While Kids Club students took to the Pumpkin Patch, their parents met for their monthly meeting, and a GCCC small group prepared the first of this year’s monthly family dinners!

Initially, the community conceived the Family Dinners as a chance for families to enjoy time with one another and swap stories of their children’s school and Kids Club milestones. Families feasted on hot dogs, clutched raffle tickets, and chatted. Meanwhile, I slipped up to Yolanda, a mother who had offered to share the story of how her increasing involvement in her son’s school and attention to his academics had helped to skyrocket his school performance. After a little encouragement, she stepped onto the stage, held the microphone, and told her story with her son, Kyle, standing next to her.

While light munching continued, parents listened raptly. “At the beginning of the year,” Yolanda explained, “Kyle brought home the whole alphabet on his report card.” She told of how she had adjusted her work hours to afford more time for school meetings, her persistent questions to Kyle. “Now,” she said, “he only brings two letters home. A’s and B’s.”

Parents applauded as she stepped down with her son. We applaud her as well, not only for her persistence as a mom, but her courage in sharing her story. Thank you so much, Yolanda!