A local church brought other organizations in Saturday to work together on offering assistance to those in need within the community.
The first-ever Back-To-School Community Festival was held at Christ the Head Missionary Church, and it was obvious only minutes after the event became underway that the community welcomes the help.
The main aim of the festival was getting backpacks filled with school supplies out to children and families in need.
Families were lined up hours before the event was set to begin. The event began at 11 a.m., and all 75 backpacks filled with supplies were gone in less than 30 minutes.
“Folks were lined up at 9:30 a.m. to get a backpack, so there’s definitely a need here,” said the director of Family First Resource Center, Anna Simpson-Houston.
Jessica Key, the festival’s committee chairwoman, came up with the vision of the event earlier in the year.
“We just wanted to help families out, give them a head start by donating backpacks,” Key said. “We sent out letters to different organizations asking for donations. Some donated supplies; others gave money which we used to buy supplies.”
“I think this was a good first annual outreach event and that it should continue because it’s providing a resource that is clearly needed,” said Simpson-Houston.
The Family First Resource Center was one of many organizations with tables displaying information and giving away items at the festival. The center was on-hand to educate families about the services it provides to the families of students within the three elementary schools in Danville. Its mission is to rid the community and schools of barriers that may effect students’ performance in school, such as stress, improper nutrition and lack of supplies needed to do their work.
“I just wanted to be here to let the students and their families know that we’re a resource ... ,” said Simpson-Houston.
Pacs Now, another organization that provides nutritional information and education to the community and school systems, also handed out literature.
It had a display at its table showing the difference between five pounds of fat versus five pounds of muscle, for instance, as well as offering pencils, rulers and pamphlets with other nutritional guidance.
Other informational displays were set up by Boyle County Cooperative Extension Service and Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center. Spring View Hospital had a table, whose representative for the day is also the wife of the pastor of Christ the Head Missionary Church.
“We have instruments to analyze their fat, check their body mass index, as well as there blood pressure. So many people aren’t aware of these things, we just wanted to make the community better aware of their bodies and our hospital,” said Amaka Oleka coordinator of the women’s center at Spring View Hospital.
Local authorities also were represented at the event.
The Danville Police Department passed out magazines on safety and security, coloring books about making good decisions and stickers of police badges.
Danville Fire Department had a fire truck on the premises as well as its fire safety trailer for tours.
The trailer fills with smoke and is used to demonstrate different escape routes to show children how to handle themselves in a fire.
“Some of them get really scared while others want to go through it three or four times,” said Fire Chief Mike Mulholland.
Along with all the educational resources available, the festival also had a few recreational things to offer.
Free food was grilled and handed out and gospel music filled the air. Children played with frisbees and other toys given out, and a series of raffles went on during the event and included prizes such as gift certificates to Applebee’s.
“The event has been absolutely wonderful. I’m looking forward to it next year. I hope their will also be more support from the public next year,” said church member Clara Shelton.
Others echoed Shelton’s thoughts.
“I’ve only been to Danville for a year and a half, but this is the first event I’ve seen like this in the east part of Danville. So I can really appreciate what they’re doing out here and I hope they come out next year and do it again,” said Natasha Saunders of cooperative extension.
“From my perspective, I think everything went really well and we’re hoping to continue this maybe annually,” said event organizer Key.
The first-ever Back-To-School Community Festival was held at Christ the Head Missionary Church, and it was obvious only minutes after the event became underway that the community welcomes the help.
The main aim of the festival was getting backpacks filled with school supplies out to children and families in need.
Families were lined up hours before the event was set to begin. The event began at 11 a.m., and all 75 backpacks filled with supplies were gone in less than 30 minutes.
“Folks were lined up at 9:30 a.m. to get a backpack, so there’s definitely a need here,” said the director of Family First Resource Center, Anna Simpson-Houston.
Jessica Key, the festival’s committee chairwoman, came up with the vision of the event earlier in the year.
“We just wanted to help families out, give them a head start by donating backpacks,” Key said. “We sent out letters to different organizations asking for donations. Some donated supplies; others gave money which we used to buy supplies.”
“I think this was a good first annual outreach event and that it should continue because it’s providing a resource that is clearly needed,” said Simpson-Houston.
The Family First Resource Center was one of many organizations with tables displaying information and giving away items at the festival. The center was on-hand to educate families about the services it provides to the families of students within the three elementary schools in Danville. Its mission is to rid the community and schools of barriers that may effect students’ performance in school, such as stress, improper nutrition and lack of supplies needed to do their work.
“I just wanted to be here to let the students and their families know that we’re a resource ... ,” said Simpson-Houston.
Pacs Now, another organization that provides nutritional information and education to the community and school systems, also handed out literature.
It had a display at its table showing the difference between five pounds of fat versus five pounds of muscle, for instance, as well as offering pencils, rulers and pamphlets with other nutritional guidance.
Other informational displays were set up by Boyle County Cooperative Extension Service and Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center. Spring View Hospital had a table, whose representative for the day is also the wife of the pastor of Christ the Head Missionary Church.
“We have instruments to analyze their fat, check their body mass index, as well as there blood pressure. So many people aren’t aware of these things, we just wanted to make the community better aware of their bodies and our hospital,” said Amaka Oleka coordinator of the women’s center at Spring View Hospital.
Local authorities also were represented at the event.
The Danville Police Department passed out magazines on safety and security, coloring books about making good decisions and stickers of police badges.
Danville Fire Department had a fire truck on the premises as well as its fire safety trailer for tours.
The trailer fills with smoke and is used to demonstrate different escape routes to show children how to handle themselves in a fire.
“Some of them get really scared while others want to go through it three or four times,” said Fire Chief Mike Mulholland.
Along with all the educational resources available, the festival also had a few recreational things to offer.
Free food was grilled and handed out and gospel music filled the air. Children played with frisbees and other toys given out, and a series of raffles went on during the event and included prizes such as gift certificates to Applebee’s.
“The event has been absolutely wonderful. I’m looking forward to it next year. I hope their will also be more support from the public next year,” said church member Clara Shelton.
Others echoed Shelton’s thoughts.
“I’ve only been to Danville for a year and a half, but this is the first event I’ve seen like this in the east part of Danville. So I can really appreciate what they’re doing out here and I hope they come out next year and do it again,” said Natasha Saunders of cooperative extension.
“From my perspective, I think everything went really well and we’re hoping to continue this maybe annually,” said event organizer Key.
