Kids at Fox Valley Presbyterian Church Work to Make a Difference

On Sunday, September 29, the children at Fox Valley Presbyterian Church in Geneva, IL took action to help care for creation. Xander Meyers, a fifth grade student at the church, helped to lead education for younger children about the Christian responsibility for taking care of earth, and the dangers of plastic waste on the environment and the many creatures that call this world home. The children learned about some actions they can take to protect the planet. Most surprising to the children and adults was the use of paper bags, which are not necessarily better for the environment because trees are cut down and significant power is used during production.

After this education moment, the children of Fox Valley Presbyterian Church then turned old t-shirts into reusable bags for shopping, as means for encouraging everyone to use less plastic and paper bags. With the help of the congregation’s sewing group and some willing adult and youth volunteers, the children were able to get make fifty reusable bags to be used by their own families. Maren Williams, a third grade student from at the church said, "I was glad to make the bags to use instead of plastic bags in order to help save our oceans and turtles. The aquatic animals are confused and think the plastic bags are food and when they eat the plastic it makes them sick."

Nia York, an adult Sunday School teacher and coordinator for the service projects that the Sunday School children engage in each month said of Xander’s initative, “"I am so proud of Xander’s passion and conviction in not only wanting to make good choices for the earth but also his ability to express himself so eloquently and share what others can do to also help make a change. My hope is that one day he can share his passion with not just the FVPC community but the greater community at large."

Xander ended his presentation to his younger peers with this quote, "No one can do everything, but everyone can do something."