DECATUR - Heidi often starts her day helping put clothes on shelves and getting things ready for Catholic Charities to open.

The 16-year-old is trying to get through one day at a time.

Gloria, 17, was focused on finishing the last of her schoolwork needed to graduate at the end of August.

Each day has been a struggle in trying to put her life back on track.

Both girls come from different backgrounds but share similar stories of how they ended up at Teen Challenge Illinois in Decatur.

As a nonprofit drug recovery program, Teen Challenge's faith-based initiatives on the teachings of Jesus has helped many teenage girls get back on their feet and find purpose in their lives.

Teen Challenge in Decatur will host its first fundraising banquet starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Grand Palace on the campus of Heartland Community Church. Sally Ward, a former gymnast, is the main speaker.

Keeping teenage girls housed in the former old YMCA building downtown is a challenge and costs money, said John Harper, state director for Teen Challenge.

He said Chicago and Peoria's facilities usually have a fundraising banquet every year to help cover their costs, but this is Decatur's first.

"We don't receive federal funds," Harper said. "God has always provided for us (through donations). However, we still need the community's support to help maintain this program in Decatur."

While parents pay $1,800 tuition for their daughters to be in the program, many can't afford that amount, Harper added. It costs $4,200 a month to house, feed and educate just one child, he said.

Harper did say the Teen Challenge building in downtown Decatur is still for sale and several buyers have shown interest with the resurgence of construction going on downtown. He wants to find a more suitable residential setting for the girls.

Originally from Tucson, Ariz., Heidi entered the Teen Challenge program in Decatur 13 months ago. She was living with her grandparents when a relative sexually abused her.

"I really didn't understand what had happened to me. I then started rebelling against any authority figure, started hanging out with the wrong crowd," Heidi said.

She admitted she started doing things to make her friends happy, including drugs and drinking alcohol.

Things got worse when Heidi's mother remarried a man who was a Christian.

"I would hear all this stuff and started rebelling even more. I took Vicodin, my friend's ADHD medicine and snorted any kind of pills that I could get my hands on," she said.

Heidi said the feeling of loneliness and depression was overwhelming.

The final wake up call came when she jumped into a pool and couldn't remember being rescued and revived from a near-drowning.

"I never looked past tomorrow and always made stupid choices," she admitted.

Since being with Teen Challenge, Heidi has made vast improvements in her life.

"The program helps build up character, integrity and learning about obeying the rules," said Jennifer Winn, an employee at Teen Challenge and whose husband, Josh Winn, is program director.

"Based on a 2006 study on the graduates, we see an 86 percent success rate of girls graduating from the program. When they leave the program, we do a follow-up to see them in a good place and that reaffirms the positive choices they continue to make."

Heidi believes she has gained a new sense of strength in God through the Christian-based program.

"My relationship now with my parents is amazing. I have forgive the relative who did what they did to me," Heidi said and plans to go to college and work for a missionary in South America.

She will graduate with a high school diploma through the Teen Challenge on Sept. 27.

Gloria has graduated and is on her way to attend the Rockford Masters Commission Discipleship Program in Rockford to study dance and music.

She reflects on how rebellious she was growing up and finding out she was adopted at birth.

"I was always a follower and not a leader," she said in doing whatever her friends told her to do.

At age 14, she was sexually abused and ran away from home.

She was given an ultimatum to either go to a foster home or enter the Teen Challenge program.

"I really needed God and knew he was up there in heaven, but didn't think he cared about me," Gloria said and how it still hasn't been easy.

"But being at Teen Challenge has taught me that God will always be there for you, and he will never leave you," she said

"If it wasn't for Teen Challenge, I would probably be dead."

ABOUTTHESPEAKER

In 1992, Sally Ward was the No. 1 rhythmic gymnast in the United States and competed for the national team in competitions around the world.

When she speaks at the Teen Challenge banquet, Ward will share her story of her life after ending her career as a gymnast. She struggled with bulimia, anorexia and depression for years.

Ward ended up attending Rhema Bible Training Center, in Tulsa, Okla., which is a part of Kenneth Hagin Ministries.

Since then, she has traveled the country speaking to young girls and telling them "don't buy the lie" when others tell them who they are suppose to be and look like.

Her theme at the banquet will be, 'There is no challenge too difficult.' Ward said she will let the girls know that there are many obstacles in life, but with God there is nothing too difficult to get through.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: 2008 Teen Challenge Fundraising Banquet

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11

WHERE: The Grand Palace on the campus of Heartland Community Church, 3253 N. Brush College Road

COST: $25 at the door

sheilas@herald-review.com|421-7963