Central Youth at Ozarks Food Harvest

The Group has gotten some volunteering in already to start 2018.

We went to the Ozarks Food Harvest and helped pack almost 800 backpacks worth of food that will go to help kids in the Springfield area not miss any meals.

It was a profoundly positive experience and I think we all left feeling good about helping others out.

We look forward to volunteering again at the Food Harvest and at other charities as well.  

Central Christian Member Gets Nominated for an Award

http://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/jefferson-award-nominee-is-a-navy-veteran-who-served-her-country-continues-to-serve-community/648987255

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Lisa Lynch has been a regular face at Boyd Elementary School the past 11-years. She doesn’t’ get a paycheck, she doesn’t want one.

Friends call Lynch, “One of a kind”, who has a love for children and a passion for giving to others. In the last quarter alone at Boyd she has volunteered nearly 450 hours.

“I love kids and I can make a difference and if I can make a difference to a kid, I’m good. Kids are the most awesome things we can ask for, they are the greatest gift that we can ever ask for,” said Lynch.

Lynch is a 68-year old Disabled Navy Veteran. She served 13 years and during that time she married her husband Gene Lynch. He was also a Navy Veteran. Together they had five children and later adopted two more. Lynch says they were a very happy family but faced hardships along the way.

Gene, passed away after 32-years of marriage. He lost his battle with cancer 2008. Soon, more tragedy would come to the family. Her youngest born son died two years later.

“He was born with some major birth defects, but he taught me there is nothing you can’t do,” said Lynch.

Charlie Lynch was born with many disabilities including spin bifida. Lynch calls him a miracle child because the doctors she said doctors didn’t expect him to survive birth. He lived to be 26.

“He taught me there is nothing you can’t do.”

Lynch began volunteering in Marjie DeWilde’s 5th-grade classroom at Boyd nine years ago.  She and DeWilde developed a close friendship after Lynch’s granddaughter attended her class.

“Honestly, I’m a better teacher because she’s here and the student’s get so much more help and they can turn their work around so much faster. The whole classroom is a better place, DeWilde said.

The students grow close to Lynch. They call her Ms. Lisa, some even call her Grandma Lisa.

Naveah Smith is in her class. “ She’s like a  third grandma to me," said Smith. "She’s very helpful. She helps you with your work and your math and makes it where you can understand better.”

Lynch says the kids are like her won and they mean very much to her. Outside of volunteering in classrooms she also has four book fairs a year at four different schools in Springfield. She’s been doing so more than a decade. Lynch is trying to make sure children who can’t afford a book of their own will get a book of choice

Culture Club

Culture Club is an after school program for students at Boyd Elementary. At Culture Club a full meal is served for those in attendance. The students will also have the opportunity to play, work on puzzles, build with different materials, and work on their homework with volunteer students from Drury University and Missouri State University. Registration for Culture Club happens at the beginning of the school year.

Breakfast with Santa

Breakfast with Santa occurs the first Saturday in December. Families are invited families to eat a pancake breakfast together and get their pictures taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Other features for the children include: face painting, crafts, and the ability to pick out gifts for their caregivers.

Boyd Book Festival

In another partnership with Boyd Elementary, Central Christian puts on a book festival at the end of every school year. At this event children are able to choose two books to keep and read over the summer. This event also has face painting, crafts, science experiments to conduct, and a hot dog lunch to everyone in attendance. This is a way to help the students of Boyd keep up with their reading over the summer.

Boyd Recognizing Donors

New Track for Boyd Elementary

Central Christian Church Gives to the Shelter Van

Central Christian Church gives to the Shelter van.  Read the full story by clicking the link below:

http://www.news-leader.com/story/opinion/readers/2014/06/22/church-extends-tradition-giving-shelter-van/11165785/