For four decades, Rainbow's End Youth Services (REYS) in Mount Joy has been providing Christian-focused activities and programs for area youths. The organization will hold its 40th annual fundraising banquet on Friday, March 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will be held at the Junction Center, 1875 Junction Road, Manheim.

"People can enjoy a delicious dinner catered by Stoltzfus Catering, and we'll have a wonderful speaker," said Cristina Paden, executive director of REYS. "We'll also share updates on our ministry and what's been going on at the youth center. We want people to get connected to our ministry and get excited about all the things that are happening at REYS."

Dinner will include Parmesan chicken, hamloaf, raspberry vinaigrette salad, potatoes, corn and green beans, plus pies and cakes.

The keynote speaker for the event will be Kari Tavella. The wife of "America's Got Talent" winner Dustin Tavella, Kari had a successful career in the entertainment industry as a model and actress before drugs and alcohol took over. In a time of desperate need, she turned to Jesus. "She has a really cool story of coming from a bad situation, hitting rock bottom and how God completely transformed her life," Paden stated. "We felt like that really resonates with what some of our students who come to REYS are experiencing. We want REYS to be a place where they can flourish, where they can hear about the transformative power of Jesus."

Tickets to the banquet are free. Funds are raised for REYS through sponsorships and donations. "We are still looking for sponsors, and we will collect a freewill offering at the event," Paden remarked. "Money raised will help support the operating expenses of the youth center, our after-school programs, our music programs and martial arts programs. It takes money to offer all of these things for free to our families."

REYS offers programs for students in grades one through 12, serving Mount Joy and the surrounding areas. The banquet will also feature a video presentation, sharing the stories of some of the people who have been impacted by REYS throughout the years.

"The banquet is a really cool way to see up close what REYS is all about," Paden stated, noting that she hopes to have some of the current students at the banquet. "Come see what REYS is doing and how we're reaching local youth in Christian love."

Reservations are required for the banquet, and the reservation deadline is Monday, March 7. For tickets and more information, visit https://reys.org/events.