BUFFALO, NY (October 15, 2010) – The Buffalo Covenant Church recently hosted the first annual Trooper Mattice Memorial Run in memory of their former member. Jill Mattice was killed in January when her car collided with a tractor-trailer.

Several activities were connected with the memorial run. The New York State Police Special Operations Response Team conducted demonstrations and local bands provided music.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Jill Mattice Scholarship Fund and Buffalo Covenant, where she attended. The scholarship will be awarded to a graduating senior from the Unadilla high school.

The accident occurred when Mattice was returning to the barracks from Unadilla Valley High School, one of the schools she served as a resource officer. Mattice was 31 years old and a six-year veteran of the state police. She was the first female New York trooper to be killed in the line of duty.

Covenanter Minister Named Mentor of the Month

RIVERBANK, CA – The Calaveras Youth Mentoring Program named Tim Johnson, an Evangelical Covenant Church minister, as its Mentor of the Month.

The Calaveras County Office of Education administers the program, which is funded through grants and individual donors.

Johnson told a local newspaper that he never expected the mentoring program to last because so many volunteers were needed. He is “glad to be wrong” and says the time with his assigned individuals is mutually beneficial.

His most recent example is a young man named Jordan. “One of our goals is to try every milkshake flavor at the Patio in San Andreas. We look for ways to help others, and once we organized a basketball tournament. We cruise around and we talk about school and life in general.”

Johnson is the youth minister at San Andreas Covenant Church. He also serves with the Calaveras County Sheriff Chaplain Unit.