During the course of Up In The Air For Kids, a national campaign that has children’s ministries’ leaders live on rooftops, billboards or other elevated structures for a certain amount of time, Russell Smith climbed to the roof of Truett’s Grill on North Expressway Monday evening in an effort to raise money and other goods for charitable causes.

And unless lightning or other imminent dangers dictate otherwise, the children’s pastor at First Assembly of God will stay on the roof of Truett’s until Saturday. By then, he hopes to have raised $50,000 for three charities in Africa as well as toys for the Marine Corps League’s Toys for Tots and canned, nonperishable foods for the local Salvation Army.

“We’ve been planning it for about six months,” Smith said. “We wanted it to be a community event and show our support for the needs of people around the world and in the community.”

Smith doesn’t think that crucial needs in the community, especially given the decline of the economy, will prevent people from contributing to the three Africa-related charities, namely Africa’s Children, The African Oasis Project and Africa’s Hope.

“It’s a great need, obviously. A lot of those people (in Africa) can’t help themselves. They depend on organizations like (Up In The Air For Kids),” said Smith, soaking wet from Tuesday’s never-ending rainfall.

At the same time, he said, it was important to him and his church to support local nonprofit organizations.

“People in the public readily recognize The Salvation Army and Toys for Tots (and know) they are going to allocate donations the right way,” he said.

The children’s pastor will spend his week on Truett’s roof in a tent. He has a sleeping bag, a space heater, a suitcase and a computer with him, and with the latter he plans to air three live webcasts per day on the home page of First Assembly of God as well as update his Facebook page.

To bring further attention to the pastor’s cause, Truett’s has come up with several events and incentives for customers this week, said Brandie Baker, unit marketing director for Truett’s Grill on the North Expressway.

On Thursday, local fire, military, police and public safety personnel will be honored during The Ultimate Hero Experience from 5 to 8 p.m. All week long, customers who bring in two canned goods items will receive a coupon for a free Chick-fil-A biscuit. Plus, customers can drop their receipts in a box, and Truett’s will donate 15 percent of the receipt total to Smith’s cause.

The pastor, meanwhile, still has several days to go for this cause. Asked whether he has started to question his decision of spending a week on a roof, considering the heavy rain in Griffin on Tuesday, Smith’s response couldn’t be more confident.

“I don’t regret it one bit. Not when we are trying to help children,” he said.

This attempt has been fairly successful so far. With just under a day on the roof, Smith had already raised about $8,500 as of Tuesday afternoon, he said.

For more information on the Up In The Air For Kids campaign and ways to donate, visit the First Assembly of God Web site at www.griffinfirst.org.