07 Apr

Campion student earns Master Guide

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … Olivia is a senior at Campion Academy. She was honored on March 26 during the Campion Adventist Church worship service for having completed the requirements for Master Guide: the highest level of achievement in Pathfinder leadership.

Having already completed the Adventist Youth (AY) courses offered, Olivia decided to take on the challenge of the Master Guide coursework starting last summer. Reflecting on her motivation, Olivia said, “I have been in Pathfinders for over seven years, and I plan to be involved in Pathfinders for the rest of my life, so I wanted to get it now while I had a mentor and someone to do it with me.”

Campion church Pathfinder director, Alex Rodriguez, helped her through the process. The Master Guide curriculum typically takes years to complete, but Olivia managed to achieve her goal amidst her busy schedule. “The hardest part for me was finding the time to watch all the classes and read the books,” she explained; “I enjoyed the reading and listening parts, but it was hard to make time for them in between school and work.”

“Olivia has stood out as a model Pathfinder and young adult going above and beyond in both her cooperation with the club and her own personal development,” Rodriguez explained.

He also remarked on Olivia’s perseverance, saying, “First of all, continuing in the club during the high school years is a feat in and of itself. Olivia’s determination to continue in the club is inspirational. But what makes her accomplishments more incredible is her level of engagement.”

Rodriguez added, “A few years ago, she came on as full staff while still being a part of the teen leadership training program. Since then, she’s held dual roles (teen leader and staff member) and has gracefully occupied both roles. In her staff role, she has served as an AY instructor, drill and march instructor, and TLT instructor.”

Olivia shared that being involved in Pathfinders helped her learn hands-on life skills through the various honors, camp-outs, and drill and march. Being a Pathfinder has had a major impact on her faith: “Being around those who believe similarly to me and spending time getting to know them, has strengthened my relationship with God and has made me interested in learning more,” Olivia furthered. “Being in the Pathfinder Bible Experience helped grow my knowledge of the Bible, while at the same time, [it] allowed me to have fun with my friends.”

She plans to continue her involvement in Pathfinder leadership while she is studying at Andrews University next year. She encouraged other high school students to continue to be involved in their local clubs saying, “Pathfinders is a good way to take a break from the craziness of life and spend time with friends learning about God. It has drawn me closer to God and encouraged me to share my faith with others. As an older Pathfinder, I get to teach some of the classes for the younger ones. Teaching them impacts not only their lives, but mine also. Even though it can be hard to make time to be part of a club, it is worth the time put into it.”

Rodriguez emphasized her impact saying, “Olivia exemplifies the life of a dedicated young Christian and has become an integral part of our Pathfinder club and of the Campion church and community. Her efforts and tireless work and sacrifice have had a great impact on both young and old. I’m certain there will be folks in the kingdom of heaven because of the godly witness that she has been.”

–Jill Harlow is Campion Academy communication director; photo supplied

06 Apr

PLAY NICE IN YOUR SANDBOX AT CHEYENNE ADVENTIST CHURCH

By Paulette Yaple – Cheyenne, Wyoming … How to avoid conflict in work, home, and church relationships was the theme of the weekend seminar on March 19 at the Cheyenne Adventist Church.

The seminar featured Ron Price, author of the Play Nice In Your Sandbox books and RMC executive committee member. Price shared principles on preventing conflict in relationships, including how to speak and listen correctly and how to add more fun to your relationships. Attendees learned the catchphrase “Push the Pause Button,” which consists of taking time to choose your attitude in advance.

Price said, “I enjoy equipping people to manage conflict in a God-honoring manner. It really is not that difficult if you know a few basic tools, tips, and techniques.”

“Ron’s teaching on quickly and effectively dealing with conflict in relationships was invaluable! He has a way of presenting the most useful information in a very entertaining way. Our congregations were very blessed,” said Bill Nixon, pastor at Cheyenne Adventist Church.

Reflecting on the event, Meridee Mason, Cheyenne church clerk, said, “Both my husband and I received a real blessing [while] attending Ron Price’s weekend seminar. Ron has such a gentle, but great, way of dealing with the difficult people that are in our lives every day at work, shopping, or sometimes even at church. So good for all of us to remember to stop, take a step back and re-evaluate the situation instead of snapping back and then evaluating the situation,”

Nixon added that meetings had some attendees inquiring about the Cheyenne church. “After attending Ron’s series, one guest was so impressed with what he heard and how it was presented, he asked for information on joining our church and is now in Bible studies.”

