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By Suzanne Mann
For the Enterprise

Davie County Young Life (DCYL) held its annual fundraising banquet, “Following Jesus Changes the Game,” on Oct. 29 at Rescue House Church in Mocksville.
More than 155 guests were welcomed by high school students and enjoyed coffee and desserts. Lynne Kelley, chair of the DCYL Committee, welcomed guests and opened the program with a prayer.
Area Director TJ Sigler thanked the 12 business sponsors, many whom have supported the ministry since it started in the county 12 years ago. Sigler then gave an area update pointing out the growth the ministry has experienced over the last three years.
When he first arrived in June of 2022, Sigler accompanied six students to Young Life camp at Windy Gap. Since then, he has been meeting kids in the community and recruiting volunteer adult leaders to form personal relationships with students at Davie County High School.
As a result, DCYL has grown exponentially. An average of 90 students attend club, described as a “party with a purpose” that ends with a message about God, and campaigners, a time to dive deeper into the Bible. These meetings are held on alternating Monday evenings at Heritage K Farm in Mocksville.
This past June, DCYL took 56 students to summer camp at Sharp Top Cove in Georgia, and students flocked to the last club meeting with the opening of winter weekend camp sign ups.
Sigler shared ways that camp experiences allow leaders to dive deeper with students in exploring their faith. He then introduced the five adult leaders – Jesus Guzman-Perez, Jeff Jones, Aubrey Lucas, Ryan Randell and Emily Sigler – with a spin on the game Guess Who?
After leader introduction,s two seniors at the high school, Chris Alexis and Avery Carter, shared their experiences in DCYL.
Carter told how she first met Sigler and his wife Emily at a Sheetz because there was not a dedicated space for Young Life to meet. She also told of going to club meetings outside on the farm before the building was completed as well as attending campaigners with only a handful of students.
Her excitement for DCYL, its growth and its importance in building her faith were evident through her testimony.
Chris Alexis then shared his experience as a work crew member at Carolina Point. Volunteering working on the landscape crew for three weeks this past summer, Alexis shared how his experience led to a much deeper personal walk with Christ through the example of the adults he was serving alongside. These adults modeled what service looked like for him and displayed the power of prayer as they prayed for the lives of each camper.
Alexis and Carter are serving as student leaders modeling their relationship with Christ to other students.
After the high schooler’s testimonies, Sigler introduced the main program speaker, Justin Hepler. Hepler was the first area director of DCYL joining the ministry in 2012 and building it from the ground up.
He shared how Young Life in Weaverville influenced his faith. Using the comparison of the scripture story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, Hepler told stories of the way his Young Life leader continued to show up in his life in places where he did not expect to see him.
Young Life calls this contact work. After forming a personal relationship with him, Hepler’s leader modeled what it looked like to have a personal relationship with Christ.
“Even though my parents worked for a church and I grew up attending church, I was a kid that needed to know what a relationship with Christ looked like.”
Hepler told how his friendship with his YL leader so strongly influenced his life that he became active as a high school leader while attending N.C. State University, began serving as a staff member of Young Life and becoming the area director of DCYL for six years and then as a director of NCSU College Life, Young Life’s version for college students.
Over the years Hepler has seen students he mentored at Davie High School attend NCSU and serve under him as high school leaders in the Raleigh area that have joined the Young Life staff across the state. He referred to this as the “ripple effect” of Young Life.
As he asked the guests to consider supporting DCYL financially or through volunteer positions, Hepler told those present that supporting the ministry will have influences on the Davie high school kids today but also on the lives of other kids throughout NC and possibly the world through this ripple effect.
Three former Davie High students are serving on Young Life staff and two on church staffs around the state while numerous others continue to model their faith by serving in their communities and churches.
Hepler asked the guests to consider financially supporting the DCYL goal of $125,000. efore the banquet, DCYL committee members had already made pledges totaling $46,300.
“When Christians rub shoulders with other believers, wonderful things happen,” he said. The banquet raised more than $115,000, emphasizing the night’s theme, “Following Jesus Changes the Game.”
DCYL is grateful for the volunteers that serve as leaders, committee members, table hosts, prayer partners and by preparing a meal for leaders before each club meeting. The ministry is alsograteful for the financial support of and relationships with NC Moulding, the Kelley Foundation, Advance Country Store, Fuller Welding, Miller Building, Bartelt Family Medicine, Carolina Center for Eye Care, Diamondback Industries, J. Gregory Matthews/Attorney at Law, Seniors Wonderful World of Golf, Shore Fencing and The Virtual Instructor as well as a donation from Rescue House Church and the use of their facilities and help of their staff.
If you would like to learn more about serving alongside of DCYL, contact TJ Sigler at tjsigler7@gmail.com.