PATTEN, Maine — Back to school can be a stressful time for children, especially if they do not have the tools necessary to succeed in school.
Thankfully, there are groups like the Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church in Patten, making sure local youth do not go without this school year.
The church membership was challenged by its pastor, Ruth Foss, to come up with enough school supplies to fill 20 backpacks to donate to local children in Katahdin Elementary and Katahdin Middle-High schools. The group had successfully filled 18 the previous year and figured 20 was a good number to target this year.
Foss’ church family responded to the challenge, collecting enough items to fill 40 backpacks with school supplies.
“Our Youth Group, ‘Fishing for Faith with Friends,’ made up the bags last night (Sept. 1),” explained Ray Foss, Ruth Foss’ husband. “They are now in the sanctuary and will be blessed (Sept. 3) in worship at 10:30 a.m.”
Ruth Foss delivered the backpacks to the two schools on Tuesday, Sept. 5, in time for the first day of classes.
Filling backpacks is not the only activity the youth group is spending time on. The group is also leading up the church’s response to Hurricane Harvey in the creation of flood buckets and health kits. That collection will continue until the end of September when they will be put together.
