A second “Celebrate and Serve” event for Logan County is planned for Thursday at Crossroads Church in Russellville.

The event is for the whole community - especially the Christian community - to come out and show support for the family resource and youth service centers in the Logan County and Russellville schools.

Crossroads pastor Chris Cowan said the first Celebrate and Serve event came out of last year’s Leadership Logan class that he took part in.

“One of the things we did in Leadership Logan was to meet with the family resource directors for the schools,” Cowan said. “And when we heard the stories of what they do, our hearts just broke.”

Family resource directors work in each of the schools in the county and do what they can to help some of the most needy children in the community - either by providing clothes or food or other services to those in extreme need.

“I was thinking, you know what, it would be great if we could gather and rally the Christian communities to help them,” Cowan said.

And so just before Easter, the first Celebrate and Serve event was held at Crossroads.

“We had it here at Crossroads just because we had the space and the sound system and everything we’d need,” Cowan said. “But it wasn’t really a Crossroads event.”

At that event, there was 23 pastors and about 250 others who came together to support the family resource centers.

“We had a wonderful turnout,” Cowan said. “There was no preaching that night, just testimonies from the family resource directors. They were just sharing about their needs.”

At the end of the evening, a $1,500 love offering was taken up with all of it going directly to the family resource centers in Logan County and Russellville. And 22 individuals signed up to volunteer as mentors to students in need.

“We walked away from that, thinking we need to do it again when school starts up again,” Cowan said.

So this week’s event was planned.

Unfortunately, there aren’t as many pastors and churches committed to it as there was the last time.

But that hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of those supporting it.

“I’m just glad we’re going to have it again,” Cowan said. “I just want these family resource directors to feel our support and love.”

Cowan said there is still time for any interested pastors and/or churches to get involved and come out to the Celebrate and Share event.

“If someone reads this and they didn’t get an invitation to it - we want them to come be a part,” Cowan said. “We have really tried to beat the bushes. This is a great way to celebrate Jesus Christ. He served us in the ultimate way. He said, ‘I didn’t come to be served, but to serve,’ and we want to serve and demonstrate that love to our community.”

The event will be at Crossroads Church in the worship center at 6:30 p.m.

About Family Resource and Youth Services Centers

The Kentucky Family Resource and Youth Services Centers were established as a component of the historic Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) of 1990. The mission of these school-based centers is to help academically at-risk students succeed in school by helping to minimize or eliminate noncognitive barriers to learning.

Schools where at least 20 percent of the student population is eligible for free or reduced school meals may compete for FRYSC funding. Approximately, 51 percent of students enrolled in Kentucky’s public schools are eligible for free school meals.

FRYSCs are strengthened by community partnerships in their ability to provide vital programs, services and referrals to students and their families. These partnerships are critical in efforts on behalf of students to promote:

• early learning and successful transition to school;
• academic achievement and well-being; and
• graduation and transition into adult life.

Each center offers a unique blend of programs and services to serve the special needs of their student and family client populations. The goal of the FRYSCs is to meet the needs of all children and their families served by the centers as a means to enhance student academic success.

On April 15, 2008, Gov. Steve Beshear signed Senate Bill 192 into law, allowing changes to the FRYSC core components as listed below.

Family Resource Centers serve children under school age and in elementary school and coordinate:

• preschool child care;
• after-school child day care;
• families in training;
• family literacy services; and,
• health services and referrals.

Youth Services Centers serve students in middle and high school and coordinate:

• referrals to health and social services;
• career exploration and development;
• summer and part-time job development (high school only);
• substance abuse education and counseling; and
• family crisis and mental health counseling.