INEZ — After a successful pickleball tournament Saturday, the Turkey Creek Church of the Nazarene Youth Group is already gearing up for its next fundraiser — the Turkey Trot 5K and Fun Run. The event will help send students to the 2026 Nazarene Youth Conference (NYC) in Salt Lake City.
On Saturday, the pickleball tournament brought together players for a day of friendly competition and fellowship—all for a great cause. Proceeds from the tournament will go toward travel expenses, registration fees, and other costs associated with attending NYC.
Held every four years, NYC gathers thousands of high school students from across the United States and Canada for a week of worship services, service projects, speakers and opportunities for spiritual growth and connection. The conference encourages young people to deepen their faith and live it out in their communities.
For local youth leader Cori Kirk, NYC has been a transformative experience as both a teen and an adult leader.
“I had the blessing of attending as an incoming senior the summer of 2011 and as a youth leader the summer of 2023,” Kirk said. “Both years, my favorite experiences of the event were the church services. Every day the excitement fills the air of the arena with thousands of teens anticipating how the Lord is going to move in each service. Lives are changed, callings are found, and teens and adults both experience a true move of the Holy Spirit.”
That energy and sense of purpose, she said, are what make the conference unforgettable.
“These teens are not the church of tomorrow; they are the church of today,” said Kirk.
Now, as she prepares to guide six students from Turkey Creek to next summer’s gathering, Kirk feels both grateful and inspired.
“I am honored to walk alongside them through this event,” she said.
Others in the community share Kirk’s excitement and have seen the Nazarene Youth Conference shape young people in Martin County and beyond. Dwayne Mills, executive director of Appalachia Reach Out, is among them. He has attended the event for decades and watched its impact ripple through generations.
“Nazarene Youth Conference is life-changing,” Mills said. “I went as a student in 1991 and I’ve had the opportunity to take young people for years, including my own children. It has been life-changing for them as well. There is no amount I would take to take back my experience.”
The youth group’s next fundraiser will be the Turkey Trot 5K and Fun Run on Nov. 15 at 9 a.m. The race will start and end at the Collier Center in Inez.
Participants will compete in divisions based on age and gender, with prizes for top finishers in each group. There will also be a special award for best dressed, so participants are encouraged to show up in festive Thanksgiving-themed attire.
The entry fee for the Turkey Trot is $25 per racer. Those who register early will receive a commemorative Turkey Trot pin. Registration is available through the Turkey Creek Church of the Nazarene Facebook page or directly at bit.ly/TurkeyCreekRun.
Organizers encourage runners, walkers and families to come out, enjoy the morning and support the cause.
For more information about upcoming fundraisers, ways to get involved, or to donate directly, visit facebook.com/turkeycreeknaz or call (606) 298-7263.
