The Party in the Park, held Aug. 24, 2013, in Cottage Grove’s Coiner Park, brought together the local Adventist church and other area churches to distribute free school supplies and clothing to those in need. This much-anticipated annual event brings large crowds early in hopes of receiving many of the items needed to start each school year. A free lunch is also served and gladly received by those in attendance.
Area churches offer such services and items as backpacks, assorted school supplies and haircuts. An estimated 200 individuals obtained clothing from the Adventist Community Services program.
This year, the Cottage Grove Church decided to partner with the Party in the Park event in order to consolidate this vital service to the community. The church has held an annual school clothes giveaway event independently for many years — so many years, in fact that now parents who once received some of their school clothing from the church when they were young now bring their own children for clothes and other school-related items.
The Party in the Park put on by the Cottage Grove Church and other area churches provides underprivileged families with school supplies.
