The Vision
Earlier this year American Heritage Girls (AHG) Troop AZ0122 partnered with ABCS to build a playground at the Tucson location for New Life Pregnancy Center (NLPC). For those who may not know, AHG is a Christ-centered leadership and character development program for girls ages 5 to 18. It focuses on building integrity, faith and service through badge work, outdoor adventure and community involvement.
The troop volunteered twice at one of ABCS’ Community Resource Centers in Tucson, and one of the girls, Elizabeth Mellady, remembered the experience well. It made such an impact on her that she reached out to Dane Clark, Director of Mission Encounter 360, when it came time to work on her Stars & Stripes Award—the highest achievement in AHG.
In her email, Elizabeth shared, “Stars & Stripes is the highest award in American Heritage Girls. An older girl in AHG who does Stars & Stripes will make an impact in her community, grow in leadership skills, while also growing closer to God… I would need to make a permanent impact on your organization, lead others and fundraise for the project… Is this something that Arizona Baptist Children’s Services would be interested in doing?”
She mentioned she had a heart for helping children in foster care and families connected to the pregnancy center. Elizabeth even tossed out the idea of building a playground! After hearing her idea, Dane showed her an ideal open space at our Tucson office. It was easy to imagine how a playground could support the work of New Life Pregnancy Center. While parents attend parenting, life skills or Bible study classes, volunteers and staff would now have a space where their kids could safely play and have fun when the weather is nice. Creating a pleasant outdoor space for children and families provides possibilities to benefit some of the other programs as well.
Faith in Action
From there, God did what He always does—He provided.
Elizabeth fundraised and beat her goal! From there she organized the project and recruited over 100 volunteers to do the manual labor of assembling the playground and spreading ground cover and gravel. AHG troop members, their families and ABCS volunteers all came together to build something that will bless children and families for years to come.
The project had a wide-reaching impact. AHG families learned more about ABCS and NLPC. Elizabeth not only achieved a personal goal she’d been dreaming about since childhood, but she also grew in confidence, faith and leadership. Her dedication inspired younger troop members to reach their goals.
More than a Playground
For ABCS, this project is a reminder of how God uses people, of all ages to accomplish His work. He brought us a young woman with a heart for children and families. Through her obedience, He provided the vision, resources and the volunteers.
This wasn’t just about a playground—it was about building relationships, expanding ministry and creating a space that reflects the heart of ABCS.