Both children and parents know that young years are not easy ones. Decision-making, future plans, wise choices all play a role into who we will become. Not only does this play a role in who we will become, but it also plays a role in what the society and community will become, because the young generation is the future.
Young Life was founded in 1941 by Jim Rayburn who saw children in his community who were hurting and in need of hope that no one was reaching out to.
Since then, volunteer leaders and staff have been committed to reaching out to middle school, high school and college students, teen moms, students living with disabilities, military teens, kids experiencing homelessness, living in the foster care system, or incarcerated. It is a nonprofit organization that is financially supported by local families, community members, churches, and others.
Dani Miller is the Area Director for Young Life Sebago. Her involvement with Young Life goes back to when she was in high school. She got involved as a student and after graduating Windham High School, she started to volunteer with the organization as a Leader and she felt pulled to continue to invest in this mission and has been on Staff with Young Life for the last five years.
“Young Life is an international outreach organization to teens, an interdenominational Christian faith-based ministry,” says Miller. “Our local area, Young Life Sebago, exists in Gorham and Windham, with students from both middle schools and high schools as well as from nearby towns. Volunteer leaders from our community invest time serving as positive adult role models, providing students with fun and life-giving ways to spend their time, and giving them a chance to hear about God’s love for them.”
What Miller does is support and oversee their middle school and high school groups in Gorham and Windham. She works with adult volunteer leaders, committee members, supporters, and students, aiming to build connections and positive relationships that bring about transformation in the lives of students.
“We also offer week-long summer trips to beautiful YL-owned properties in New York state as well as weekend-long Fall trips,” says Miller.
Young Life aims to be a positive presence in the lives of students and families in the community by providing a welcoming environment and meaningful relationships regardless of faith background.
Every spring, Young Life hosts PowerServe, a community service event in Windham dedicated to Shane Donnelly, a teen who passed away and is remembered as a young man who loved helping others and bringing smiles to those around him. PowerServe hosts hundreds of volunteers each year who go out to help residents and organizations in our community and then share a BBQ together.
Young Life Sebago has been involved with the Windham Summerfest for several years, and this past year they hosted a Cornhole Tournament.
“All middle school and high school students are welcome and belong. There are no requirements, no registration or membership, and no faith-background of any sort is necessary or expected,” says Miller. “Adults can get involved by being a volunteer leader — working directly with kids — a committee member, the group who works behind the scenes to keep the ministry running, a donor, our team of people who financially support, and in other creative ways.”
The middle school group (called “WyldLife”) meets every other week, and the high school group meets one to three times a week. Each group offers nights full of games, music, activities, and laughter as well as a separate Bible study for those students interested in faith.
“We have a ‘get to know Young Life’ Pep Rally coming up on Saturday, Nov. 5 from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. at the Windham Town Hall Gym (8 School Road),” says Miller. “This is a casual, ‘come as you are’ event to learn more about what Young Life does in the community and how to help get more teens connected. All are welcome.”
More information can be found by visiting https://sebago.younglife.org <
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