For the week of Nov 27 - Dec 3, 2002

Ben Young’s life 
helps Young Life

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

When Ben Young bought his single ticket for the Galena Lodge Benefit raffle, he made a promise to himself. It wasn’t that if he won the Subaru being raffled off, he’d take the money and go on a trip around the world or take all his buddies out for a night on the town.

Instead, Young, 28, made a deal that if he won, he’d take the cash and give a portion of it to the Young Life benefit being held just two days later at the River Run Lodge.

Ben Young

Young Life is a nondenominational Christian ministry that reaches out to adolescents through volunteers, staff, club meetings, and seasonal camps.

Young, a landscape architect with Clearwater Landscaping in Ketchum, hails from Massachusetts. He has worked with Young Life in the past. "I said, ‘Hey, if that’s the way it’s going to work out, it’s free money, a gift and a responsibility.’

"What do you do with that? Everyone is given something—what’s it going to take to realize that—why not give back to the community?"

It only seems right that when Young won, he gleefully posed with the Subaru, which he was destined never to drive. He then sold the car back to Canyon Motors in Twin Falls for $25,000.

Two nights later he took aside Stewart Sonneland, the Young Life area director, and told him he wanted to donate $10,000 for general operations and camp scholarships.

"I’ve gone to Mexico to help build houses in the past," Young said, referring to one of Young Life’s yearly trips. "That all costs money. Some of the money will be dedicated to helping them out. You hope that that inspires other people."

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.