COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Shayne Looper, the lead pastor of Lockwood Community Church south of Coldwater, has always wanted to try skydiving. On September 15, he will finally get his wish.
As a supporter of Beginnings Care for Life Center in Coldwater, Looper decided to turn his jump into a fundraiser for the organization, too. A GoFundMe page has been setup for anyone wishing to support Looper in his jump and benefit Beginnings Care in their mission.
Looper says he has wanted to try skydiving since he was in high school and a friend told him about her solo diving experience.
The following is the full story from Looper:
I’ve wanted to try skydiving since I was in high school and a friend told me about her solo diving experience. Later, I had a friend who solo-dived and told me that he didn’t feel at all like he was falling; he felt like he was flying. I looked into it at the time, but solo diving was simply cost prohibitive.
Years later I received a Groupon certificate for a $75 jump at a nearby airfield. I decided immediately I would do it. I even asked local pastors if they would like to jump with me and use the jump as a fundraising event for Beginnings Care for Life. I got the idea they weren’t in favor when they said it was crazy to jump from a “perfectly good airplane.” It was a good thing, though: when I read the reviews for the skydiving outfit, they were terrible – “They only had one parachute!” “I think the guys were smoking weed in the back while they packed the chutes.”
So, I gave up on the idea. Then, a year or so ago, my friend Jeanette did a tandem-dive for her 80th birthday. When I told her I always wanted to skydive, she kept it in mind. Recently, she asked me if I wanted to join her on her second skydive. I “jumped” at the chance.
But I never forgot about Beginnings Care for Life. In the midst of all the abortion skirmishes in our culture, they are quietly doing something that everyone can agree is necessary: They are helping young women and men who are having babies lovingly nurture and wisely raise their children. They make it possible for young parents to get diapers, car seats, and clothing who might not be able to afford these things otherwise. Even more importantly, they serve as mentors and educators, helping young women and men learn to parent responsibly and lovingly. There is a desperate need for this kind of loving service in our community and in our culture.
So I want to use a crazy pastor’s jump from a perfectly good airplane to raise money for a perfectly good cause: helping children and their families in our community. Please join me in supporting Beginnings Care For Life in whatever way you can. Your gift will make a difference for a life and a lifetime.
To donate, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/jumping-for-beginnings-care
