The Friday Finish - Family Fun Day, A Community Celebration - Fresh Is Delicious - A Force for Good
- Tim Crawford
- Jul 25
- 3 min read
July 25, 2025
Family Fun Day – A Community Celebration
On Monday, July 21st, Red Bird Mission and Clinic hosted our Summer Family Fun Day at Red Bird Christian School, and it was an amazing community celebration! Over 100 people signed in (and even more who didn’t sign in) making the event an amazing success. With vendors, music, food, and door prizes, there was something for everyone to enjoy.
The event was about more than just fun; it was about providing important resources and support to our community. Various screenings and booths gave residents of Bell, Clay and Leslie counties access to valuable health information, educational resources, and supplies that many greatly appreciated. From health screenings to resource tables filled with helpful materials, seeing neighbors come together to support one another and share moments of learning and growth is what Red Bird is all about.
What really made this event possible was the incredible effort of the Red Bird Mission staff, volunteers and partner organizations. They worked so hard setting up tables, organizing supplies, and preparing backpacks for the Back to School Assistance free backpack giveaway for those who had qualified ahead of time. Every single team member pulled together, helping one another to make sure the day went off without a hitch—it was true teamwork in action, and reminded us of the strength that comes from being part of such a caring, close-knit community.
Fresh Is Delicious
Tuesday's Grow Appalachia meeting on August 22nd was full of laughter, learning, and a taste of the garden! We were thrilled to welcome guest speaker Melanie Adams (B.S., Dietetics) who showed us the delicious side of healthy eating with fresh garden vegetables. She made Creamy Cucumber Salad, Fresh Corn Salad, Italian Garden Salad and Air Fryer Fried Potatoes—and our gardeners couldn’t get enough! Each dish was a hit!
Thanks to Melanie, our gardeners not only got to taste-test these amazing recipes but also went home with a variety of Mason jars for canning and organic pesticides to keep their gardens thriving. Plus, we kept the excitement going with door prizes for some lucky winners, who went home with awesome gardening tools and goodies!
A huge thank you to Melanie, and of course to our Grow Appalachia members and staff, who keep this community thriving—one laugh, one lesson, and one garden at a time. You’re all the heart of this program!
A Force for Good
Meet Shelbi Henkle, a passionate volunteer from Richmond, Virginia, whose dedication to service has been making an extraordinary impact in the Appalachian region. Since 2022, Shelbi has been volunteering at Red Bird Mission, first as an AmeriCorps Scholar working to improve internet access in rural areas, and more recently dedicating her summers to community outreach. Her efforts have empowered countless individuals, from helping seniors navigate technology to enhancing local resources for growth and opportunity.
Beyond her accomplishments, it’s Shelbi’s radiant and upbeat personality that truly sets her apart. Her positivity brings people together, fueling a shared passion for making a difference. Fresh off earning her master’s degree this spring, Shelbi is setting her sights on continuing her humanitarian work in Appalachia while also preparing for her upcoming wedding in September.
Shelbi’s story reminds us of the power of dedication, kindness, and collaboration. Her journey not only uplifts the Appalachian community but inspires everyone around her to dream big and take action. She’s more than a volunteer—Shelbi is a true force for good, proving that anything is possible when heart and spirit lead the way.
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