ETBU Holds Fall Festival For Neighborhood Elementary School

MARSHALL, Texas (10/16/12)- East Texas Baptist University partnered with Robert E. Lee Elementary to host a fall festival. The time of fun and games was held on Saturday, September 29 on the Lee Elementary School campus.

ETBU’s Great Commission Center, Baptist Student Ministry, and Learning and Leading classes partnered with Second Baptist Church and Hillcrest Baptist Church to provide more than 200 volunteers for the fall festival. The festival included games, food, bounce houses, art, and other exciting activities for children and their families.

"The students and parents are still talking about our Fall Festival,” said Kresha Lane, Principal of Lee Elementary. At the fall festival, ETBU students and professors enjoyed getting to know Lee Elementary students and their families.

"As a Marshall native, it is my desire to bring our community together toward common goals. As a Christian, I know that God always places people in my path to help accomplish His goals and ETBU was placed in our path for a reason,” Lane said. "Through our partnership, we have been able to give more to our students and parents. Many of our parents are single parents and they really enjoyed the fall festival because the majority of the food and games were free.”

Lee Students were each given 20 free tickets to use at the festival games. Additional tickets could also be purchased for a small fee. A dunk tank donated by the Lee Elementary School PTA drew many throwing participants. Proceeds from the tickets and dunk tank fundraiser totaled nearly $350.

ETBU also collected two love offerings for Lee Elementary in chapel. The funds collected will help pay for a new playground for Lee Elementary students.

ETBU freshman Jordan Rosenberger of Waxahachie spent her time at the fall festival at the ring toss booth. "I think that as a college student and as a Christian it is good to share the light and love of Christ,” said Rosenberger..

The one thing that impressed her the most while helping at the festival was being able to see her classmates and friends loving kids that they didn’t know.

"After helping at Lee I really felt called to help with ‘ETBU Cares’ [ETBU’s ongoing partnership at Lee Elementary]. I think it’s so cool that God used this service project to push me to help with Lee in the future,” said Rosenberger.

"The students had a great time and my parents report that it actually felt like a community,” Principal Lane added with a smile.

Instructors of the Learning and Leading classes who participated in the event included Vince Blankenship, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing; Dr. Scott Bryant, University Chaplain and Vice President for Spiritual Development; Catherine Crawford, Vice President for University Advancement; Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; and others.

Lee Elementary is located less than a mile from the ETBU Campus. The ETBU community looks forward to a continued partnership with their neighbors at Lee Elementary School.