Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

VALLEY — Fairview Baptist Church hosted a Back to School Fun Day Saturday afternoon under the big oak trees on the church grounds. A host of excited children enjoyed the jumpers, a giant slide and an obstacle course. There were plenty of refreshments for young and old alike, and a cool summer shower made the day all the more pleasant.

The church pastor, Carl Benedict, took turns sitting in the dunking booth with Angie Kirkland. Each one hit the water before the 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. event concluded.

“We are very glad to see this turnout,” Benedict said. “We want to support the community in any way we can. We had over 100 people taking part in our Thanksgiving dinner program last year, and we are planning to offer it again this year.”

Benedict and wife DeAnne are the parents of three grown children. One lives in Mississippi and the other two are students at Auburn University.

The church’s children’s director, Connie Miller, organized Saturday’s Back to School event.

“We couldn’t have done it without the many volunteers we had today from the church,” she said. “Our children’s ministry team planned it. Diane Hood and Misty Smith brought most of the stuff here today. There’s someone at every station. This includes the blow-up obstacle course, the bouncy house for the little ones and the slide for all ages. There was the chance for anyone to test their skill at cornhole. Some volunteers prepared hot dog plates under the shelter. We also served cold water and snow cones. We saw this as an outreach opportunity for our church. We are so excited about the way it all came together today and to have all these children here.”

Each school-aged child present received a bag of school supplies including pencils, erasers, some crayons, activity books, a bookmarker and notepads.

The new year for Valley area schools starts on Monday, Aug. 9.

“This is the best place to be today,” Kirkland said of the dunking booth. “It’s been hot today, and I wouldn’t mind being dunked a few times. It’s a good way to cool off on a hot day.”

“We invite anyone to come and worship with us on Sunday,” Miller said. “The morning service starts at 10:45 a.m. We have a children’s service, too.”