Nearly 1,000 attend Family Fun Day at Bullard Park
9 churches, 65 volunteers joined in hosting event
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Jovannie Canales, associate pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship, speaks from the amphitheater stage on Saturday during Family Fun Day at Bullard Park. Harvest and eight other churches put on the event with a Christian message and also many free activities and food.
Canales is joined on the stage by his wife Melisa, left, and Faith Smith, director of the Orleans Koinonia Kitchen at Harvest.
Jovannie and Melisa Canales used to be the pastors at the Oasis Church in Medina, which started Family Fun Day. That church has merged with Harvest Christian Fellowship.
There were six Family Fun Days in Medina at Butts Park before the change to Albion on Saturday.
Jovannie Canales said eight people were baptized on Saturday, and 202 people made commitments or rededications to be Christians as followers of Jesus Christ.
These children use sling shots to fire away at Goliath, a giant, in one of the activities. There were several bounce houses and other games.
About 900 people attended Family Fun Day which used to be held at Butts Park in Medina. This year it shifted to Bullard in Albion.
Volunteers cooked 1,000 hot dogs which were given away for free. Charlie Broadway of the Risen Café, left, works the grill and is joined by John Austin.
There were 65 volunteers for the event on Saturday from nine different churches.
Several local agency leaders spoke at the event about services they provide in the community.
Alaina Fleming, who works for the county’s Office of Child and Family Services in the Department of Social Services, encouraged people to consider being foster families. She also spoke about the Safe Harbour program which tries to educate children and the community about the dangers of human trafficking. Fleming also shared about the youth court program with peers providing accountability for minor delinquent acts.
Faith Carini-Graves of Hillside Family of Agencies works as a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Hillside Family of Agencies. She said Hillside works across the state with youths and families that have experienced trauma and helps them to overcome challenges.
Sharon Sugar, office manager at Care Net of Greater Orleans, shares about the services offered at Care Net including pregnancy testing, education and limited ultrasounds. Besides pregnancy testing and support, Care Net also offers STI testing and parenting classes for both males and females.
Care Net gives out material aid such as diapers, wipes, blankets and clothing up to size 24 months, when available. The center also recently opened an art gallery.
