A buck for a chick can feed families around the world
First Lutheran Church of Burnet youth Jessie Burton (left) and Mason Whitley work on their 'Buck-a-Chick' coloring page. For a dollar, people can get a coloring page with the proceeds going to purchase chicks for overseas families that can use them for eggs, meat and trade. The program, which is run through the church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, continues until Easter. Call the church at (512) 756-2967 for more information. Courtesy photo
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
BURNET — A Burnet congregation hopes to make a difference a world away, and all it takes is some crayons, a picture and a buck. And you can help, too.
“During the Lenten season, I thought this would be a better way to help,” said Danna “Cricket” Leaphart of First Lutheran Church of Burnet. “It’s a great way for the kids to get involved and do something for somebody in another country.”
The church is participating in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America’s “Buck-A-Chick” program. The concept is simple: You give a dollar for a coloring page of a baby chick. The church collects all the dollars and sends them to the ELCA, which then buys a chick with each buck.
“The chicks go to families overseas who don’t really have anything,” said the Rev. Ricky Leaphart of First Lutheran. “A family could get a rooster and a hen. The hen lays eggs, which the family can use for food or even raise more chickens from.”
The additional chickens become a food source for the family, or they can trade them for other livestock, such as a goat, or produce. Families can even start up a small business by selling extra eggs or chickens.
“It’s a good way for anybody to get involved,” the pastor said.
Instead of a marshmallow chick, the kids get to color in a coloring-page chick that they can hang on the church wall or take home. It gives them a tangible item to show how they’re helping somebody overseas.
And it’s something manageable.
“It’s only a dollar,” Cricket Leaphart said, “so a lot of people can do it. There are other projects or animals you can purchase through the program, but this is one that’s quite affordable and can make a tremendous amount of difference.”
While it’s geared toward children, it’s not limited by age. Cricket joked she was going to have some of the adults in her Sunday school class color in pictures.
And it’s not limited to First Lutheran members.
“Anybody who wants to help out can get do it,” the pastor said.
In fact, the Leapharts encourage people to stop by the church, 133 Apollo Drive (off Texas 29 West), drop off a buck and pick up a picture.
“Right now, we’ve collected about $125,” Cricket Leaphart said. “But we’re going to keep doing this through Easter, so we should have quite a bit more by then to buy chicks.”
Call the church at (512) 756-2967 for more information.
daniel@thepicayune.com