Kids Club took an alternative approach to Halloween this year.  There are many things about Halloween that can be scary for these little ones. However, at Kids Club we talked about how the holiday can be a fun community building time and it can be an opportunity to infiltrate darkness with light.  We decided to use this as an opportunity to love our neighbors in need by collecting canned goods when we went to house to house to Trick-or-Treat, serving as the monthly “service learning” component of Kids Club.  With a force of about 30 dressed up kids, about 20 parents and volunteers  and a fleet of shopping carts we collected from many generous neighbors 466 items for ALIVE, the local food bank.  There were a few comments from the neighbors about our greediness, thinking that the carts were in hopes of a record candy year!   However, when we explained that we were collecting items for the local food bank they were more than willing to grab an item or two from their pantries.  The children were glad to have the opportunity to give back as they collected their candy.  When we dropped off the food at ALIVE, the volunteer receiving it was very moved by the project and grateful for the effort.   Our children are learning at a young age that it is important to follow the example of Jesus and come first to serve.