–Paulette Yaple is communication secretary at Cheyenne Adventist Church; photo supplied

06 Apr

FRONT RANGE SCHOOLS UNITE FOR ECONOMICS LESSON

By Marsha Bartulec – Ameritowne, Colorado …Fifth and sixth graders from four Front Range schools–Brighton Adventist Academy, HMS Richards school, Mile High Academy, and Vista Ridge Academy– united on March 31 to run a town for a day.

The students participated in Young Ameritowne, a hands-on educational experience in free enterprise while learning about the basics of banking, economics, and citizenship. Ameritowne is a four-hour event where students physically apply concepts they have learned as they step into roles as town citizens.

The journey to Ameritowne began with teachers covering 25 lessons in basic economics, banking, government, money management, ethics, and philanthropy. All citizens (students) fill out applications and are interviewed for the jobs of their choice. Citizens running for mayor and/or judge must submit a written speech. The candidate with the most votes from other citizens wins.

A few days before the Ameritowne event, students met on the campus of Vista Ridge Academy for training. They were divided into training groups–quality control, management, sales, accounting, and media. Student citizens finished the training by meeting in their business groups, with managers leading team meetings. Reflecting on the training, HMS Richards student Conner said, “It really prepared me for Ameritowne on Thursday.”

Upon arrival at Ameritowne, the citizens were given an orientation about the day’s expectations. Then they went to their shops to prepare for the town to open. All citizens then met in the town square for opening ceremonies. The town hall workers, which included the mayor, judge, and police officers, were introduced by reporters and were sworn in. The mayor gave a speech and opened the town by cutting the ribbon. Once at work, citizens began working as producers, earned a paycheck, and spent their breaks as consumers purchasing goods and services from the businesses.

“One of the lessons students learned was the importance of teamwork,” said Natalie, an HMS Richards student. “When we work together, we can have success! I learned this by having an awesome team.”

Vista Ridge Academy student Luke, learned what it’s like to have a job, “I had fun, but you learn that you don’t always get along with your co-workers. There are ups and downs with a job.”

For others, staying out of trouble was the most important lesson. “My favorite part was not getting arrested,” a student from Brighton Adventist Academy shared.

After leaving Ameritowne, students evaluated the success of their day. Each business group received a bank balance statement to see if they made a profit. They also assessed their spending habits and the choices they made in Ameritowne. Reflecting on the experience, HMS Richards student Suelita has advice, “Learn now; don’t wait until later.”

Sandy Hodgson, Vista Ridge Academy principal, said, “The opportunity to collaborate with sister schools in this real-world learning is amazing. Our students were able to practice skills that will help them be better citizens now and in the future.”

Vista Ridge Academy plans to continue coordinating this event for local Adventist schools biannually.

–Marsha Bartulec is vice-principal for administration at Vista Ridge Academy; photos supplied

06 Apr

2024 CAMPOREE PLAN COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS IN GILLETTE WYOMING

By Paula Vogler – Gillette, Wyoming … With planning well underway for the International Pathfinder Camporee to be held for the first time in Gillette, WY, in 2024, thoughts are turning to how the group can get involved with the community while they are there.

Community service projects are a big part of the camporee and for residents of Gillette that could mean seeing more murals spread throughout the town. Gillette resident Laura Chapman and Jessica Seders, Campbell County Convention & Visitors Bureau director, came up with the mural idea after learning about the camporee and the desire for its participants to get involved with their host community.

Chapman said the concept is simple: have local artists prep a mural somewhere and then have groups of pathfinders come to paint them in something like a paint by numbers format. However, she said executing that idea is going to take a lot of planning.

From lining up local artists and identifying locations for the murals to securing funding and supplies, Chapman said the planning will also include figuring out exactly how to coordinate this with the groups of pathfinders that sign up for a two or three hour block of time.

“It’s quite ambitious,” Chapman said. “I’d love to have 20 sites for them.  There’s a lot of pre-planning that needs to be done ahead of time, like how can we accomplish it in a set amount of time? What’s realistic to expect? We have a very talented pool of local artists. I’m really excited to get us all on the road to make this happen.”

