Methodist Home to host 26th annual Celebration Day festivities

When a new child arrives at the Methodist Home for Children and Youth, CEO and President Alison Evans helps the newcomer pick a hand-crafted quilt that fits his or her personality.

"Pick out any quilt that speaks to you," Evans says to the child.

Such traditions -- which aim to make children feel more comfortable -- help make the 144-year-old residential home for neglected and abused children special, Events Manager Lacey Meador said.

On Saturday, the home will host its Annual Celebration Day, a favorite among the 78 children ages 8 to 18 who live there.

"They know that the proceeds benefit them, and they get really excited every year," Meador said. "This is the day the public goes out and celebrates with them."

All of the event's proceeds are used to help plan fun activities and provide basic amenities for the children, from clothes to deodorant and shampoo.

The 26-year-old event began as a small children's carnival with a bake sale, and it now includes live entertainment and auctions.

Celebration Day raises money -- and awareness -- for the organization's mission: piecing children's childhoods back together.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the home will host market vendors, bake sales, carnival booths and games, silent and live auctions and live entertainment by Madison Dance Studio. There will also be a worship performance from Warner Robins-based Harvest Church.

The event is scheduled to be held inside the home's Rumford Center in case of rain. Otherwise it will be behind the center on the baseball field, Meador said.

Although Celebration Day is geared for children under 12, Meador said there will be a rock-climbing wall and carnival slide for older children.

Last year's Celebration Day raised about $30,000.

"We try to take as (much of) those funds as possible and put them to the kids' fun," Meador said. "Which gives them the ability to take a trip to the beach, go to the movies or buy recreational equipment."

For Evans, one of her favorite Celebration Day memories is watching children balance five or six stuffed animals in their arms from the event's "Adopt-a-Pet" booth, which cost $1 each.

"It always warms my heart because I realize kids always want to find a place and a family," Evans said. "Here they are taking these stuffed critters home with them to be a part of their family."

Elizabeth Hart, the mother of a 2-year-old and 6-year-old, said she comes to the celebration every year.

"It's just for such a great cause," Hart said. "You can interact with them and just see that they're normal kids."

The children's home, originally called the Bibb County Home for Widows and Orphans, was built in 1856, according to the home's website.

In 1872, Bibb County sold the home to the South Georgia Conference of the Methodist Church for $1.

In 1994, the home expanded to a network of children's homes across the state -- in St. Marys, Columbus, Americus, Valdosta and Waverly Hall.

The history of the children's home stretches so far back that Evans said she knows one alumnus in his 90s.

"He lived here when America went through the Great Depression," the CEO said.

The children's home also runs a day care center and a community-based counseling service.

"We are just so proud to be a part of this community," Evans said. "We know that this community cares for its kids. ... We're grateful for that."

For a schedule of events, visit: www.themethodisthome.org/events.

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 6:20 PM with the headline "Methodist Home to host 26th annual Celebration Day festivities ."