Crittenden County Boys & Girls Club hosting Heavenly Harvest Fest this weekend

Crittenden County Boys & Girls Club hosting Heavenly Harvest Fest this weekend

Youth of the Year takes leadership role in making Worthington Park party happen

news@theeveningtimes.com

The Boys and Girls Club upcoming Fall Fest almost was not. The 2017 club Youth of the Year, Kya Cavallaro, took the initiative to bring her church and club together for the festival, but thieves broke into the church and stole the money for the party. Undaunted she and her mentor Darrin McCollum the club’s director, started around for wider support to put the whole event back together bigger and better than ever .

The Heavenly Harvest Fest is a go for this Saturday evening at Worthington Park.

”She has always been involved with community service, especially through her church, River Church,” said McCollum. “As part of our youth of the year she learned on a state wide level how important volunteering and community service is. Since then she has been volunteering anywhere she can. She feeds the homeless with her church. She does activities with Bit of Hope and planted a garden up here this summer. She did an Easter egg hunt for special needs kids with the Evening Times. She has a heart for children and volunteering.” Cavallaro did not fold after the set back of the stolen funds.

“Part of the stolen money was the money for this project,” said McCollum. “After that she and her mom came to me and asked if I would partner with them. They are doing most of the work, and I am raising money for the supplies needed. The police department will come down and put out snow cones.”

The Fest started as a church idea and a soul winning outreach has been the heart of the plan from the beginning.

“As a product of their church they did not want it to be a Halloween festival, they wanted it to be a harvest festival, harvesting souls,” said McCollum. “They want to reach out to community members that may not know the Lord. They will share with them; they’ll have a prayer booth.”

With the theme set, McCollum set some ground rules.

‘We’ll play all Christian music at the event. Children should not wear scary costumes. We are celebrating a harvesting of souls, not Halloween,” said McCollum.

Scheduled fun included free popcorn, snow cones, candy, hay ride, bounce houses, face painting, and arts and crafts.

“Its a bunch of fun and it shows a partnership between a faith based organization and a nonprofit in the club and the city police to reach out to the entire community,” said McCollum. “Whether your are part of the church or part of the club or part of the community, it does not matter. We want everyone to come to this and share God’s love and love of one another with every one in the community.

This is the product of an 18-year-old young lady for the community and she wants to help all that she can help. “

The Heavenly Harvest Festival for Kids kicks off Saturday, Oct. 27, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Worthington Park in West Memphis.

By John Rech