The Friday Finish - Seniors Still "Scared" - The Why, Not Just the What - Defined by Jesus - Record Setting Championships - All Festival Choir - Shakespeare & KY History
- Tim Crawford
- Oct 31
- 7 min read
October 31, 2025
Hunger Relief Picks Up, Seniors Still “Scared”
Concern over hunger continues and the pace of response at Red Bird Mission Community Outreach is picking up. On Saturday, the good folks from Murfreesboro, Tennessee showed up to unload 3,500 pounds sweet potatoes coming through the Society of Saint Andrew. The sweet potato distribution began Tuesday when the doors at God’s Storehouse opened at 9 a.m. for monthly distribution of food boxes for 204 low income elderly and disabled individuals served by Red Bird Mission Community Aid. By Wednesday, all of the 1.75 tons of sweet potatoes was gone! There are many more instances of food deliveries from other communities and states coming just in time to refill pantry shelves.
Hunger is real, but Red Bird is making a difference because individuals and churches are stepping up to deliver food and contribute financially to cover expenses for meals prepared. Red Bird staff don’t have much time to take a break between filling food boxes, cooking meals and delivering them, but the sincerity of gratitude and words of appreciation from the elderly, mothers, fathers, women and men delivers a pulse of energy needed to fill the next food box and walk up the next set of steps to drop a meal.
Candace Collins, Red Bird Mission Women and Children Ministries Coordinator, is doing “double duty” these days by stepping in to fill a meal delivery staff vacancy holding down costs. She reported that people are really “scared right now” citing the fact that every person picked up their commodity box on Tuesday before noon when there are usually several boxes picked up after lunch or the next day.
Red Bird Mission still needs your help to fight elder hunger. Funding is needed every month to cover lack of state funding that still hasn’t come through. If you are able, please commit to cover the cost of $180 every month. Any amount helps right now so please give online using our link, or mail your check to Red Bird Mission, Inc., 70 Queendale Ctr, Beverly, KY 40913-9607 marked “Elderly Hunger Relief”.
The Why, Not Just the What
Kayla Smith here, reporting your weekly news and this week has been one for the books! Red Ribbon Week at Red Bird Christian School (RBCS) is one of my favorite snapshots of who we are. It’s fun, loud and a little messy in the best way, but underneath the neon and the costumes is a steady promise we make to our kids and each other. We choose healthy, drug‑free lives. We look out for our neighbors. We teach the why, not just the what. That’s Red Bird.
Monday kicked off with Decades Day. Hallways turned into a time machine from every era. The message was simple and strong. Rock the past, refuse to use.
Tuesday was Glow Day, and this place lit up. Sunglasses inside felt like a rule you’d normally break, but it worked for the message. Glow bright, shine drug‑free. Tie‑dye, neon, big smiles.
Wednesday we pulled on camo and favorite Christian tees. God’s Army showed up in the homeroom and the bus line, not to be loud, but to be steady. This was about standing together, making brave choices, being a quiet strength in a noisy world.
Thursday was Pink Out for Mrs. Akela Day, and I don’t have fancy words for it, just true ones. Our Red Bird family believes in showing up through every season, and right now we have staff facing challenges who need our care, prayer, and encouragement. The sea of pink in our halls wasn’t just cute, it was commitment. We love our people and we mean it.
Friday wrapped with Costume Day and our annual Halloween parade. Don’t get tricked, drugs aren’t a treat. It was laughter and candy buckets and tiny superheroes, princesses, and cool characters. Staff lined the halls with candy and cheers. The message landed because it was tucked inside a memory they’ll keep.
Our littlest Red Bird Cardinals had their own big moment too. On Thursday, Preschool did their campus trick‑or‑treat through Red Bird Mission and the hallways of RBCS. High schoolers turned into the sweetest candy crew, grinning ear to ear at every tiny dinosaur and princess that toddled past. Every department on campus waits for those little footsteps each year. You could feel the joy bounce from office to office. The preschoolers looked adorable, had the best time, and reminded all of us why we do this work.
That’s Red Ribbon Week here. It’s dress‑up days and hallway noise, yes. But it’s also a practice we live out together. Healthy, drug‑free choices. Honest conversations. Community that links arms and says you are not alone. From our oldest seniors to our tiniest trick‑or‑treaters, Red Bird is choosing life and hope on purpose, day after day. I’m proud to tell that story.
