Welcome to another week!

Vacation Bible School at Fallowfield United Methodist Church has been a huge success. As of this writing, we’ve had 83 kids on Monday, 76 on Tuesday, and 79 on Wednesday. We are raising money for Imagine No Malaria, sponsored by the United Methodist Church. The idea is to eliminate malaria from Africa by 2015. I’ll have much more on Vacation Bible School in a couple weeks.

I will be at a writers’ conference next week, so I won’t be in touch. But I’ll be back the week of June 28.

Looking for swimming lessons? Mary Beth Jacobs of Conneaut Lake offers affordable swimming lessons for children ages 3—12 at Fireman’s Beach in Conneaut Lake. Bring children on July 6 – 9, 12 – 15, and 19 – 21. The cost is $35 per child. I’ve taken my kids to Mrs. Jacobs’ swimming lessons for four years. She is very patient and knowledgeable about swimming and water safety. I highly recommend these lessons. And you can’t beat the price. Memorial Pool in Greenville is closed, so Mrs. Jacobs offers the closest swimming lessons for people in the Atlantic community.

Mark your calendars for fireworks at 10 p.m. on July 3 at Riverside Park in Greenville. Bring a blanket, folding chairs, and some patience. It’ll take you a while to get out of the park once the show is over.

I hope you had a happy Father’s Day. I know it’s a tough holiday for those whose fathers have passed on and even harder for those who don’t have good relationships with their fathers. I’m very thankful that I have a good father and that I get to spend Father’s Day with him.

June 21 is the first day of summer, but I’ve seen mid-July flowers blooming all over the Atlantic community. I’ve seen daylilies and chicory, which usually bloom during the dog days of summer. I’ve also noticed that some farmers’ corn is already almost knee-high. Remember the old saying, “Knee high by the fourth of July?” Looks like corn will be ready early this summer, too. Amazing what a lot of sunshine in early spring will do, isn’t it?

If you’re a fan of positive alternative music, the Alive 10 Christian Music Festival at Atwood Lake Park in Mineral City, Ohio, is for you. Big names such as Skillet, Tobymac, Decyfer Down, and Relient K, among others, will perform. Check out the website at www.alive.org.

United Methodist Women meet at 7 p.m. June 29 at Fallowfield United Methodist. Expect a faith-based program, business meeting, and dessert.

Have a wonderful week. Blessings!