Youth group holds Valentine’s Day fundraiser

Hazel Dell — The youth group at St. John Lutheran Church put on a Valentine’s dinner fundraiser on Feb. 13 to raise money for several of the youth ministry programs at the church. They collected $15 for each ticket sold, and also received a lot of extra donations. In total, they raised $1,015. One of the main goals in raising money is to send the group to the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod National Youth Gathering in New Orleans this summer. The National Youth Gathering occurs every three years, and St John’s has always sent a handful of kids to the event. The gathering provides thousands of youth and adults the opportunity to come together as a community and learn more the Christian faith and their Lutheran identity. During the five days of the gathering, youth spend time together in worship, service and fellowship with others from across the synod.