Adults celebrate and support ‘Big Dreams’ of area youth at banquet in Craig Sunday

News | March 30, 2017

Sasha Nelson

Once per year, Bear River Young Life brings adults together for a free banquet. The evening celebrates recent accomplishments and raises funds for the organization. Last summer, middle school students from the Little Snake River area joined Craig and Hayden for summer camp at Crooked Creek in Fraser. The WyldLife — middle school — group is pictured in front of the Young Life building on Rose Street in Craig before departing for camp.

Craig — Young mothers were given a new resource this year when Bear River Young Life started a teen mom outreach program — one of many accomplishments that will be celebrated at the “Big Dreams” banquet on Sunday.

At a Glance

What: Big Dreams — 2017 Bear River Young Life Banquet including food, mingling and entertainment by Jonah Werner

Who: Adult event with free childcare

When: 5:30 p.m. April 2

Where: The Journey at First Baptist, 1150 W. 9th St., Craig

Cost: Free

“Students will talk about how Young Life and their faith have helped them realize or grow some big dreams,” said Young Life Area Director David Pressgrove. “We want to celebrate what we’ve done in the last year, and then, at the same time, show the community what we are hoping to do through our goals for growth.”

The Big Dreams — 2017 Bear River Young Life Banquet — is an adult event starting at 5:30 p.m. Sunday and will include food, mingling and entertainment by singer and storyteller Jonah Werner.

The event is free and free childcare will be available at The Journey at First Baptist on 1150 W. Ninth St. in Craig.

One of the programs to be celebrated is the teen outreach program that started last year when volunteers came forward after the banquet.

“We are a support system for teen moms in our community all the way up to age 21,” said Tracy McMillen, volunteer leader and hair stylist at New Images Hair Salon in Craig.

Mentoring teen moms felt right to McMillen who used her own experience of having a child before marriage to guide her approach in developing loving relationships with young mothers.

“We have bible studies and lessons about cooking for their families. Through a partnership with the Pregnancy Center we help the girls get food, clothing, equipment for their babies and we love them. We walk with them in their journey as young moms and with Jesus,” McMillen said.

Table sponsors underwrite the costs of the banquet making it free to attend.

Pressgrove hopes the evening will move people to consider setting-up a monthly gift to help the organization help youth “Dream Big” by growing outreach programs like the one for teen moms.

“We hope to grow as a group and in the community,” McMillen said. “To be the first contact for young moms and support them through the entire journey.”

Contact Sasha Nelson at 970-875-1794 or snelson@CraigDailyPress.com or follow her on Twitter @CDP_Education.