Michale Chandler helped plan Youth Alive outreach before tragic death

A passionate pastor spent her final three months planning a Friday night event to help Maryborough’s youth. Now, just days after one’s teen’s alleged actions claimed her life, her vision has been realised.

Michale Chandler dedicated much of her life to helping young people. She was a key organiser of a Youth Alive concert which went ahead five days after she was killed in a crash.

Michale Chandler had devoted her life to helping troubled young people.

It’s tragic irony that much of her final three months were spent as a key planner of an event for the teens of Maryborough which just days after one allegedly caused the crash that killed her, went ahead on Friday night.

She and her husband Matthew were deeply involved in initiatives supporting youth in the community including the Youth Alive outreach which had originally been set to take place at Reach Church this weekend but was moved out of respect for the grieving families and congregation.

Hundreds of teenagers were expected to attend what has become Ms Chandler’s legacy event with tributes planned for her and fellow crash victims Kelsey Davies, 17 and 52-year-old nurse Sheree Robertson.

“That was their 100 per cent calling in their life – they felt that was what God called them to do, is to be there for young people,” Senior Pastor Darren Hayhoe of Reach Church Fraser Coast told the Courier Mail

Organising initiatives to support youthwas a passion for Ms. Chandler from her earliest involvement with the church. Source: Facebook.

Ms Chandler was also a Pastor of Reach Church, while Kelsie and Kaylah Behrens, currently in a critical condition in Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, members of its congregation.

Organising initiatives to help youth deal with life’s problems and challenges was a passion for Ms. Chandler from her earliest involvement with the church and in her role as a physiotherapist for Queensland Education.

“She has been involved with the organisation of things supporting youth of this town, and high schools and the community for the past four years,” Mr Hayhoe said

Central to Ms. Chandler’s work was the recognition that all youth faced difficulties in life, whether they were from a disadvantaged background or more fortunate circumstances.

A heartfelt card dedicated to Michale Chandler sits at the crash site.

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“Michale was there for any young people – all kids have got situations they have to go through, it doesn’t matter what walk of life you come from,” Mr Hayhoe said.

“Michale took every kid as they were.”

In recent months, Ms. Chandler was heavily involved with organising the Youth Alive concert.

Mr Hayhow said that in typical fashion, she had put “100 per cent effort” into the project, an annual event for youth aged between 12 and 25 involving music and dance performances, BMX and skateboard exhibitions and motivational speakers.

Josh Fountain and Matt Collins gearing up for Youth Alive at Maryborough.

After some discussions within the Bayside Christian Church, the Hervey Bay church group overseeing this year’s Youth Alive event, organisers decided to forge ahead.

“We had the thought of postponing it, but the consensus was it would be good for the kids … with everything that’s happened, still to gather together,” Bayside Christian Church Youth Pastor Peter Ford said.

The location of the event was moved to the Victory Church, also in Maryborough and due to start at 5pm.

Support will also be offered to youths grieving the loss of the three women.

“It’s still very raw, but we’ll remember their lives because they all did great things, every one of them, in different areas of society and in our in our region and in different ways,” Mr Ford said.

“We … want to highlight their lives and celebrate their lives more than anything.

“There will be young people there who had known them, so. we’ll let people know that if they have to talk to people, there’s people around to support them and offer that support and hope.”

Youth Alive is an annual event held at locations across Queensland, involving music and dance performances, BMX and skateboard exhibitions and motivational speakers. Source: Facebook.

While shaken by the tragic loss at the hands of an allegedly young offender, the church remains committed to helping young people from all walks of life, including disadvantaged youth.

“We’ll … continue to offer support, like we have been doing,” Mr Ford said.

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“There’s kids every week in our youth group from all different backgrounds, so we’ll continue to offer support … and work with different organisations; we’ll just continue to do what we do.”

Bayside Christian Church Youth Pastor Peter Ford said the church will continue to support young people in the same way, despite the church's tragic loss at the hands of an alleged youth offender. Source: Facebook.

The approach of the church is to provide moral guidance in a safe and positive environment.

“We just have a positive environment, we want to make it a safe place … for people to talk to someone if they are having a tough time in life,” Mr Ford said.

“We encourage a message of hope and (try to) create a standard to teach them some good morals – that’s what we’ve been doing for ages, so we endeavour to do that as much as possible to help young people.”