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lessing Through the ack to School litz
by Lance Finley CGGC Executive Director
Pastor Dave Odegard with backpacks Photo by Kenton Times
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ach summer for the past several years, on a hot and sunny Sunday afternoon in August, the village of Wharton, OH is transformed from it’s normal quiet and sleepy existence into the “place to be” thanks to the Wharton Church of God (https://www.whartoncog.com) and their Back to School Blitz. Wharton is a village of approximately 400 residents located in Wyandot County, about 20 miles southeast of Findlay. The brothers and sisters at the Wharton Church of God are doing a tremendous job of loving their neighbors and serving their local community. A typical Sunday afternoon drive through Wharton wouldn’t probably offer a lot to report on, but on the day of the Back to School Blitz, that’s a whole different story. The village blocks off one end of the main road with barricades and the local fire company parks a fire engine at the opposite end of the street in order to redirect traffic for the day. This quiet street is transformed into a carnival-like atmosphere with fun, food and lots of people enjoying the time together. At both ends of the street there are bounce houses full of energetic children playing and laughing. On one side of the street there are a number of booths with games, face painting and other activities for the kids. On the opposite side of the street there’s a dunk tank, a food station with hot dogs, beverages and cotton candy, as well as a DJ from a local Christian radio station playing music and serving as the emcee of the event.
Photo by Lindsay Ginter
The Global Advocate 7
