Arissa Viering | 7/13/2020 | Goodday Mineral Wells | The Wishing Well of Mineral Wells | Upcoming Events | Positive News
Mineral Wells, TX – Things are very different this year due to COVID-19. School systems are being hit hard with precautionary guidelines. Teachers are preparing for a school year that will be both online and in-person. Parents are deciding which mode of instruction, whether online or in-person, will be best suited for their children. Students seem to be impacted by COVID in every direction and there was even a news article released yesterday regarding the use of plexiglass as a separator between desks for students in the classroom.
Now more than ever, preparing for the upcoming school year is stressful.
Throughout the Mineral Wells community, so many great programs are being developed to help others during this pandemic. The Goodday Mineral Wells team has seen the devotion of so many amazing individuals to helping their community.
Our team wants to highlight one of those stories:
First Baptist Church of Mineral Wells will be having its 22nd Annual Back-to-School Fair on August 8th at 8 AM – 10 AM at the Mineral Wells High School. However, the fair will be quite different this year.
In the past, the Annual Back-to-School Fair has operated with several booths that students and their families could attend. Volunteers from many organizations and businesses including WIC, New Haven, Center of Life, and various food pantries, would assist with the fair. Usually, the volunteers would be able to visit with the families at various booths and the students were able to enjoy fun entertainment including clowns and balloon animals. Families were able to attend the event to prepare for the upcoming school year and students would even have their sports physical exams performed to prepare for school at one of the booths. Unfortunately, many of these events had to be canceled this year in observance of COVID-19 precautions.
“Unfortunately, we can’t do that this year . . . I’m really sad we can’t do that.”
Liz O’Quin, First Baptist Church of Mineral Wells
Liz O’Quin, First Baptist Church of Mineral Wells Secretary, wishes for the very best for the students this year during this time. She has great pride in the school fair that is held each year. This is her seventh year overseeing the community event.
“We have a need in our community for kids to have these supplies to start the school year off right.”
This year, instead of the usual school fair with booths, parents and students will need to attend the event via drive-thru at Mineral Wells High School. Prior to attending the event, all students will need to be pre-registered here. Backpacks filled with supplies and contacts/information for local resources will be handed out within the drive-thru. Each family will need to have all students in need of supplies in the vehicle at the time of the event. Parents will not need to exit the vehicle during the drive-thru and should tell the volunteers the names of the children. Volunteers will be wearing masks and gloves throughout the event.
Various area businesses, organizers, sponsors, and volunteers from different groups participate in this event yearly to ensure that the Mineral Wells area students have school supplies. Back-to-school supplies are given out based on grade level and resources are given to families regarding beneficial organizations within the area. This year, Palo Pinto General Hospital (PPGH) has kindly donated all of the school backpacks and supplies along with many other sponsors including Golden Chick, Double H Tire, and Community National Bank.*
Liz wishes for a successful back-to-school fair this year and hopes that families and students will be in attendance. An event is available on Facebook and will also be created within the Goodday Mineral Wells upcoming events calendar.
Potential sponsors for the event may contact Liz at loquin@fbcmwtx.org or call First Baptist Church of Mineral Wells at 940-325-2523 to volunteer or donate.
At the end of each Wishing Well article, the Goodday Mineral Wells team always asks one important question: “What’s your wish for Mineral Wells?”
“I just wish for all the kids to have a successful year in whichever route they take in school and that they feel safe and nurtured in whichever school route they take.”
*Full sponsor listing to be added on 7/14/20.
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Former Co-Founder | June 2020-Nov 2020 | Graduate of Texas Christian University with a background in medical anthropology, psychology, and creative writing. Passionate about writing novels. Loved the Mineral Wells community and all that it had offered her and her family.