Seders said Gillette already has a few artists who do murals and because Gillette is a “pretty active art community,” she is not concerned about finding artists to help.

“We do have a few artists who do murals already in town and their style is very different from each other so I think we’re going to see very different styles in the projects,” Seders said. “We have to identify property owners who will let us paint directly on the building or put up a canvas next to or on a building.”

Heather Rodriguez, a Gillette artist who completed a mural inside the town’s Adventurarium, said she saw the paint by number mural concept in action at Disney World. She said there, someone sat at a booth and when visitors came by, they received a paint container with a number on it and a foam brush to help paint the mural.

Rodriguez said there are so many ways to create murals, even ways to do it where they could be set up and taken down before the harsh Wyoming winters affect them.  As another project, she also suggested pathfinders could paint a number of fiberglass animals native to Wyoming like a fox or antelope and spread those around town. “It’s another way for the kids to be involved and have permanent art on display,” Rodriguez said. “I think we’re all created to make things. With kids it’s just this sense of doing something great. Creating something that has a lasting impact and value is really important.”

Chapman echoed those sentiments.

“I’d love to do something in such a way that when the kids come back next time they can say, ‘oh I did that,’” Chapman said. “It would be something to celebrate their efforts.”

Anyone interested in getting involved with the mural project is encouraged to contact Laura Chapman at 480-205-9879.

The International Pathfinder Camporee will be held at the Cam-Plex grounds August 5-11, 2024 with 55,000 pathfinders from 105 countries expected to attend.

— Paula Vogler writes for 2024 International Pathfinder Camporee; photos supplied

This article was originally published on International Camporee’s Facebook page.

05 Apr

DENVER HOSTS ANNUAL NAD CHURCH FINANCE CONVENTION

RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … Treasury staff, stewardship directors, and planned giving and trust services personnel from various conferences within the North America Division recently met in Denver for the annual Beyond the Bottom Line convention and training.

With the event theme, Transformative Leadership: Thriving in a Changing World, the convention took place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on March 27–29. The gathering allowed conference employees to fellowship, share ideas and techniques, and attend professional-growth classes.

Fellowshipping and sharing best practices were a highlight of the convention for Darin Gottfried, RMC vice president of finance. “I enjoy getting to see other treasury employees and hear about how they are doing things differently and how we might be able to use some of those ideas in RMC. It was a great time of getting to know new people and reconnecting with others that I have known for years.”

The convention was hosted by Southern Adventist University School of Business and the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. According to the event’s website, the overall mission is “To offer the highest quality continuing professional education designed to encourage excellence in financial management to the treasury leadership and support staff of conferences, academies, Adventist Book Centers, and institutions within the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.”

A variety of seminars were offered, ranging from stewardship to investing for retirement.

Gottfried appreciated the seminars and feels better equipped to meet the challenges ahead for the church as an organization. “I learned about new challenges that are coming for the church as an organization and ways in which we can meet these challenges.”

–RMCNews; photo by Jon Roberts

31 Mar

2022 RMC CAMP MEETINGS

RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … The annual camp meetings held in the Rocky Mountain Conference have deep roots in Adventism and are a special time that many look forward to with anticipation. Camp meeting is a chance to come together to study God’s Word, rekindle friendships and make new ones, and get re-energized for the year ahead.

The Rocky Mountain Conference has five camp meetings to choose from:

Southeast Colorado camp meeting May 20 – 22

The Power of Love will be the theme for the Southeast Colorado camp meeting held at the Canon City Adventist Church. Speakers include Dwight Nelson, senior pastor at Pioneer Valley Adventist Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and Clifford Goldstein, editor of Sabbath School Bible Study Guides, and author.

Northeast Colorado camp meeting June 3 – 4

The Northeast Colorado camp meeting will be held on the campus of Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado. The theme will be Our Greatest Need with presenter Hyveth Williams, Professor of Homiletics at Andrews University. For more information, email Michael Goetz, senior pastor Campion Adventist Church at [email protected].

Wyoming camp meeting July 12 – 16

 Wyoming camp meeting will be held at Mills Spring Ranch, located on Casper Mountain. The theme is Be Bold. Dr. Joseph Kidder, Professor of Theology and Discipleship at Andrews Theological Seminary, will be the featured speaker. To register or for more information, visit https://www.millsspringranch.com/wyomingcampmeeting.

