Get Locked-In

Juniors and seniors going to El Salvador are preparing for their lock-in ticket sale, which begins after Christmas. The lock-in is an overnight party from Jan. 16 through Jan. 17. Tickets are $15 for entry.

The third annual lock-in will be held at the Fayetteville YMCA. During the lock-in there will be food, live music, dancing, video games, movies and sports.

There will also be a raffle, which contributes the most to the overall amount of money raised at the lock-in. People donate items to be raffled off. In past years they have raffled off things such as: iPods, cameras, movie tickets, gift cards, and sports equipment.

Teenagers from area high schools are invited to attend the lock-in. They are expecting at least 300 teenagers to go. The lock-in fundraiser raises money for medical supplies to bring to El Salvador.

Holy Cross Church and Young Life sponsor a mission trip every year to El Salvador February for teenagers, and adults. They complete projects in the community and run a medical clinic.

Each person going on the trip is asked to raise around $1,500. As a group they try to raise at least $105,000 and do more than just the lock-in to achieve this goal.

"Last year we had a record high amount of giving, which was a blessing because our nation was in the middle of the recession," said Andrea Jacobs, youth director at Holy Cross Church. "We raised about $110,000. I think with our efforts we can raise just as much this year, if not more."

The lock-in itself doesn't raise a ton of money compared to the rest of the fundraisers, but it is an activity that many teenagers look forward to. "We focus on the fact that all of the money that comes in is from teenagers, which goes to show that teens can make a huge difference in this world by giving so little," said Jacobs.

The purpose of going to El Salvador is to reach out and help the less fortunate. This year their main project will be building a second school in the community and running a medical clinic.
"When we started going down in 2007 we expected to just bring down some school and medical supplies and hang out and get to know the people in the community. But it has turned into much more. We go down there now because we have a relationship with many people in the community, and we consider them our friends," says Jacobs.

In past years the group has built four clean water wells, treated over 1,500 people with parasite medication, and donated over three tons of school supplies to local schools.