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OKLAHOMA: Trinity Tulsa youth win Heifer Award

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[Trinity Episcopal Church] "We want a goat for Christmas. We're not kidding."

That was the motto of the youth at Trinity Episcopal Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma when they launched a fundraising project during Advent 2007 for Heifer International, a non-profit, worldwide program to help end hunger and poverty while caring for the earth. Agricultural animals and training are provided to impoverished families around the world. The Heifer motto is: Instead of giving a cup of milk, give a cow.

Led by co-chairs Molly Haggard, 17, and Claire Glynn, 10, the younger youth hoped to raise $120 to provide a goat for an impoverished family and the older youth aimed at $250 to pay for a water buffalo.

During all four Sundays in December 2007 they made announcements in church, sang songs ("I Want a Water Buffalo for Christmas"), put on skits, displayed posters and collected money. Even the smallest children participated, asking for quarters to fill a peace pipe.

By Christmas they had exceeded their goal. Donations not only financed the goat and water buffalo, but paid for an entire ark -- two of every kind of animal available from Heifer -- and then some. They raised more than $6,000.

In April, officials from Heifer International came to Tulsa to present the youth with an ark award recognizing their work. In appreciation, the youth sang "All Things Bright and Beautiful."

The Tulsa youth are starting a second campaign for Heifer. Lizze Radford, 16, will chair "A Llama for Your Mama" Mother's Day drive.

-- Connie Cronley is the development director for Trinity Episcopal Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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