Marissa Weiss Builds Swing Sets for Tornado-Affected Families

2014 Mar 18

Marissa Weiss, a McKendree University sophomore from Pocahontas, spent part of the recent spring break building swing sets for families in Washington, Ill., who were affected by last year's devastating tornado.

Organized by Campus Ministries, Marissa and 19 other McKendree students volunteered with "Hope Swings in Washington," a mission project sponsored by United Methodist Church in the Peoria, Ill., area and the UMC Illinois Great Rivers Council. The McKendree students assembled swing set prototypes that will be displayed at participating UMC churches to help promote the program. The Hope Swings project plans to have youth groups construct 100 swing sets this summer. They will be distributed to families that lost their homes in the Nov. 17, 2013 tornado.