How can you get a 600 percent return on your investments in the middle of a national economic recession? Organize a car wash.

That’s what the 12 financial gurus from the Midway, North Lima and Leetonia Mennonite Junior Youth groups did to turn $50 in seed money into more than $320 of earnings.

In late May, each Mennonite middle school student who registered for the convention received $5 in the mail. They were asked to creatively grow the funds and bring them along to convention where they would help send junior youth from Racial/Ethnic minority churches to the Pittsburgh convention in 2011.

When the offering was collected during Thursday morning’s worship service, the $1,200 initial investment given to the middle schoolers had grown more than three-fold into $4,368.09.

After the Midway, North Lima and Leetonia groups received the money, two mothers of youth from the churches decided to pool the money for a group fund raiser.

Eleven-year-old Cana Carr of North Lima Mennonite discussed possible fund raising plans with her father, a firefighter at the Beaver Township Fire Department. He offered the use of the local fire station and equipment for a car wash, and the group was on its way.

“My favorite part was getting to wash a Hummer and a motor home,” said Carr, adding that she thinks these over-sized vehicles resulted in an extra-large donation for their services.

Other groups from the Junior Youth assembly mowed lawns or organized bake sales with their seed money. In the end, Swamp Creek Mennonite Church’s Junior Youth tallied the biggest profit for their investment: $625 was raised at their own car wash.

The adolescents who participated in the activity spent time in small groups thinking about how the money could be used to further the Kingdom of God. They also found it was an excellent opportunity to serve others with their gifts, as well as to work together and have fun.

Carr’s favorite memory from the fund raiser was the result of accidentally spraying her Junior Youth friends with a powerful fire hose used to rinse cars. Her friends retaliated by wringing out a soapy sponge over her head.

“It was great!” Carr said.