BSU students at UGA reach their community with hoops, sand art, & face paint

It isn't for them. It won't bring in any money to support their projects. But students at the University of Georgia Baptist Student Union are already starting to plan for their second annual spring basketball event.

"It all began last year with our leadership team," said Rhonda Abbott, a UGA campus minister. "We got them together and said let's do something for the community. We decided to have a ministry to families - a great, wholesome event in downtown Athens, which is not always known as a wholesome place."

The idea grew to sponsor a community-wide event that would bring families together to have fun. Then, through relationships, students could help unchurched families connect with local area churches.

Basketball became the center of the all-day event. A three-on-three basketball tournament was the all-day event and an afternoon "hotshot contest" offered a chance to win $10,000.

Working with UGA graduate Ken Thomas, who currently works with Lifeway in Nashville, the students developed the Classic City 3-on-3 and when Chik-fil-A signed on as a corporate sponsor, they added the Chick-fil-A Family Fun Zone.

More than 150 student volunteers planned and then worked the event - helping children with crafts, monitoring inflatable games, painting faces, passing out snow cones, and managing the basketball tournament.

"It's definitely worth the work," said UGA senior Katie Bennett from Calhoun, who spent several hours a week for about eight months working on the project. "We're seeing the community come together. That was our vision. This is a long-term outreach for local churches."

Students have begun working on the next Classic City 3-on-3 to be held next spring. They hope to involve more area churches, as well as work on more successful follow-up.

"Being our first year we didn't have great follow-up," Abbott said. "This year we're working on finding a better way to do that. But all in all it was a great event. The response (from the community) was great."

BSU at the University of Georgia involves a variety of ministries.

Weekly worship services and discipleship small groups help students in their growing faith. The group also raises funds to support summer missions. In October they will sponsor a 300 mile bike ride - from Athens to Jacksonville, Fla. - and with the help of sponsors, raise $35,000 for summer mission work.

There are 27 full-time, eight part-time, three volunteer campus ministers, and nine interns on 52 college campuses in Georgia. Their work is funded through your gifts to the Cooperative Program and the annual state missions offering given in September.

You and your church may send State Missions gifts to:
Dr. J. Robert White, Executive Director
Georgia Baptist Convention
2930 Flowers Rd., South
Atlanta, GA 30341-5562

Sherri Brown

Basketball was the focus of the all-day event. Here a participant tries for a $10,000 prize.

Sherri Brown

Suzanne Rowe from Daytona Beach, Fla., checks out a sand art project during a family event held by the University of Georgia Baptist Student Union.

Sherri Brown

Rhonda Abbott UGA campus minister

Sherri Brown

Dawn Wilkerson from Griffin helps a child make sand art.