Dover church hosts school supply giveaway

  • By Kyle Valentini
  • July 28, 2012
  • 361
                        
Summary: Dover Foursquare Church invites parents and their school age children to the tenth annual school supply giveaway on Aug. 4 beginning at 9a.m. The event aims to help families better prepare for the upcoming school year by providing much-needed supplies to anyone in need. Dover Foursquare Church celebrates ten years of giving back to the children of the community at their annual school supply giveaway to be held Saturday, August 4 beginning at 9a.m. at the church located at 302 E. Slingluff Ave. at Dover. Supplies will be distributed until they are gone. The idea to give school supplies to local children was born from church minister Phyllis Sweitzer’s own childhood where there was never enough and something as simple as new clothes or proper supplies for the new school year were not available. “We had originally thought about clothes but expanded it to include the supplies kids need like pencils, crayons, notebooks and backpacks,” said Sweitzer. “We don’t fill the back backs. People are amazing and they will only take what they need. That is why we just place everything out on the table and they can pick up the supplies they need.” Using the standard lists from local schools the church stocks up on the primary essentials needed by most school age kids. “The price of supplies has increased and in some cases nearly doubled this year,” said Sweitzer. “We understand how challenging that can be to parents with school age kids and we want to help them get the things they need. We will be able to help 300 kids this year thanks to our volunteers and all the donations we have received.” The school supply giveaway is going to be made even more special this year as the congregation celebrates the tenth anniversary of the charitable event. “We wanted to make it more than just a giveaway,” said Sweitzer. “We wanted it to be more of an outreach especially to those members of the community that might not have a church. Someone from each of our ministries will be available to answer questions and explain to the children and their families what we do and how they can be a part of it.” Kids can enjoy face painting, games, prizes, snacks and can take home a salvation bracelet made by a member of the congregation. The salvation bracelet is made up of different colored cord with each color representing something special. Yellow for God’s love and his desire for a relationship with us, black represents sin and is what separates us from God, red is the blood of Jesus as he died on the cross paying the price and penalty for our sins, white for purity as we are cleansed when we become Christians, blue for our public confession of our faith through baptism and green for living our lives for the Lord. “It is our goal to personally tie a bracelet on each child’s wrist as they come through the line,” said Sweitzer. “What better way for them to know that Jesus loves them.” All are welcome to the event and the only rule is that children be accompanied by a parent. For more information about the school supply giveaway or the church contact them at 330.343.6142.


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