Cowboy camp meeting July 13 – 16

If you are looking for a camp meeting off the grid, this is for you. This gathering is located outside of Montrose, Colorado on a gravel road an hour off the main road in the Uncompaghre National Forest. The camp meeting offers two gatherings per day to give you plenty of time to experience the wilderness. The theme and speakers are still being decided.  For more information, visit https://cowboycampmeeting.org/.

Western Slope camp meeting August 3 – 7

The Western Slope camp meeting will feature Dr. Dick Davidson, Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Andrews Theological Seminary. He will be presenting messages on the Sabbath. The location of the camp meeting hasn’t yet been released. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/SDAWSCM/.

–RMCNews

31 Mar

Campion Students lead evangelism series in Costa Rica

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … After ten days of holding evangelistic meetings at multiple churches in Costa Rica, the Campion students returned to campus both exhausted and blessed. The mission group included seven students, four Campion alumni, and Campion church pastors and members.

During the evangelistic outreach, each member was assigned to preach at a different church. The students would spend their mornings reviewing, practicing, and personalizing their sermons. They would spend time visiting homes in the afternoon and inviting them to attend the meetings. Each evening they would preach a sermon on a different topic and spend time interacting with the congregation. The meetings culminated with a total of 74 baptisms.

Reflecting on the experience Lily, sophomore, explained, “Costa Rica was exhausting, but rewarding. It was awesome seeing people getting baptized and knowing it was most certainly not because of any of our exceptional sermons and public speaking abilities but because of the Holy Spirit. We really got to see God in action down there.”

The students were especially challenged with the preaching aspect of the trip. Megan, sophomore, shared, “For me personally, public speaking is not an ability that comes naturally, which made it both terrifying and exhausting.”

Caleb, sophomore, shared her sentiments, saying, “Before this trip, I really disliked public speaking. However, after this trip, I do not mind public speaking anymore. The first meeting, for the first five minutes, I was very nervous, but then the Holy Spirit came over me and made me calm, and I was able to comfortably deliver all ten of my messages.”

The preaching aspect of the trip also grew their relationship with Jesus. “While I was preaching, I learned many things about how much I appreciate God. I grew spiritually because I had to learn to depend on God and trust Him that everything would be okay, and so it was,” Marcela, freshman, reflected.

Besides the meetings, the group took time to enjoy Costa Rica by visiting the beach, ziplining through the rainforest, and exploring a nature center.

The students were warmly welcomed at their various churches. “One of the many blessings I received was my church–everyone was extremely nice and accepting,” said Jared, senior.

Megan experienced the same acceptance at her church, explaining, “Being in Costa Rica taught me a lot about being friendly; the people there are all so open, and experiencing their culture showed me that in our culture, we are often cold. They showed me that sometimes it’s better to approach people and say “Hi” rather than just minding my own business.”

Caleb agreed with the other students that the culture and the faith of the people they met in Costa Rica made a significant impact on him. “What I learned from my time in Costa Rica is that we need to be more like the church members in Costa Rica,” he reflected. “They are on fire for Jesus, and they are so invested in every single worship service.”

–Jill Harlow is communication director for Campion Academy; photos supplied

31 Mar

A SIMPLE GIFT INSPIRES OTHERS TO GIVE

By Gabriela Vincent – Casper, Wyoming … Gabriela (Anca) Vincent, wife of pastor Shayne Vincent in the Casper District of Wyoming, has felt the pain of the war in Ukraine very personally.

She grew up under communist rule in Romania, and her hometown, Iasi, Moldova is just across the border from Ukraine. Her sister’s family still lives in Iasi. Her 12-year-old niece, Miriam, moved by the thousands of refugees flooding into their town, wanted to help. She decided to give the money she had been saving for a new smartphone, to purchase two mattresses for refugees who were staying in the local Adventist church.

When Gabriela shared this story with the Casper and Wheatland churches, they were inspired to give. They raised nearly $4,000 for the Ukrainian refugees through their generous donations and the funds were sent to Miriam, who was able to purchase ten more mattresses, as well as food, medication, and more essential items.