Defined By Jesus
I was surprised at just how prepared I was for classes at Asbury University my freshman year. Things certainly became more challenging as I progressed to receive my Bachelor’s of Arts in Chemistry. Red Bird Christian School prepared me to face those challenges because I learned not only to work hard, but that I was not defined by my work. I am defined by who Jesus says I am. A Child of God and a Person of Worth.
I have worked for Moog, Inc., a leading provider in precision-motion controls for aerospace applications, for the past 5 years. First, as a contract worker providing software training to engineers and now full-time as a Configuration Coordinator. I help make sure our engineering change process is compliant with industry standards. (I help make sure the “i’s” are dotted, the “t’s” are crossed, and everything is filed correctly.)
In my career at Moog I have interacted with people all over the world including Cork, Ireland; Wolverhampton, England; Bangalore, India; and Baguio, Philippines. I’ve been able to travel to Denver, Colorado; Blacksburg, Virginia; and East Aurora, New York to give trainings and collaborate with colleagues.
I give to Red Bird Mission because Christ first gave to me. I want to contribute to Red Bird like many others did so I could receive a quality education built on a foundation of faith. I will never know on this side of heaven all the kind people who gave their money and/or their time so that I could be prepared both spiritually and academically for my life ahead. I want to help continue that legacy.
Thomas Wilder, Class of 2016
Join Thomas by making your contribution to prepare today’s Red Bird Christian School students spiritually and academically for a life of world impact. A major, year-end gift can make a difference in closing the tuition gap for our students and their families. Give online, or mail a check to Red Bird Mission, Inc., 70 Queendale Ctr, Beverly, KY 40913-9607 marked “School World Impact”.
Record Setting Regional Championships
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association Class 1A Region 6 Championships on Saturday was a record-setting afternoon for the Red Bird Christian School Varsity Cross Country team. Cardinal runners that trained and competed throughout the season all set personal records on the Morgan County High School course in West Liberty.
Senior Trevor Osborne came out of “retirement” for the championship day to give the RBCS Boys Varsity a full team to compete for a chance to qualify for state championships. Junior Gift Kayeye led all Cardinal runners for the day followed by Eighth Grader Bryan William Smith, Juniors Abenezer Dukamo and Isaac Mundala. Even though the boys finished 10 out of 11 teams running in the championship, their placements affected the outcome of which teams will represent Region 6 at state. Sophomore Kadence Nolan was the lone runner for Red Bird in the Girls Championship.
Ten Participate in Regional All Festival Choir
We are so proud of our Red Bird Christian School 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who were selected to perform in the SKMA Regional All-Festival Choir Workshop and Concert on Tuesday, October 28! Students selected were: Erabela Broome, Ashtyn Collett, Bristol Smith, Jase Smith, Shelby Davis, Ashlyn Adams, Lily Ratliff, Laya Estep, Charlie Gray and Liam Marcum.
Their performance was absolutely enchanting—one of those moments where the music just rises up and wraps around you. It was beautiful, moving, and truly gave us shivers.
We are deeply thankful for our wonderful music teachers, Mr. Nate Smallwood and Mr. Mark Smallwood, whose dedication, talent, and love for music continue to inspire our students every single day.
Taken from a Red Bird Christian School Facebook post
Shakespeare & Kentucky History
Two Kentucky Shakespeare actors made the trek to Red Bird Christian School yesterday (October 30th) to make their spirited, fact-filled and engaging presentation of “Chronicles of the Commonwealth”. RBCS students focused intently during the hour-long dramatic telling of Kentucky’s history. Students began by learning about the different types of historical sources and reliability before moving through historical periods covering eras and famous Kentuckians that impacted the United States and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The actors tested students’ Kentucky history knowledge throughout the drama and called on “supporting actors” from the audience.
Mrs. Patty Vance teaches 3rd-5th Social Studies and Appalachian Studies to our high school students, and was thrilled with how well the presentation merged right into the content she is teaching. One high school student said,
“I thought that I wasn’t going to like it [a dramatic presentation on history], but I really liked it!”
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