Other dates for this site include:

Demographics

Sault Ste. Marie is the oldest city in Michigan. Located in the northeast section of the Upper Peninsula, the city lies on the St. Mary’s River, which connects Lake Superior with Lake Huron. Just across the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge is Ontario, Canada. The St. Mary’s River is home to the Soo Locks, which provide safe passage between Lake Superior and Lake Huron for more than 11,000 vessels carrying up to 90 million tons of cargo each year. Sault Ste. Marie has a population of 14,318, making it the largest city in Chippewa County. The closing of an Air Force Base in Kinross Township led to job losses and a population decline in the late 1970s. While many years have since passed, the area still struggles with employment opportunities. The Chippewa County unemployment rate is 8.3 percent. In Sault Ste. Marie, 17.5 percent of the population lives in poverty, including nearly 20 percent of those under age 18 and 12.5 percent of those age 65 or over. Come explore this city by the water as you serve and share Christ’s love with these individuals in need.

About the Ministry

Participants serve in a variety of ways during a YouthWorks mission trip. Students may spend all week at one ministry or switch between ministries during the week. Ministries that your students may participate in are Kids Club, Work Projects and partnering with local organizations. Kids Club is a hands-on program led by your youth offering high-energy games, crafts, skits, songs and interactive lessons all designed to help kids learn about Jesus. Whether we’re painting houses, performing minor home repair, cleaning up debris, volunteering in community gardens or other projects in the community, the projects students work on will serve as our way of blessing people in need. Our goal is to partner with local organizations and programs that seek to address the very basic needs of residents. Students may serve at places like: Children’s Programs, Elderly Centers, Soup Kitchens/Homeless Shelters and Thrift Stores. We cannot confirm until all groups arrive exactly what ministries your students will be a part of during the week. We ask that you come with a willing and flexible spirit!

Activities

Evening activities during a YouthWorks week are designed to give participants insight into the lives of local residents and the culture of the area. Evening activities done in the past include: visit the historical Soo Locks and Tower of History; visit a cabin on Lake Superior; attend a community cookout; and attend a local church service. These are examples of what your group might partake in during your mission week and are subject to change due to weather or availability. In case of change, suitable substitutes will be provided. We try to arrange for free evening activities, but from time to time, an additional cost may be required for an activity. Please plan to bring an additional $10 per person to cover any extra costs. We will confirm the details closer to your trip.

Ministry Week

Kids Club (begins late June), Work Projects, and Local Ministries. 7/25 and 8/1 are Multi-generational Family Mission Trip Weeks for this site. Please refer to Family Mission Trip page for more information.

Mileage

Sault Ste. Marie is located 276 miles northeast of Grand Rapids and 348 miles northwest of Detroit, Michigan. In addition, Chippewa County International Airport is located nearby.

Transportation & Travel

Each group is responsible for transportation to and from the site, and during the mission week. This is a bus accessible site. A bus is defined as any vehicle that is larger than a standard 15-passenger van. If you would like to bring a vehicle in this category, you will need to contact the Service Center to discuss the additional requirements due to the size of your group.

Additional Information

If you would like more information on what there is to do in Sault Ste. Marie and surrounding areas before or after your trip, check out the Web sites: www.saultstemarie-mi.worldweb.com and www.Kinross.net.