Teens from Tornado-Torn Oklahoma Help Put on Lemont 'Unbirthday Party'

After witnessing the aftermath the devastating tornadoes that tore through the Oklahoma City area this spring, the student ministry from Southern Hills Baptist Church felt a renewed calling to help others in their time of need.

A group of 26 volunteers—most of them teenagers—arrived in Lemont on Friday to assist with the vacation Bible school at Emmanuel Baptist Church. On Tuesday, the group took a break from their activities at Emmanuel to help with another worthwhile cause—Lemont's annual "Unbirthday Party" at Calvary Church.

The eight annual event, hosted by the Hope and Friendship Foundation, aims to celebrate everyone's birthday on the same day. It's geared toward children whose families cannot afford birthday parties.

Jeremy Johnson, student pastor at Southern Hills Baptist Church, said his team was excited to be part of such a special event.

"We planned to be up here for a week just helping out at Emmanuel, but thankfully we were also given the opportunity to be part of the Unbirthday Party," Johnson said. "I think it's always a great thing when you're able to do something special for children, especially those who are less fortunate."

During the party, local children are treated to games, crafts, cake and ice cream—all to celebrate the fact that it's no one's birthday.

This year, for the first time, Hope and Friendship solicited donations from the community so kids could go home with small gifts. The children were able to "shop" from a collection of personal care items, crafts, drawing pads and journals.

"This event is something that a lot of children love and look forward to every summer," said Terri O'Neill-Borders, founder of the Hope and Friendship Foundation.

"Many of these kids don't get birthday parties or summer vacations, so we try every year to give them a fun event where they can eat cake and play and celebrate," she said.

Hope and Friendship has partnered with several Lemont churches in the past to put on the Unbirthday Party, but never one from out of state. Having teenagers from Oklahoma City made this year's event particularly special, O'Neill-Borders said.

Just days after the tornado in Moore, O'Neill-Borders traveled to Oklahoma with  Crisis Response International, a non-profit organization that mobilizes and trains volunteers, churches and other organizations to respond to disasters. 

"Having the group from Southern Hills here is really exciting," she said. "It's awesome to see them here in Lemont, and to see things come full circle in a way."

For the Southern Hills kids, the Unbirthday Party fits perfectly with their mission to serve God and those in need, Johnson said. 

Although none of the teens were directly impacted by the tornadoes, many of them had friends and grandparents who suffered. Their church is located just three miles from the heart of Moore, where schools and homes were completely destroyed.

"We've done a lot as a church to assist with recovery efforts at home, so these kids have seen the devastation first-hand," Johnson said. "These kids are fortunate—they don't have many needs in life. They feel blessed to be able to spend their time helping others."