We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
This Thursday, at Sweet Park, Loaves and Fishes will be giving away 'age-appropriate school backpacks' loaded with school supplies for the coming year. Kindergartners, at last year's closing event for Loaves and Fishes, eyed the new backpacks.
Loaves and Fishes, the summer feeding program at Chinook, will be completing its sixth summer of operation with a number of activities during August 8-11, the final week of operation for this year. In addition to the Monday through Thursday regular program, there will be a food drive by the children, during lunchtime on Tuesday, a program on Wednesday night with activities and a community meal, the annual turkey dinner at lunch on Thursday and a potluck and swim party, at Sweet Park and the city pool, on Thursday evening.
Betty Billmayer, who has been with the program since its inception, said, "Each week of this summer we have focused our studies on a particular Bible story. For the last week our Bible story is about Jesus feeding the five thousand. The Loaves and Fishes organizers can relate to that story. When we first began the program, six years ago, we felt like the disciples and asked, 'How can we feed all these children during the summer?' Just like in the Bible, God has provided and the program is still going."
The theme for the final week of Loaves and Fishes
With the story of the feeding of the 5000 as background, the activities of the last week will focus on "raising awareness of hunger world-wide and next door." The Bible story of the feeding of the 5000 was also the basis for originally naming the Loaves and Fishes program. In that story a little boy has five barley loaves and two small fish that he gave to the disciples. Jesus blest the loaves and fishes and the 5000 were fed and still there were baskets of leftovers.
On Tuesday, August 9, the children in the program will canvass the town for canned goods and nonperishable for the local Food Pantry. Jeanne Dalton, who heads the Pantry, will be leading the activities for the kids on that day and accepting the donated food for the Pantry.
During the regular program on Wednesday, the kids will learn about the effects of malnutrition. In the evening, starting at 6pm at Wallner Hall, there will be activities for parents, kids and visitors that relate to the topic of hunger and the Chinook Ministerial Alliance will host a meal for everyone after the activities.
Thursday, at lunch, will be the 'annual turkey dinner,' a favorite every year with kids and parents. Kids and families are welcome to the turkey dinner on Thursday, served at noon in Wallner Hall. Thursday evening, at 6pm in Sweet Park, there will be a potluck, open to all. Afterwards there will be a swim party at the city pool and school back packs, with age appropriate school supplies, will be available for the kids to take home.
Loaves and Fishes invites the community to participate in this final week of activities for the summer program.
