FCA plans year-end pep rally

University of South Carolina football team chaplain Adrian Despres will be the featured speaker at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes end-of-theschool year rally May 16 at 7 p.m. in the Gaffney High School auditorium.

Invitations have been sent out to area schools in Cherokee, Greenville, Spartanburg and Union counties.

Students attending the event will enjoy free food, fun and fellowship mixed with a powerful Christian message for inspiration in the coming summer months, said Pierre Salmon, area FCA director for Cherokee and Union counties. Students do not need to be an FCA member to attend the rally, which is sponsored by local businesses.

"Six Gaffney High students went with me to hear Adrian speak at an FCA retreat in Garden City last year. The students came back to Gaffney on fire for God," Salmon said. "The students were so blessed by his message that they asked me if I could get Adrian here so other students could benefit from hearing him speak."

Despres became a Christian while playing football for Furman University. A respected student-athlete, he began his public speaking ministry while in college.

He joined the itinerant ministry staff of Kingdom Building Ministries in Columbia in 1990 after his graduation from seminary at Columbia International University. He speaks to thousands of students and young adults each year at senior high camps, athletic events, crusades, youth conferences and other events.

Youth ministers and other volunteers are needed to serve as counselors during the rally's invitation time.

"Adrian's passion is to see lost souls saved and Christians called into a life of laboring for God," Salmon said. "He has a very powerful message to share with kids about the need to clearly walk out their faith and commitment to Christ in their daily life."