The needs of the refugees have inspired the Romanian Pathfinders to become directly involved. Dorin Cristea, children and youth ministries director of the Moldavia Conference, said, “The Pathfinder Law is for me to ‘Go on God’s errands,’ which means we will always be ready to go about doing good as Jesus did. But I never thought it would mean to ask you to get involved in helping those impacted by war.” The Pathfinders are involved in a weekly trip to Southern Ukraine, taking food, winter clothes, and medication to those in need.

Approximately ten million people have now fled their homes in Ukraine because of Russia’s unprovoked invasion. The UN High Commissioner for refugees says, “As many as 3.6 million Ukrainians have left for neighboring countries. Another estimated 6.5 million people are thought to be displaced inside the war-torn country itself.” According to AP reports, thousands have died since the Russian war began, including hundreds of children. It is a sobering picture and a call to action in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

“I am extremely proud of what my family and friends in Romania are doing to assist with the increasing number of refugees and emergency supplies needed to support the Ukrainian people. My home church in Iasi is now a place where Ukrainian women and children find a safe place to stay until they have in place for their final destination,” Vincent said.

She added, “The church’s Sabbath School classes have been converted into temporary shelters, and with funds raised by the local church, they were able to install a washer, dryer, and shower for the refugees. With the remaining funds from our giving, the church has purchased generators, food, and medication, and the weekly convoy has distributed the emergency supplies to a shelter in Ukraine.”

This war is far from being over, and the needs are many as the people of Ukraine bravely fight for their freedoms. Gabriela and the Adventist church in Iasi are deeply grateful for the generous hearts who have given.

If you would also like to support the work in Romania, you can donate to www.adra.ro. May God bless the people of Ukraine with courage and strength.

–Gabriela (Anca) Vincent writes from Casper, Wyoming; photos supplied

Miriam

 

31 Mar

RMC CHURCH MEMBERS REACT TO UKRAINE CRISIS

By Rajmund Dabrowski – Boulder, Colorado … It was the first week of March and the war was well underway on the Eastern and Northern fronts of Ukraine. A car, which started its 365-kilometer (226 miles) drive from the outskirts of Zhytomyr to the border with Poland, carried seven refugees.

Two families with five children squeezed into a vehicle with three of the children in the trunk of Peugeot 508. The memory of flying missiles and the sound of explosions at the Zhytomyr military airport near their home were soon just a painfully etched memory. Hope drove them to safety.

Olga Charucka and her husband Waldemar Kutrzeba were awaiting them on the Polish side of the border, ready to welcome them to safety—the five kids, the mother, and a grandmother.

The night before, all seven of them slept in the basement of their house a short distance from the airport destroyed by cruise missiles and bombs dropped from Russian planes. A wall was cracked in their home from an explosion, and a portion of the ceiling had fallen.

After arriving in Poland, four-year-old Zlata, hearing the siren of an ambulance or police car, would run to Olga. Clinging to her, she cried, “We must hide.”

***

Olga and Waldemar live in the home of my parents near Warsaw. They were caregivers to my father and mother before they passed away. Their spacious home welcomed all seven of them. Kutrzebas are members of the nearby Adventist Theological College Church in Podkowa Leśna, which these days is serving as a shelter housing two-dozen refugees. Their church is one of many throughout Poland serving as shelters, among them Warsaw, Łódź, and Lublin. A congregation in Warsaw alone has accommodated and fed 400 refugees.

I welcomed the idea of having refugees in my parents’ home. Though far away, a plan of action was formulated during recent weeks to find support for several of our brothers and sisters in Poland engaged in helping thousands of refugees. Requests for help soon turned into questions from different parts of the Rocky Mountain Conference: How can we help? Members of Casper and Wheatland churches in Wyoming were engaged in fundraising for refugees in Romania (see https://www.rmcsda.org/a-simple-gift-inspires-others-to-give/).

From Bernie Hartnell of the Grand Junction church comes the comment, “God has blessed us in so many ways here in Colorado and the wider United States. However, Marti and I have been impressed by the Holy Spirit, to do something about the refugees flooding out of Ukraine into neighboring countries.”

He continues, “We felt time was critical to help support our Adventist brothers and sisters, who have opened their homes, churches, and schools in this crisis! So we, along with others in our Grand Junction church, have made it happen by giving either directly to our churches in Poland or through ADRA’s Ukrainian refugee fund.

