Buy A Tree. Change A Life. Donates Proceeds to Backyard Ministries
Cleveland, TN–Buy A Tree. Change A Life. (BATCAL) recently presented a check for $7,882.38 to Tori Livesay, president of Backyard Ministries, a student ministry of Lee University.
The check presentation was made to Lee University’s Dr. William Lamb and Nate Tucker on Tuesday, Jan. 21, during a Lee chapel service. The amount represents 15 percent of funds raised at the BATCAL Christmas tree sale in December on Lee’s campus.
“It’s not about the tree sales,” said Tucker, director of IT systems at Lee and BATCAL co-site director. “It’s really about changing lives locally and globally. We appreciate all those who contributed to make the amount raised a reality for local kids and can’t wait to see how the lives of our kids will be touched by Backyard Ministries.”
The school bus being converted into a mobile classroom is shown here filled with Backyard Ministries volunteers, along with (standing in front, left to right) Nate Tucker, Tori Livesay, Cole Marshall, and Dr. William Lamb (click photo to enlarge)
Lee University partnered with People for Care and Learning (PCL) and BATCAL, raising over $50,000 as a result of the tree sale located at Lee University’s Schimmels Park in November and December. The money will go to support efforts in Cambodia and around the globe. Fifteen percent of that money is committed to serving a local project and will be used to convert a school bus into a mobile classroom. The bus will provide a place for children to be tutored each week by the Lee University Backyard Ministries volunteers.
Lamb, director of the Leonard Center and BATCAL co-site director, along with Tucker, headed the December fundraising effort.
Backyard Ministries is a Lee University program aimed at tutoring kids in Bradley County. This year marks the 25th anniversary since Backyard Ministries’ founding in 1995.
(Source: Lee University. By Merritt Jenkins)
