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0 This past week, we celebrated our annual Back to School party! It was a community-wide bash like never before. We broke our record for attendees and even unveiled some big new ideas for our community!
The yard was full of cheerful kids screaming and running, sticky faces from snow cones, bouncy house jumpers, and taco eaters galore. Our beloved volunteer, Anne, even made homemade ice cream that some literally dreamed about that night. The backyard also featured generous donations of backpacks, clothes, and school supplies from many kind volunteers! The kids loved the new backpacks.
Our staff member, Meridith, led a beautifully crafted liturgy wherein school attendees big and small were blessed and commissioned for the year ahead. After that, guests and community members attended a presentation on the new plans to build a nature playscape area for guests and community members at the Virginia Coffey Place. We voted on our favorite features of the outdoor space and shared hopes and questions with one another.
As bellies got full and the sun went down, we reflected on the beautiful summer that was shared at Lydia’s House and looked forward to the excitement that the new school year would bring.
Thank you to the Dater Foundation and The Andrew Jergens Foundation for funding our child enrichment program. Also thanks to Marcia Pardekooper, Sue Freking, Amy Vennemeyer, Connie Groth, Ric Calme, and Carol Carlin for donating backpacks and supplies!
