STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL SWEET TREAT FOR VISITORS

More than 600 people followed the little red strawberry signs to Mid- America Teen Challenge's annual Strawberry Festival Saturday.

Although rain dampened the afternoon activities, the sun was bright during the morning festivities. Jack Smart, executive director of Mid-America Teen Challenge, said the primary purpose of the festival is to get the community to come out to the Teen Challenge campus.

"We want people to learn the purpose of Teen Challenge and also give them a relaxed day," he said.

The festival is the kick-off for sales of strawberries that are grown on the rural Cape Girardeau campus.

Students in Teen Challenge program grow, pick and sell the berries. Smart said the students are young men who are trying to control and recover from undisciplined lifestyles.

"We are a residential Christian program for young men with life controlling problems such as drugs and alcohol," he said. "We help them go through a balanced program, from being a liability in life to a Christian life."

Smart said many of the men have been in trouble with the law. "Abusing drugs and alcohol can get them into trouble with the law and many have not been able to hold down employment. Many have been in and out of jail; this all costs money and personal damage to their families." He said 30 to 40 percent of the students are probated into the Teen Challenge program others walk-in on their own. The program is structured to create pressure to change to a new way of life.

Some students picked strawberries while others worked at the festival booths and food stands. Hundreds of bowls of free strawberry shortcake were given out during the five-hour event. More than 1,500 quarts of strawberries were picked during the festival.

Teen Challenge student Edward Shephard of Dallas, Texas, sold barbecue sandwiches to the festival visitors.

Shepard, whose job is cooking for the 120 students, said this was his first festival. "I enjoyed it. The support for Teen Challenge is encouraging to us."

Galen and Phyllis Sanders of Jackson said they wouldn't miss the festival.

They said many of the program's students attend their church and feel the men are like family.

"The guys that go here are like an extended family and we encourage them by coming out and supporting them," said Phyllis Sanders.

Galen, who works as an assistant to the Cape Girardeau County Jail Administrator, said he has seen what the program can do. "I've seen guys come here and do well," he said. "I have not seen them go back to jail."