A sixth grader at Candlelight Christian Academy is spending his Thanksgiving break in an unconventional manner. He's raising money for charity by camping out 21 feet in the air in front of his Impact Church in Lake Wales. 

  • Carson Rudy, 11, participating in Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge
  • Carson's father, Ministry Director Shawn Rudy, camping with him
  • For more information on the Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge: http://bgmc.ag.org/index.cfm

“I’m doing it to help the needy kids around the world,” said Carson Rudy, who is participating in the Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge, hosted by the Assemblies of God churches.
 
He’s sleeping on a cot, on a platform on top of a scaffold. To block the wind, he's surrounded by several camping tents.

Carson’s dad, Shawn Rudy, the Ministry Director at Impact Church, is staying up there with him. Carson started camping out  Nov. 18 and he’ll stay up there until Nov. 23.
 
“The weather has been crazy,” said Shawn Rudy, who undertook a similar challenge in the past. “The wind last night was so bad last night - the gusts that we almost had to come down.  Our tents were lifting up off the platform. It’s been very cold.”
 
Carson has been raising money to fund missionary work since he was born. He hopes to raise $100,000 by the end of the year.

As of Nov. 20, he needed $11,000 to reach that goal. He’s getting donations during church offerings, and people passing by, dropping off money in his bucket.
 
In addition, Shawn Rudy is broadcasting live on Facebook, which he said is also helping to fuel the donations.
 
The money will go toward solar generators, medical clinics, and water wells around the world.
 
For more information on the Boys and Girls Missionary Challenge click here: http://bgmc.ag.org/index.cfm
 
To donate, click here: 2016 participant Carson Rudy