Vacation Bible School started on July 27 at the Memorial Church, with 73 students registered. Children entered the sanctuary, and sat down to watch the SonRock Kid’s Camp theme unfold before them. Thank you to Stephanie Dakin for registering all these children, and all the other requests asked of her during the weeks leading up to and the week of VBS.
Linda Yau directed our drama once again this year and each morning we were treated to a different skit of young actors. We thank Brennan Yau, Deborah Hickson, Isabelle Charpentier, Hannah Dancosse, Skyley Parizek and Karli Palmer for all their work the weeks prior to and the week of Vacation Bible School. A wonderful set was made for the skits thanks to the Drama Team. A special thank you to Linda Yau for taking on the huge job of directing the drama again this year.
There were plenty of refreshments donated by parents, and served every day with the leadership of Claudia D’Agata and supported by Barbara Smith and Laurel Millix in the kitchen. Claudia, Laurel and Barbara also stayed Friday afternoon to help with the pizza and salad lunch and clean up afterward. They really came through on Friday when it rained and we had to make inside plans for the lunch! We thank them for their dedication. We also thank Carol Noyes who every year calls the parents and sets up the refreshment schedule.
We had a successful mission project this year raising $503.17. This money is earmarked for Courtney Fraser’s project with the Peace Corps in Turkmenistan. We will be sending money as well as supplies to Courtney through the Fraser family. The money was raised in a combination of ways. We had a VBS camp store shop featuring items usually found at a campground store. We also had a stand outside the church selling slushies. We also had a display set up in the church with information regarding the mission. Thank you to Nathan Norman and Jeff Smith for working at the camp store and Miranda Cilfone and Ben Wasilefsky for working at the outside stand. Thank you to the Outreach Board for running this mission.
Carole Frassinelli did a wonderful job directing the music during the week and the closing program on Friday morning. This year we had our closing program at 11: 00 a.m. on Friday with lunch following. Thank you to Claudia D’Agata, Barbara Smith and Laurel Millix for making lunch possible.
Recreational activities were led by Gianna Stebbins and Matt Rains and supported by Dan Dobbyn and Nathan Norman.
We had a wonderful closing musical and skits in which Linda Yau, Carole Frassinelli and Julia Cartabiano and her 7th & 8th grade class collaborated on. Parents were able to see their children performing the songs they had learned during the week, and were also treated to the two skits.
As this Vacation Bible School has passed, we remember the new acquaintances made and the old friendships renewed during that time. Before this Vacation Bible School had come to a close, we had found many people already willing to commit to help next year, which is wonderful!
We thank our VBS Committee of Eileen Smith, Linda Knight, Linda Yau, Ann Cilfone, Stephanie Dakin, Rubi Hickson and Pastor Del for their leadership. In addition, many thanks go out to our teachers and helpers Jen Morales, Lorieanne Norman, Joshua Norman, Stephanie Gardner, Ben Wasilefsky, Miranda Cilfone, Dori Cramer, Dan Dobbyn, Nathan Norman, Nancy Humphrey, Debbie Byram, Brittany Byram, Hope Charette, Lynn Philippi, Maureen Parizek, Linda Knight, Rubi Hickson, Pastor Del, Julia Cartabiano, Ann Cilfone, Linda Knight, Linda Yau, Carole Frassinelli, Gianna Stebbins and Matt Rains. Thanks to Stephanie Dakin for being a floater and helping out everywhere, and last but certainly not least, Wilbur Gangaway, Ernest Morris, and Dick Giannini for providing a safe passage to and from Vacation Bible School every day.
Lastly, I would like to thank our behind the scenes people for set up, clean up, calling for refreshments, greeting, etc. Thank you Carol Noyes, David Fraser, Wayne Fritz, Tish Ignatowicz, David Ignatowicz, Roger Wilson, Dick Gianinni, Ernest Morris, Richard Sarachek, Rosanne Parizek, Donna Hardie, Gail Eldredge and Nancy Goodell and Elyse Sullivan.
As you can see it takes a lot of people to have a successful Vacation Bible School and I can’t thank each of them enough. We are looking forward to next year’s Vacation Bible School, “SonQuest Rainforest VBS”.
Respectfully submitted,
Eileen Smith
Vacation Bible School Director
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