As a group of teens from Morgan Hill and Gilroy began their shifts in the garlic fries, fried calamari and shrimp stand at the 2017 Gilroy Garlic Festival, they all held a deep sense of pride and belief in themselves as well as in the organization they were putting in volunteer hours for.
South Valley Young Life, a nonprofit outreach group for teenagers, started in South Valley during the 2009-10 school year. However, Young Life has been around since 1941 and has chapters in 100 countries around the world.
Jacob Kasden, 15, a student at Live Oak High School, has been involved with the local chapter for three years and was working his second Garlic Fest on Friday to help raise funds for the nonprofit.
“It always feels good giving back a little bit. I’m here so the club can do things and send more kids to camp,” said Kasden, running off the different SVYL camps offered to its members such as Woodleaf Camp in Challenge, Calif. and Santa Cruz Adventure Camp.
Kasden arrived at the Garlic Fest’s opening day July 28 at 7 a.m., hours before the gates opened to the thousands of festival-goers.
“I didn’t realize all the effort that was put into it,” said Kasden, who had already enjoyed some garlic ice cream. “It’s a lot of work.”
The SVYL group holds gatherings on Monday nights and averages between 30-50 students from Live Oak, Ann Sobrato, Christopher and Gilroy high schools. Members take part in games and skits as well as group songs. At the end of the night, they hear a 10-minute message from the Bible.
“We try to break down walls with kids, letting kids be kids and showing them how to have fun,” said Area Director Donna Zimmerman, who described SVYL as a Christian-based organization, but also one that is non-denominational with no affiliation to any particular church. They have been working the Garlic Festival since 2010.
“It’s leaders who care about kids,” she added.
Along with the weekly meet-ups, SVYL has three different types of camps for students to attend. They offer outreach, discipleship and mission camps. One group is currently in Baja, Mexico on a mission camp, where they are building a house, a health facility and running community projects for an orphanage.
“I want to get the community more aware of what we are doing for kids because I see lives change constantly. That’s what keeps me going,” said Zimmerman, who was leading her brigade of SVYL volunteers bearing Friday afternoon’s heat to dish out some garlic-infused goodies. “We turn them around from the direction they’re going and supply a positive influence in their lives.”
Friends Hannah Toves and Sophie Medina, both 16 and attending Christopher High in Gilroy, are in their first year with SVYL and fresh off their experience at Woodleaf Camp.
“A friend introduced me to Woodleaf….From there on, I realized I love what Young Life does,” said Toves, who was working the front lines at the Garlic Fries stand. “I love the way they teach people about the Bible and about Jesus Christ. They do it in a fun way through activities that go along with it. It’s a fun experience.”
Toves, who grew up in Gilroy, has attended the Garlic Festival ever since she was a toddler, but this was her first time working behind the scenes.
“It’s a way different experience,” she said. “I enjoy it more because you’re right in the action.”
Right by her side in the garlic fries tent, Medina was volunteering for a third time at the festival, where she also participated with St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gilroy serving lemonade, and with her Bible study group One Heart to Another.
“Gilroy is a small town…and this is our big event where we get to show off Gilroy,” said Medina, whose grandfather also encouraged her to get involved with SVYL about six months ago. “I was super busy and missed a lot of club (SVYL) events, but they never stopped contacting me and never gave up on me. So, I went to Woodleaf and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
It was also a life-changing decision for Latherian Harrison, 22, who graduated Gilroy High School in 2014. Harrison, a Texas native now living in San Diego and attending Mesa College, started in SVYL in the eighth grade.
“It actually changed my life. It helped me get close to God. It made me feel like I can be myself and I don’t have to be someone I’m not,” said Harrison, who was enthusiastic about starting her shift with other SVYL members. “I do it because it helps a lot of people go to camp….It’s nice to know that I’m doing it for a good cause.”
Matt Seagle, 31, of Morgan Hill, got involved with SVYL two years ago and is a leader in the local chapter. He organizes events, games and programs for the SVYL students.
“It takes them out of their everyday lives and plugs them into the church community and shows them other options they have in life,” said Seagle, a 2004 graduate of Valley Christian High School. “A lot of them come from broken homes….We spend time with them and make sure they’re on the right track.”
Seagle, a software engineer, has volunteered at the Garlic Festival in different capacities, but the last time before this year with SVYL was in 2003 with the Boy Scouts. “It’s pretty fun,” he said. “I’ve never come when I wasn’t volunteering for something.”
SVYL has been a part of Christopher High School teacher Jack Daley’s life for about 40 years, and it continues to hold a special place in his heart since he met his wife Karen at Woodleaf camp.
“It changed both of our lives in terms of direction and faith,” said Daley, who recently chaperoned seven kids to Baja, Mexico for a weeklong mission camp. While there, they helped build a house and a wellness center for the local community.
Daley, a former athletic director at Gilroy High School, has been involved with the Garlic Festival for the last 30 years. On this Friday, he was tossing and preparing shrimp for SVYL. He said SVYL allows “kids explore who Jesus Christ is and to walk in faith.”
Anyone interested in SVYL, headquartered at 16275 Monterey St., Suite Q, in Morgan Hill, can visit southvalley.younglife.org or call (408) 888-0647.
