The Friday Finish – April 19, 2024
“…a divine organization…for kids in eastern Kentucky”
Kevin Wilson (Class of ’90) returned to Red Bird School on Wednesday to share his spoken testimony and his original songs at a joint chapel service. Kevin grew up on Middle Fork but lived in the Red Bird dorm as a student. He said four generations of his family have attended Red Bird School.
Kevin shared songs inspired by his family and faith journey giving credit to his family, church, and people at Red Bird Mission that were used by God in his personal life. Kevin has been playing his music and testifying in churches since he graduated from Red Bird, but took a leap of faith to become a full time evangelist in 2009. Last year, he spoke and sang 120 times both in and out of state.
Kevin reflected before the students, “I was looking at those pictures in [Senior Class collages] there, and all the graduates of Red Bird. And, I just thought this morning about how many souls have walked in and out of these doors; how many lives have been touched by the sacrifice of the Mission. It’s not strictly about the Mission, but the inspiration of what Jesus did through those people. I am so grateful that the school keeps pushing forward. We had lean years when I was here, and probably have lean years now,
but I believe this is a divine organization that God has appointed for kids in eastern Kentucky.”
Members of the Red Bird choirs joined Kevin in singing one of everybody’s favorite songs, “Spiritual High,” for the chapel finale.
State Civil Air Patrol Officers Impressed
Col. Jamie Henson, Kentucky Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Wing Commander, and Lt. Col. Eric Milles, paid a special visit to the Red Bird 801st Civil Air Patrol Cadet Squadron on Wednesday to present the official charter certificate to Maj. Kelton Adams, 801st Squadron Commander, and Principal Jennifer Wilder. The Red Bird squadron is the first school based squadron in Kentucky. Lt. Col. Milles was recently appointed as a school liaison for CAP with the goal of forming other squadrons in schools across the state.
The Red Bird squadron has progressed well during the school year with leadership development and aerospace education. This was the first visit to Red Bird for Col. Henson and Lt. Col. Milles, but both left very impressed with the Red Bird squadron, Red Bird Christian School, and Red Bird Mission in general. They also recognized the support that the School and the Mission give to the squadron.
Five cadets are hoping to attend the Kentucky Wing Summer Encampment at the Wendell H. Ford Training Center in Greenville, Kentucky for 10 days. Commander Maj. Adams also said that during Wednesday’s visit, Wing Commander Col. Henson and Lt. Col. Milles are working on a future joint multi-state cadet training that would include the Red Bird 801st.
First Grade Scientists
Beautiful weather at Queendale this week made the perfect outdoor laboratory for Mrs. Kelly's First Graders. They’ve been studying about the life cycle of frogs and the differing forms they take on in their life cycle. The students took the quick trip downstairs to a drainage waterway that empties into the Red Bird River and soon netted tadpoles to make science class come to life.
Life Saving Cabinets Installed
The remote communities Red Bird Mission serves often don’t have access to emergency assistance but the Clay County Health Department and the Volunteers of America (VOA) Recovery Community Center are helping to make the area safer. Installation of two cabinets containing Naloxone were completed on Thursday in an effort to make the opioid neutralizing product available at any hour of the day. Red Bird staff mounted an indoor cabinet donated by the Clay County Health Department in the hallway of Community Outreach, and the second cabinet donated by the VOA Manchester Recovery Center was mounted on the outside wall leading into the AdventHealth Red Bird Clinic.
We’ve got our first match!
The news that all have been waiting for – we have an initial match of $10,000 for the Kentucky Gives Day campaign. An anonymous donor that believes in and supports the outreach of Red Bird Mission committed this week to match dollar for dollar every gift given to the campaign.
We got word on Thursday that the Kentucky Nonprofit Network, the nonprofit organization that sponsors the event, has secured prizes for the day. We’ll share next week about how your online giving at certain times on May 7th, or just your online gift, could generate a prize that would be additional support for Red Bird Mission, Inc., and Red Bird Clinic, Inc.
Circle the day, and tell your friends to save some charity dollars for Red Bird Mission on May 7th! Every donation makes a difference to someone here.