This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Fried Fish and Clean Cars Raise Funds for Mt. Zion Youth Ministry to go to Dorney Park

The Mt Zion Church in Eatontown raised funds for kids in the community to spend a day at Dorney Park later this month with a car wash and fish fry.

Volunteers at Eatontown's Mt. Zion church spent Saturday washing cars and frying fish to help raise money for their Youth Ministry to spend a day at Dorney Park later this month.

The church on South Street held a car wash and fish fry on July 9 to raise funds for their Youth Ministry to spend a day at the Pennsylvania amusement park. In an effort to keep the local kids busy during the summer, the church takes approximately 50 kids on field trips such as the trip to Dorney Park planned for the July 22.

The children come not just from the church’s own congregation but from the surrounding community. Funds were raised to provide a bus to transport the kids so they are only required to pay for park admission.

Find out what's happening in Long Branch-Eatontownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We call it ‘reaching out’,” said Mt. Zion's Rev. Benjamin A. Evans. “We take the youth on several trips and try to subsidize the bus to make it affordable for whoever wants to go.”

Volunteer Rebecca Frazer has taken the children on these trips for years. “I’ve been working with the youth group for 25 years. We’ve made so many trips -- Disney on Ice, the Harlem Globe Trotters -- everywhere,” she said from the basement of the church where the fish fry was in full swing.

Find out what's happening in Long Branch-Eatontownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Out in the car park, several of the kids were working hard washing cars. Sisters Darrah, Diamond and Destiny Bacy said they were looking forward to the trip to Dorney while they toiled in the heat of the afternoon along with Nikya Johnson washing cars.  

The church will hold several fundraisers over the summer, including a chicken and rib barbeque on July 23 and July 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

“The church is 165 years old and is in need of a new roof and windows,” said Rodney Jackson, the church historian and secretary.  “We are also looking for a grant to help us build a youth center behind the church.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?