Bethel Baptist Church in Robertsdale sits atop a hill with no tree cover, just 20 miles from the Alabama coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
When Hurricane Sally came inland on Sept. 16, 2021, the church sustained damage that rendered more than half its buildings unusable, especially the children’s wing.
“It was just a bad combination,” reflected Bethel’s pastor, Harvey Earls. “[The storm] put holes in our roof, soaked our sanctuary, ruined our offices and messed up our children’s wing. We had several hundred thousand dollars in damage. We went over a year without a sanctuary.”
Major renovations
While the church conducted a major rebuild to restore the damaged spaces, one young member who felt called to serve approached Earls with a particular project.
Savannah Morgan participates in the Christ-centered character and leadership development program American Heritage Girls. The group’s Stars and Stripes Award teaches girls perseverance, self-respect and a strong feeling of satisfaction through a project meant to bless the community and develop skills in organization, communication, time management and project management.
Earls said the church’s playground needed refurbishing and was a bit of an eyesore even before Hurricane Sally hit.
Morgan, who wanted to earn the Stars and Stripes Award, suggested the playground project and a plan for funding and implementation to provide a nice playground for the church and community.
“They really needed a new playground,” Morgan recalled. “I just wanted to help the kids have a nice, safe place to play and enjoy.”
Morgan, who helps with Vacation Bible School and children’s church, enjoys serving God by serving children.
“They have so many different personalities,” she explained. “They’re just a joy to be around.”
To qualify for the award Morgan had to shoulder responsibility for the project from conception to completion, Earls noted. Her plan included drawing up designs, securing materials, fundraising, scheduling and accomplishing the work, and presenting the final product.
“We brought it to the deacons and the church,” Earls recalled. “They were excited about it — flat-out impressed. I think they gave her an ovation before she started on the work.”
Completing the work
Morgan has completed several other projects but said the Bethel playground, which cost around $3,000, was the largest. Her parents, John and Linda, assisted when needed, along with other local American Heritage Girls and members of the community.
The congregation helped with fundraising, Morgan said, holding lasagna dinners and dessert auctions. Jason Underwood, manager at Lowe’s in Daphne, helped her secure donations of most of the materials.
Morgan and other volunteers refurbished the equipment and built a new wooden ship structure. They also installed a new fence around air-conditioning units and the playground’s perimeter.
“I just felt it was important for the kids to have a place where they would be encouraged to play and also be able to learn about the Lord,” Morgan said. “And during Sunday school, I wanted them to have a fun environment where they can learn about how to serve Him.”
According to Earls, Morgan worked on Saturdays to complete the project and underwent major surgery around the same time. But that didn’t slow her down, he said.
“She did a fantastic job. And now we have a brand new, renovated playground that looks nice. The kids love it. They’re out there all the time now.”
Earls said Morgan is an inspiration, and the church has had new visitors thanks to the effort. The new playground sends a message to the community, he explained — that families are important.
“When Savannah came to us with this project, it fit hand in hand with our vision,” Earls recalled. “We had all this great stuff in the new children’s wing and a busted-up playground outside. She came alongside what we had done and were doing. It was just a God thing.”
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