Church provides good family fun

By EMMILY N. BRISTOL

VIEW STAFF WRITER

No amount of wind or rain was going to be a wet blanket for the people at the Green Valley Festival on Oct. 29.

The festival, which took place at the Green Valley Christian Church at 711 Valle Verde Court, was being touted as a "friend raiser" for local Christians looking for an alternative to Halloween festivities in the area.

Church parishioner and three-year Henderson resident Becky Koch said church organizers were looking for a way to let people get to know each other in a family atmosphere.

"It's a 'friend raiser' since so many people are new to the area," Koch explained.

Due to the windy and rainy weather, many of the games and activities scheduled for outside the church were brought indoors into the common worship area. There were several air rides, food booths and a stage where musicians were performing.

It wasn't long before feet were tapping to the sounds of church musicians playing contemporary Christian music. The church boasts a strong youth group, which was dancing as Kelly English, Joy Mahoney and Beth Howard sang on stage.

"The youth ministry is something we're really proud of here (at the church)," English said off stage.

A very visible symbol of the youth group's activities was in the church parking lot. Some of the church's youth built a tall gray lighthouse for the festival. They were busy putting finishing touches on it with hammers and cans of spray paint as the clouds opened and sprinkled rain on them.

One area of the church was dedicated to a pie-baking contest and a chili cook-off, which was judged by members of Outback Steakhouse. Other activities included a specialty car show, demonstrations by Clark County Fire Station No. 19, Henderson Police, and a D.A.R.E. to Keep Kids Off Drugs van was handing out information to kids and parents.

Many of the people who attend the Green Valley Christian Church were on hand as volunteers for even the least fun jobs, such as parking lot helpers. When asked how a person got their job, one was invariably met with, "I volunteered for it," and a smile.