CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa.—When Tropical Storm Lee caused massive fall flooding in northeastern Pennsylvania, youth pastor Frank Passetti organized a group of students to help with flood relief. In addition to his ministry at Summit Baptist Bible Church, Passetti is also head track and field coach at Abington Heights High School. He assembled volunteers from his youth group, from the church’s Summit Christian Academy, and from several of Abington Heights’ athletic teams—more than 40 workers who gave up their Saturday for Dumpster duty.
Several of the volunteers were football players who had suffered a 51 point loss the night before. The local newspaper quoted the football coach as saying, “If you think losing a football game is bad, go see and help someone who has lost everything.”
Passetti had arranged for another local pastor to give a brief devotional to the group before they started working. Then the students broke into work teams, serving food to displaced residents, clearing out basements, and helping wherever needed. The Scranton Times covered the story, reporting that local residents “gushed at their efforts and thanked the Summit Christian Academy, over and over again.”
- Read “Abington Heights Athletes Find Loss in Life More Devastating than Loss on Field” from the Scranton Times
- Read “BBC Students Help with Flood Relief”
