Junior high students from area churches are spreading out across Austin to meet local needs in a variety of ways.

Thirty-eight youths are participating in Summer Grunge Days, a service program set up by the three Austin Catholic churches and Our Savior's Lutheran.

For two days this week and next, they will be doing clean-up projects, visiting local nursing homes, fixing up structures and helping local organizations.

"You learn how to work, and you also help people," Sarah Rauen, 13, from St. Augustine's, said. You also get to learn how to work with people."

Rauen spent the day pulling weeds at Ellis Middle School.

Sam Williams, 15, and Molly Hughes, 14, spent the day sorting goods at the Salvation Army.

Hughes, from St. Augustine's, said activities like these are donations to the city.

"It's more for kids rather than adults," she said. "Adults donate money a lot, but kids get to go out and do stuff."

In the mornings, the kids meet for prayer and to get their assignment for the day.

From 10 a.m. to noon, they go out and do their work.

At lunch, they meet at the Lion's Park for food and spiritual activities before heading out for their daily activity. Wednesday, everyone went bowling. On the last day next week, the group will go to Valley Fair.

Williams, from Our Savior's, said the meditation and prayer is important, but the work itself is also spiritual.

"We all work for God," he said. "We're just doing it for God."

This is the fifth year Summer Grunge Days has been happening in Austin.

Alice Duffy-Meyer, youth ministry coordinator, said it is good for kids to participate in events like this one.

"I think the main thing is to teach kids that they've got to give back to the community without being paid for it," she said.

Matt Merritt can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at matt.merritt@austindailyherald.com