Post Tagged with: "Beacon Evangelical Free Church"

ACS School Families Enjoy Food, Fun, Fellowship at Back-to-School BBQ

Our 18th annual Back-to-School BBQ on Friday, September 16 was our largest ever — with over 1,200 parents, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and alumni parents coming together to enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship under beautiful, sunny skies. There were plenty of activities for children young and old, including face painting, Ga-Ga ball, 9-square-in-the-air, and several inflatables. Worship music performed live by a largely faculty-parent band was a welcome new addition to the event and everyone enjoyed taking a hay ride provided by Sleepy Hollow Family Campground, whose owners are ACS alumni parents.

For those with a sweet tooth, there were several tasty desserts available, including Kona Water Ice, Chef Steve’s Popcorn, and funnel cake.  Several groups were raising funds by selling various items — the Parent-Teacher Fellowship was selling SpiritWear sweatshirts and the ACS Cheer Squad sold mums and Playland Castaway Cove wristbands.

Thank you to the parent volunteers from the Board of Directors and PTF, as well as to our faculty and staff, who worked at the grill, served in the buffet line, volunteered in the kitchen and at the game locations, and donated food, including delicious pulled pork prepared by the Pearson family. The talented musicians who performed worship music throughout the evening, which prompted some to get up and dance, were: Ted Dawkins, Mark Huff, Amy Parker, Bill Smallwood, Bob Westcott, Jane Zigner, and Julie Zimmer, with Lee Martin on sound.

We would also like to thank several area businesses and organizations who donated or provided equipment on loan — Atlantic City Bread Company, Beacon Evangelical Free Church, Big Time Vending, Bimbo Bakeries, Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar, Herr Foods Inc., Sysco, Sleepy Hollow Family Campground, and Westside Meats.

What a great way to start off the school year!

 

Back-to-School BBQ a Great Time of Fellowship, Building Friendships

Our annual Back-to-School BBQ on September 17 was a great night of fellowship and a time to grow closer together as a school family. It was our biggest BBQ ever as we welcomed over 850 new and returning parents, students, staff, grandparents, and alumni for an enjoyable evening of  good food and lots of games and activities for students of every age.

The favorite activities included the Rock Wall, Ga Ga Ball, 9-Square in the Air, several inflatables, and going to the face-painting table.  The BBQ-goers also enjoyed several new food offerings — Kona Water Ice, Funnel Cake, and Chef Steve’s Kettle Corn Popcorn. Children and families also enjoyed a tractor-pulled wagon ride around the ACS campus, provided by the Pricskett family, whose son, Noah, drove the tractor. The Pricsketts, who are alumni parents and own Sleepy Hollow Family Campground, also provided dozens of picnic tables for seating at the BBQ.

Thank you to the many volunteers, including members of the Board of Directors, faculty, and staff, who were busy at the BBQ grill, serving at the food buffet line, doing face-painting, monitoring the student activities, and helping with set-up and clean-up.

We are also grateful to several businesses, a church, school families, and vendors who donated food, beverages, and equipment to help keep the cost of the BBQ affordable for our families. These donors included: Atlantic City Bread Company, Beacon Evangelical Free Church, Big Time Vending, Bimbo Bakeries, Ralph Clayton, Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar and Joe and Amanda Gregory, Herr Foods, Kris Jacoby, Liberty Coca-Cola, Doug and Lori Pearson, Steve and Alisun Richards, Sysco, and Paul and Terry Vogel.  A special thank-you also to ACS high school students on the Yearbook Staff who took the photos at the BBQ — Vera Huff, Mia Liggins, Amber Ramos, and Summer Scott.

 

 

Students in Servant’s Heart Club Spread Love to Seniors for Valentine’s Day

Servant’s Heart Club members recently decorated and filled 80 Valentine’s Day gift bags for residents living in the Haven House, a senior assisted living facility in Cape May. The gift bag project was completed at their February 9 monthly meeting and the bags were delivered to Haven House on February 12, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Club Advisor and ACS parent Mrs. Jennifer DiMaio said the bags were filled with candy, chocolate, mints, tissues, tea, hot chocolate, word find books, and cookies. The students also included a Valentine card with the John 3:16 verse.  During the meeting, Mrs. DiMaio and the club members also discussed assisted living facilities and prayed for the individuals receiving the bags.

“While working with intense eagerness and diligence, the students radiated absolute joy,” said Mrs. DiMaio. She also thanked 10th graders Allison Schlundt and Alli Lushina for helping the 2nd to 5th grade students in the club with the project.

Mrs. DiMaio said the club’s efforts were part of a larger project initiated and organized by ACS alumnus Ani Karabashian (’12) that blessed over 350 seniors on Valentine’s Day, including residents living at Victoria Towers in Cape May and seniors who are members of Beacon Evangelical Free Church in Galloway.

“At a time when so many people, and especially seniors, are feeling isolated and alone, we wanted to do something to let our seniors know that people are thinking of them and that they are loved,” Karabashian said.  According to Karabashian, the other volunteers who were part of the larger project and made Valentine’s cards for seniors were middle school and high school youth group and Sunday school children at Beacon Evangelical Free Church in Galloway and members of the South Jersey Young Adults group.