said that the Division on Aging and Elizabethtown Nursing Center also received visits and the youth visited with the patients, lead activities, lead art projects and played games with folks such as Bingo and Chess.

“We enjoyed spending time there (at the nursing center and Division on Aging),” said Denny.

He said the group also assisted the Bladen Crisis Assistance Food Pantry in moving food from one space to another. Denny said the youth lead a Vacation Bible School at Clarkton Presbyterian Church.

He added that every team had the opportunity to take part in different things each day.

Denny said the theme of the mission project was “And You Will Be My Witnesses.”

He said each evening a worship service was lead by ministers form the community. Denny said one evening the minister spoke about social media. He said it was pointed out that many folks use their social media accounts to focus on themselves. Denny said the minister posed the question, “What if the posts focused on Jesus instead of you?”

Denny told the group the final celebration focused on the theme “You Will be Witnesses to the end of the Earth.”

“It was an amazing week,” said Denny.

Erin Smith can be reached by calling 910-862-4163.

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By Erin Smith

erinsmith@civitasmedia.com