Teen Challenge annual banquet draws hundreds

Nearly 900 people attended the Teen Challenge annual spring banquet on Saturday night at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Teen Challenge International of Mid America in Cape Girardeau is a long-term faith-based program that ministers to men older than 16 who struggle with drug, alcohol and other addictions.

This year's banquet attendees included Teen Challenge board members, supporters, alumni and the 150 men currently enrolled in the program, according to James Bolin, the organization's executive director.

Teen Challenge alumnus Jerry Copeland speaks about his experience with the ministry at its annual banquet Saturday, April 13, 2013 at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

"Attendance is up in numbers from last year," Bolin said. "That being said, we have a very loyal support base from the community that loves Teen Challenge."

The banquet is the organization's main event, which combines fundraising efforts with messages of faith and success from currently enrolled men and graduates of the program. Jerry Copeland is an alumnus who completed his 10-month session at Teen Challenge in September 2004. He lives in Nashville, Tenn., with his wife and 7-year-old daughter, and ministers to men in his community.

Copeland said he came back to Cape Girardeau to share his testimony at the banquet.

"It's pretty hard to wrap your mind around the idea of God forgiving you, but it's even harder to wrap your mind around the idea of forgiving yourself," Copeland said. "That was my biggest struggle before I completed Teen Challenge."

Since completing the program, Copeland has helped a dozen other men enroll and said he definitely recommends Teen Challenge to any man who wants to turn his life around. The program has been successful in helping men overcome addictions and life problems, Bolin said.

"We have a success rate of about 75 to 86 percent," he said.

The reason behind the Teen Challenge success is the close personal relationship each man develops with Jesus Christ, Bolin said.

"Besides the fundraising, that's really what this dinner is all about," he said. "It's a matter of getting the message out there about the power of God in the lives of our men here."

Teen Challenge alumnus John Bechtel leads a quartet with the Teen Challenge Mid America Choir at the ministry's annual banquet Saturday, April 13, 2013 at the Show Me Center. (Fred Lynch)

Copeland said he realized he needed God in his life when he enrolled in Teen Challenge and now "beautiful things" are happening in his life.

In addition to testimonies and performances by the Teen Challenge International of Mid America Choir, the banquet included an auction to raise money for the program.

Items in the auction included baseball bats and balls, all used in major league games by former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Andy Benes, said Bolin, who called these items the "highlight" of the auction.

This is the second year an auction has been featured at the banquet and Bolin said they hope to hold one annually.

Because Teen Challenge does not charge any of the men who enter the program and receives no government money, he said they depend on fundraising and donations to continue services.

"Without support, there would be no Teen Challenge," Bolin said. "We really depend on these donations to help the hundreds of men that come through our doors every year."

srinehart@semissourian.com

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