Teeter-Totter Marathon Raises $7,000 for Outdoor Ministries

For the 32nd consecutive year, the youth of the Middleburg Heights Community Church UCC (MHCC) conducted a Teeter-Totter Marathon on President’s Day weekend to raise funds for a local mission project. This year every dollar of the more than $7,000 donated—no overhead costs are deducted—will benefit Ohio Conference Outdoor Ministries.

During the last 31 years, MHCC families, members, and friends raised a total of $141,000 for various projects. This year’s recipient was chosen as a result of a challenge to Ohio Conference youth who attended the November 2007 Fall Youth Event at Pilgrim Hills to raise money in their home churches for our camps.

Nearly 50 young people kept a teeter totter, mounted on a platform on the snow-covered church lawn, continuously in motion for 48 hours, from 6 pm Friday to 6 pm Sunday, February 15-17. MHCC youth were joined by young people from Olmsted Falls UCC and First UCC, Berea. Most of the youth were junior and senior high age, but children as young as three took a turn on the teeter totter with their families on Sunday morning.

The youth were supported by the adults in the congregation. In addition to pledging funds, about 25 adults took a turn as a chaperone, and at least that many other adults provided food for the group. “More and more adults are coming to teeter totter as well,” said Middleburg Heights Christian Ed Director Jane Fredriksen.

The marathon has been led almost since the beginning by members George and Sandy Uhl. “They really carry the ball in getting it organized,” said Fredriksen. The planning involves about 12 adults who work with the youth to organize the event.

“The marathon is a long tradition at this church,” said Fredriksen, “It’s a generational event. Parents remember doing it when they were teens.”

It is also a wonderful outreach project, giving the church a presence in the community. People driving by the church stop to drop off contributions. “A lot of the money comes from the community,” said Fredriksen. And people recognize us as “the church that has the teeter totter marathon in the snow!”

Ohio Conference Minister, Bob Molsberry, preached at morning worship at Middleburg Heights on April 6 and received the donation check on behalf of Outdoor Ministries.

  Outdoor Ministries