Woodward, Okla. — There are teens in Fargo who are going hungry.

A group of around 20 youngsters have pledged to go without food for 30 hours on Oct. 21-22 as part of the 30 Hour Famine project sponsored by World Vision.

In addition to giving up food, the students will also give up all electronic devices, including their cell phones for the 30 hour period.  They will also spend the night sleeping in boxes to "better understand the plight of the homeless and hungry in our world," said Ellen Morehart, one of the adult leaders who support and join the children in the famine.

It is all part of an effort to increase awareness about the millions of other children around the world who go hungry every day.

"We're making the choice not to eat for 30 hours, but there are so many around the world who don't have a choice," Morehart said.

The 30 Hour Famine project also serves as a fundraiser to collect money that goes to feed children and families in several hunger-ravaged nations around the world.  According to the event website at 30hourfamine.org, World Vision offers assistance in Afghanistan, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, the Horn of Africa, Malawi, Mongolia, and Zimbabwe.

To help raise money for the project, the Fargo youngsters visit certain Woodward businesses during the 30 hours they are fasting to ask customers for donations, Morehart said.

This year the group will also be holding a car wash to try to raise more money for the project.  The car wash will be held this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the north side of the Woodward Bowling Center.

The bowling alley, which is located at 2727 Oklahoma Ave., has "generously donated the use of the land and their water," Morehart said.

The group also accepts donations by mail with checks made payable to World Vision and postmarked to 30 Hour Famine, P.O. Box 18, Fargo, OK 73840.

While the money they raise is sent to World Vision to support its fight against hunger around the world, the Fargo teens also make an effort to fight at home.

During the 30-hour fast, Morehart said members of the group will go door-to-door in Fargo collecting food donations for a local pantry.

Last year the Fargo group raised $1,627.35 in donations, Morehart said.  Then those funds were matched by a national donor with $10 for every $1 they sent in, making their total impact  $17,900.85, she said.

Since World Vision is able feed one child for one month with every $30 donation, Morehart said the teen's efforts meant "we were able to help feed almost 600 children around the world for one month."

This is the third year for youth in Fargo to participate in the 30 Hour Famine.

It was started by the youth group at the Fargo Methodist Church after they received a postcard about the event from World Vision.

"They jumped on the idea," Morehart said.  "I think the kids feel like this gives them a chance to do something bigger than themselves.  Sometimes it's hard in Northwest Oklahoma to feel like you're making an impact, but with the 30 Hour Famine, they are really doing something big."

"Every year more and more kids get involved," she said.

She said the 30 Hour Famine has even now become a "community-wide" event with youth from other churches and even from other towns joining in to participate and help support the efforts of World Vision.

For more information about World Vision's 30 Hour Famine project, visit the website 30hourfamine.org.  To learn about how you can help the fundraising efforts in Fargo, call (580) 698-2489 and leave a message for Michael Shepherd.