“I would like to emphasize the inspiration to not sit on our hands in cozy America but listen to the Spirit’s bidding. From the ‘widow’s mite’ to the amounts that the Lord impresses, this effort, you can be assured, will go to its intended worthy purpose!” he added.

“How can one watch the news on the Ukraine crisis and not be moved to do something,” wondered Gordy Gates from Boulder. “And then to learn how the Polish people are opening their homes to the refugees led me to talk with you [Rajmund Dabrowski] to see how we might be able to get involved.”

Learning that my family’s home was part of this refugee relief, Gordy commented that he “knew he had found the way to get involved where every dollar given made it to the Ukrainian people, and [he is thankful] for being given the opportunity to help.”

Shawn Nowlan, a member of the Contemporary Issues Sabbath School Class at the Boulder church where I attend, asked how to get involved.

“Our Sabbath School wondered [how we could help] Ukraine [since] the problem is so big and beyond our control. What can we do (as suggested in the Epistle of James) to help those Ukrainians in need to go in peace, keep warm and eat their fill?  Organizations like ADRA have wonderful, specialized skills. What do we have?”

He continued, “This is when we heard about Adventist congregations in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania who were turning their buildings into refugee centers to house the refugees streaming out of Ukraine. Maybe we could support those congregations directly so that ADRA’s resources would be free to use in the war zone itself?” Nowlan wondered.

“We could help those Eastern European congregations directly by feeding them, clothing them, and keeping them safe. We have the contacts. We can use them. And that is what we are intending to do,” he added.

***

Last week, I asked the kids if they would draw their experiences. Wiktoria is 15 years old and the oldest child of the Zhytomyr family. She sent her drawing full of war images and symbols of her country. When asked about the memories of the day she left her home, she said, “I remember fear. The biggest difficulty was choosing if my mother should join us or stay with dad as his support as he had to stay in Ukraine. The children decided that she would stay and be of help to my father.” The fathers are a part of the Territorial Defense Army in their region.

Zlata’s drawing was poignant, illustrating the distressing emotions of her experience in and what was being shown on TV. For her, memories were symbols of falling rain. She remembers the falling bullets and missiles.

Reports from the frontiers of the neighboring countries with Ukraine–Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland–describe the Adventist Church being present by setting up welcoming centers with ADRA* representatives and volunteers offering food, clothing, and medical assistance. Local church volunteers provide transportation, accommodation, and meals. More than three million refugees have left Ukraine, the majority of them finding refuge in Poland.

In Poland, and elsewhere, human solidarity is at work.

–Rajmund Dabrowski is editor of NewsNuggets; photos supplied *For donations contact www.adra.pl

 

31 Mar

Prospective students experience Campion Academy

By Love Pickle – Loveland, Colorado … After two years of limiting campus visits, Campion Academy was once again able to host Academy Day on March 26. An annual, free open house for prospective students in seventh through eleventh grades, Academy Day gives these visitors an opportunity to experience a bit of life on campus.

The visiting students began their Campion experience with activities planned by the Student Association (SA) officers, including human bumper ball, jousting, and knockout.

Reflecting on the visit, Sarah, an eighth-grader, shared, “The activities in the morning were my favorite part of the day and playing bubble soccer. I feel good about coming to Campion next year, and I thought the event was nice.”

The SA officers proceeded to give tours of the campus which left a strong impression on Sarah, “The students who gave the tour were kind, and they answered all of our questions.”

Academic contests were held, including opportunities for the students to win various scholarships, like athletics and music.

Dean Helm, business manager, with his creative art known as Helmdini, entertained the students with a special magic performance. Evie, an eighth-grader, pointed out, “My favorite part was the magic show.” She added that she is excited to come to Campion because, during her visit, the students were friendly and welcoming.

The students toured the dorms and participated in mini-scramble games before supper. After dinner, Dean and Sue Helm took the students out for ice cream to satisfy their sweet teeth. Angel, an eighth-grader, remarked, “I enjoyed the ice cream. The classes and the people who were there were nice.”

The event concluded with an award show and a vespers program. The visiting students were sent off with a farewell gift put together by Campion Academy with the hope of seeing them again as future students.

–Love Pickle is a senior at Campion Academy; photos supplied

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