BLOOMINGTON -- When Stefan Brooks missed a McLean County Young Life meeting, he got three phone calls from people checking on what had happened to him.

"It was the one place where people missed me. I belonged," said Bloomington teen. He's now a student leader in the group that believes it's a sin to bore a kid with the gospel. Young Life holds weekly meetings, sponsors camps and events to bring out the best in the young people and give them an opportunity to learn about Jesus.

Brooks said the first time he went, he didn't really want to miss an episode of "CSI: Miami," but that was before he gained deep and long-lasting friendships. "It changed my life," said Brooks, who will be a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh this fall.

The participants got to know him, and eventually helped him build a relationship with God, he said.

"There needs to be more positive things for young teens in junior high and high school to do," said Jan Bloom, a member of the group's guiding committee. When young people are faced with so many negative influences these days, Bloom says she's is glad there is another option.

"We want to raise awareness that it's a cool group," she said.

At a time when financing programs for young people is a difficult challenge, Young Life, funded solely through donations and fundraisers, is growing. The McLean chapter just a hired a full-time area director after operating with volunteer leadership for a couple of years.

Cary Hendricks, who worked with Young Life in Texas and was a youth services director at Bloomington's Second Presbyterian Church, started his new job here last month.

Young Life runs mostly during the school year, meeting on Mondays at Jacob's Well in Normal. About 35 teens take part some in creative activity, discussion and Bible study.

Some of the non-denominational group's icebreaking activities are out of the ordinary.

The kids make peanut butter sandwiches using only their feet, have shaving cream challenges, make a 10-foot long sundae, or drink pop through a sock. One of the more bizarre activities called for putting Mountain Dew in a (clean, lined) toilet bowl and bobbing for "sinkers and floaters" in the form of chocolate candies.

There is method to the madness, said group volunteer Karen Reginelli of Bloomington. The fun and camaraderie of the activities show a different side of Christian life. Sometimes she has gotten students more involved than she expected. At a camp, she volunteered Lauren Zager 16, a Normal Community High School student for a mattress game. She didn't count on the student being lifted high above the crowd and passed above everyone - crowd-surfing on a mattress. Reginelli grins now recalling that she inadvertently volunteered the shyest girl in the group to be centered out.

"It was scary at first. I'm used to knowing what I'm going to do," said Zager who talks more with other students now.

"It was the best week of my life," added Haley Hosely, a Normal Community West High School student of the camp in Colorado.

Kelly Reable, a former Young Life and Wyldlife participate, said camp can be physically challenging. The now a leader and Illinois State University bilingual education student, said she remembers hiking with her the Young Life kids in Colorado with hot temperatures and lack of oxygen. "It was cool to see the kids stop and rest together. There is a real sense of accomplishment," said Reable who leads a group of U-High Young Life students.

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McLean County Young Life

What: Non-denominational Christian group for high school students, an extension of WyldLife for junior high students.

Who: Part of a national organization with 30,000 volunteers in more than 800 communities, involves 1 million kids annually. In the Twin Cities, about 35 Young Life kids and 20 in the WyldLife group meet weekly.

History: Jim Rayburn, a youth leader in Texas, started building relationships with young people not interested in church. He later established weekly clubs with activities that expanded to include Bible clubs.

Locally: Began in Bloomington-Normal in 1975. Participants include students from University, Normal Community, Normal West and Bloomington high schools, and Kingsley and Chiddix junior high schools, along with members from other school communities. Club meetings at Jacob's Well, 304 Jersey Ave., Normal.

GO!

What: McLean Young Life fundraiser dinner

When: 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 27

Where: Second Presbyterian Church, 313 N. East St., Bloomington

What: Dinner, entertainment and a presentation about the ministry.

Cost: Freewill donations