RINCON -- They could have been getting a tan at a beautiful beach. Instead, they chose to become red, itchy and scratchy at a less than exotic location.
Why?
"We're just here to demonstrate Jesus' love in the community," said Michael Finn, pastor of Rincon United Methodist Church.
Finn, working with Oconee Outreach Opportunity, was overseeing a group of young people that cleaned up an overgrown yard on Goshen Road last week. Other groups performed similar tasks at the Effingham County United Methodist Campground in Springfield and the Beulah House in Guyton.
They worked here from June 18 through Saturday.
"We've got 18 people," Finn said. "The majority are young but we have some adults with us. I think our youngest is 13 and our oldest person is 88."
Annually, Oconee Outreach Opportunity performs missionary duties at various spots in Georgia.
"This is the first time that it's been done in Effingham County but we are going to start doing it annually here," Finn said.
Finn's group worked in the yard of an elderly member of his church.
"We found out about needs just be talking to people," he said. "Also, as a pastor, I sit on the board of the (United Methodist) campground and that's how I knew there was a need out there."
Finn said he hopes needy Effingham County residents will apply for help after reading about Oconee Outreach Opportunity. He also hopes that more volunteers will emerge for the organization.
"People can contact me in preparation for next year," he said.

See the June 27 edition of the Effingham Herald for more details.