Highland Assembly of God is hosting the 12th Annual Backpack Extravaganza on the grounds of Highland Assembly of God Aug. 6 beginning at 8 a.m.
According to Pastor Chris Clem, this year marks a special occasion as the event is returning to its traditional format.
“This year we’re returning to a festival-like atmosphere with the car show, snow cones, bounce houses, and giveaways and are going back to that atmosphere. We’re giving 1,000 backpacks and 1,000 pairs of shoes and there’s no pre-registration required. They’ll show up and will register on site that day,” Clem said.
From 2010 until 2020, the event was held on the grounds of the church property; however, when Covid-19 became a challenge, the community joined together and transformed the event into a drive-through format. Clem said the event is only made possible through the community’s support. He noted getting back to a semblance of normal is a welcomed change.
“It’s so exciting. To me, it feels like we’re kicking off the school year right and that’s what this is, a celebration of starting the school year,” Clem said. “The last couple of years had kind of turned things upside down and we’re looking forward to this. Getting the students and our communities back into the flow again. This is not just a Highland Assembly thing; this is a community thing. Other churches, local banks, businesses, and contributing individuals make this a community event. This is our community coming together to celebrate our students.”
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