Those assets seeded through Kids Fest with an assist to students’ school days
“If we are going to believe in a bright future for our community and our nation, we must invest in the next generation,” says Pastor David Savage of Center Point Church in Mountain Lake. “We want each kid that comes to Kids Fest to know how much they are loved as a valuable child of God.”
Rain falling all Friday morning, August 12 could wash away the activities in Mountain Lake City Park for Kids Fest 2016 – but they could not erode the investment that is made in students through Kids Fest.
While the park was too wet for the bounce houses, wrecking ball, inflated slide, obstacle course, tug-of-war, gaga ball and other activities – Center Point (the event’s organizing group) opened its doors and continued the tradition of distributing backpacks stocked with all the necessary school supplies for students in preschool-through-grade six – along with a free grilled hot dog meal for all.
This was the ninth year that Center Point has coordinated Kids Fest. “While Center Point is honored to put on this event each year, we could not do it without the generous support of many local business and community volunteers,” explains Pastor Savage. Savage noted that 25 area businesses donated funds just shy of $5,000 to help gather and stock the backpacks; a $6,000 total cost. In addition, other businesses donated goods used in providing for a successful event.
Below is a photo gallery of this year’s rain-shortened Kids Fest 2016:
MOUNTAIN LAKE POLICE Chief Doug Bristol (today a Kids Fest 2016 volunteer) gets ready to grill up some more hot dogs for the crowd outside Center Point Church.
AT LEFT, VOLUNTEERS Matt Morin, front, and 2016 Miss Mountain Lake Danica Dick, back, serve up those grilled dogs; this round to, at right, Aiden Holmberg, front, and his big brother, Micah Holmberg, back.
THIS YOUNG STUDENT is helped by his mom as he selects a camouflage-style back-to-school backpack from the stash piled high on display tables.
IT IS A tough decision for Bryseida Ramirez, right, as to what color of folders to choose. She is assisted by volunteer Gloria Klassen.
VOLUNTEER MICHALA MORIN, left, is eager to help Kaylee Walkin, right, “stuff” her new backpack full with all of the school supplies she needs for the school year.
SCHOOL SUPPLY TABLES at Kids Fest are spread with the needed supplies in neat stacks, and, like an assembly line, volunteer and student move down the table grabbing from those stacks to fill the backpack. Above, volunteer Carly Fast, left, lends a helpful hand to Damian Aguirre, right.
TONY EWERT, LEFT, a Kids Fest volunteer, guides soon-to-be fifth-grader Brayden Stewart, center, and his dad, Omer Brayden, right, through the school supply table.
THE NOTEBOOKS WERE piled almost sky high on tables. Cutter Garloff, left, a volunteer, assists Jackie Palmares, right, with her choices.
AN OVERVIEW LOOK of the spread of school supply tables, each dedicated to a grade level – from preschool needs to sixth-grade staples.
ISABEL LUCIO IS all set for her first day of kindergarten in the Mountain Lake Public Elementary School classroom of Nicole James – her backpack chock full of all her school supply needs.
