Young church member’s mission to help others lives on
From left: Jamie Davis, Rhetta Kepley, Rev. Dr. William B. Shrout Jr., and Curtis Putnam
Hundreds of students will walk into their classrooms on the first day of school this year confident that they have all the tools they need to be successful – all thanks to the generous spirit of one young woman.
Ashley Bracken Barnette, a youth member of Second Reformed United Church of Christ in Lexington, started a program called Pennies for Change several years ago with the simple goal of helping others in her community. Earlier this month, her grandmother, Rhetta Kepley, presented a check to Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davison County for more than $1,000.
“As a young person she quickly realized the need that existed for helping people of all ages,” said Curtis Putnam, a member of the Evangelism Committee at Second Reformed UCC, which directed the funds to CIS. He said Barnette originally approached various Sunday school classes at the church to explain her vision and was met with an enthusiastic response.
“The amount (she originally collected) was small, but with each passing week it continued to grow,” said Putnam.
When Barnette left Lexington to attend college, other church members took up the collection in her absence. Eventually, Kepley took the lead on Pennies for Change and the church continued to give.
“Each of the individuals involved in this project were gifted to be able to see the needs that were placed in front of our young people. Their love, patience, and drive to see this be a success were instrumental in growing the funds to an amount that far exceeded their hopes,” said Putnam. “It is with God’s blessing that these funds help our children to have the tools to help them learn and grow.”