2009.06.22
Cave Spring United Methodist Church offers two new summer programs
Photo Courtesy of Patsy Ford
School is out and summertime is in…at least for the kids. So to all those parents out there who still have to get up early in the morning and bypass the pool for a trip to the office, Cave Spring United Methodist Church has an opportunity for you and for the kids that won’t break your budget.
For the first time ever this summer, CSUMC has added two new summer programs to their annual list of programs.
Veggie Town Values is for infants through the second grade. The program began on June 16 and will continue through July 30 from 9 a.m. to noon every Tuesday and Thursday.
“We wanted to do a service to the community, an outreach to the community,” Julia Greer said. “When all the preschools and schools close, that leaves a whole summer and parents may want something for their children.”
Veggie Town Values is based on the Veggie Tales Bible School curriculum. Participants will watch some of the Veggie Tales on the big screen in CSUMC’s state of the art media room, participate in crafts, recreation, music, puppet shows, and even get the opportunity to visit with special guests like the service dogs of St. Francis of Assisi. Snacks are provided daily.
The other new program that CSUM is offering is for kids in 3rd, 4th and 5th-grades, called FAST Crowd stands for Fun and Service Together. This group will travel around the area to do service project once a week. Examples of the services that the group will offer include working at Mill Mountain Zoo, the Rescue Mission, Food Bank and on other days will include bible studies, crafts, recreation, and of course, snacks!
The two new programs are 17 weeks long and cost only $125 per child for all 17 weeks.
“All volunteers are parents from the church who have children those ages in the program. We have an adult in each class and a volunteer teenage helper from the church,” Greer said. "We have follow a child and youth protection policy, with two adults with groups at all times."
Greer said that children who are going to participate in the programs should register, but it is not required. She said they can just show up and fill out the registration on the spot.
The two new programs have been discussed at CSUMC for a few years now, but have finally gotten underway.
"It's kind of been incubating for several years and then things just started clicking and we made concrete plan in January," Greer said. "One of the things that prompted it, believably, the the economy. We know there are a lot of things out there, like camps, that a lot of parents can't afford."
CSUMC has a Children's Ministry team that helped put the two new programs in place, with help from the church council. The program only took a few years to get started because there wasn't a driving force until now, Greer said.
"We kept talking about it and didn't do it," she said. "If we make any money from this venture, the money will go towards our playground fund. It's very temporary and an inexpensive playground currently. We are working with the same playground company we did for a project we did in New Orleans to accommodate children ages two to five."
The playground will be made of metal and vinyl and will be more durable and more like a playground you would find at a city park, Greer said.
For those interested in the program you may contact CSUMC at 989-3673 or visit their website here. Note that Colonial Avenue will be closed from Route 419 at North Cross to Vest Avenue for the rest of the summer. The only access to CSUMC will be by taking Brambleton Avenue to Colionial Avenue and then turn on Hazel Drive.
