Local church aids Uniontown students

West Bourbon Elementary School students fill new backpacks with school supplies during the school's enrollment on Aug. 4. About 240 backpacks and some school supplies were donated to the students by the Marmaton Community Church. (Rayma Silvers/Tribune)

What started out as a small contribution three years ago has grown into a significant blessing to many families in the Uniontown school district.

According to Jeff Feagins, pastor of the Marmaton Community Church in Redfield, the congregation enjoys reaching out to the local community. In 2007, the church began a backpack program that allowed them to show Christ's love to community members. Three years later, the backpack program is still being conducted by the church. However, it has grown from the church donating 30 backpacks the first year to 240 backpacks being contributed to West Bourbon Elementary students for the 2009-10 school year.

"The backpack ministry is a cool thing we do to help share the love of Christ in the community," Feagins said. "We are always looking for ways to help meet needs in our community and schools. This is just one of the many things we do to help make a difference in our community and school, and it is about sharing the love of Christ at the same time."

According to West Bourbon Elementary School administrator Tracy Smith, the backpack program is especially helpful for many WBE families. Not only do the backpacks help meet a financial need, but they also spark excitement in the students who receive them.

"There are 240 backpacks and some school supplies," Smith said. "This helps supplement some of the families who need assistance. That's a great thing. This school and district has heart-felt gratitude to the Marmaton Community Church. It's a wonderful thing."

Feagins said because the community members have shown gratitude for the backpack program and because he knows many families really need help obtaining the necessary school supplies, the church would like to continue the program again next year.

"We want to continue this program because it has been received so well by the folks at the school and in the community," Feagins said. "We feel like, especially in these tough economic times, as a church, we need to do everything we can to help meet needs for the families of our communities. The backpack ministry program definitely helps meet a need during these tough times."

Feagins said the congregation plans to donate enough backpacks and some school supplies for the entire WBE student body again next year.

For more information about the Marmaton Community Church visit the church's Web site at www.marmatoncc.org.