Community prayer breakfast to honor Beth-Center students
Courtesy of Sharen L Sakel
The first Ten Mile Valley Community Prayer Breakfast was held in 2022 in the Marianna Community Outreach parking lot.
Courtesy of Sharen L Sakel
About 350 people attended the 2022 community prayer breakfast.
Courtesy of Sharen L Sakel
Music was provided in 2022 by choral and instrumental students from the Beth-Center School District. They will also perform at this year蘑菇视频 event.
The first Ten Mile Community Prayer Breakfast greatly exceeded expectations, so those involved have high hopes for this year蘑菇视频 event.
A community breakfast to honor and pray for the students of the Bethlehem-Center School District is set for Saturday in the Marianna Community Outreach parking lot at 117 First St., Marianna (the former Sts. Mary and Ann Church).
Gathering and music will begin at 8 a.m., with breakfast scheduled for 8:30 a.m.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 really exciting this year,鈥� said Pat O鈥橞rien, a volunteer with the outreach and a 1979 graduate of Beth-Center High School. 鈥淟ast year, we prayed for the entire school district, be it a teacher, board member, administrator, cafeteria worker or student. We were praying for the entire school and presenting the school with the 鈥楲ove God 鈥� Love Your School鈥� award. This year, we really wanted to focus on students and encourage them as they start the new school year.鈥�
O鈥橞rien noted the success of the 2022 event.
鈥淚t blew us away with how many people came,鈥� O鈥橞rien said. 鈥淲e thought if we鈥檇 have gotten 100 to 150 people there, we would have been very, very happy, but as the week got closer, we kept getting call after call and we ended up having 350 people come last year. It was amazing.鈥�
The student body will receive the 2023 鈥淟ove God 鈥� Love Your School鈥� award at this year蘑菇视频 breakfast, and a prayer will be offered for the 2023-24 school year.
鈥淲e know there蘑菇视频 going to be a lot more students in the audience,鈥� O鈥橞rien said.
Devon Johnson, a 1993 graduate and Marianna native, will provide music. Johnson is the lead vocalist of Ruff Creek, a local country band which has opened for national artists such as Blake Shelton, Travis Tritt, Sara Evans and the Charlie Daniels Band.
Keynote speakers will be Dr. Kelly Hunt, 1985 graduate, district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Zander Shashura, 2010 graduate, director of finance for UPMC and the associate pastor of Calvary Chapel South Pittsburgh in West Elizabeth.
鈥淲e think it蘑菇视频 a wonderful example for students, and everybody there, that Beth-Center people are successful and, most importantly, have faith in the Lord,鈥� O鈥橞rien said.
Current students also will be recognized, including Jayce Hundertmark, a member of the Beth-Center football team who did landscaping at the Marianna Community Outreach facility as an Eagle Scout project, and Trinity Rudman, an accomplished musician who was a finalist for 2023 Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Queen and Beth-Center蘑菇视频 2022 Homecoming Queen.
Seats can be reserved for $20 or a table of 10 for $200. Admission for students is free.
All proceeds will go to the Beth-Center School District. Donald MacFann, superintendent, said about $7,500 went to the district through last year蘑菇视频 event and was used for curriculum, technology and beautification projects in the district.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 a great community event,鈥� MacFann said. 鈥淚t benefits the school in so many different ways. The money end of it is not what蘑菇视频 important. Getting the word out there about community and having the community hear about the good things that go on in this region, it蘑菇视频 just needed. It蘑菇视频 a wonderful event to see people come together to talk about positive in the community and to focus on what we can do to help these young kids. 鈥�
Invitations have been extended to political leaders, business leaders and members of the community. Many churches will be represented.
Much like last year, there will be some entertainment provided by choral and instrumental students from the Beth-Center School District.
鈥淲e鈥檙e setting up for 500,鈥� O鈥橞rien said. 鈥淭here蘑菇视频 a lot of great enthusiasm behind it. We think the Holy Spirit is at work and we鈥檙e hopeful a lot of people will be there that day to rally around those students, pray for them and hear some great messages.鈥