As the school year comes to a close, Saint Paul Catholic School put on a grand picnic event for the families of their students on Wednesday, May 29.
Amanda Bookholt, marketing and enrollment director, shares that this is an annual event that always brings their staff joy to host for these families.
“We always host this picnic during the last week of school,” Bookholt said. “Parents can purchase a ticket and bring lunch to enjoy with their kids. It’s a really nice community event for us.”
Bookholt notes that while the picnic event is a family favorite, there’s a plethora of events that Saint Paul Catholic School puts on throughout the year.
“We have a wide variety of events all year long,” Bookholt said. “We have Oktoberfest at the beginning of the year and our Christmas program is one of our biggest events. There's plenty of opportunities that our families have to be involved with the school community. Today is all about a relaxing day from the craziness throughout the year and getting ready for the summer.”
Additionally, this picnic event is part of a school fundraiser put on every year. Diane Kepa, bookkeeper at Saint Paul Catholic School, describes the correlation between this event and the fundraiser.
“The picnic generated from our big gala event,” Kepa said. “It’s an offering that we do annually. We try to offer activities for not only the kid’s benefit, but also the families.”
What made the picnic even more spectacular was that it was treated with warm weather.
“It’s absolutely beautiful out there today,” Kepa said. “I remember last year, we even had some of the dads playing football with their kids and other families. It’s an awesome opportunity for everybody to have some fun.”
One mother who had a blast at the event was Dawn Hawes. She was accompanied by her two daughters at the event and found the picnic to be a very cheerful gathering.
“It’s a wonderful thing for all these families to come together and socialize,” Hawes said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to reflect and enjoy time together.”
While this is the first picnic event she’s attended, Hawes appreciates everything that the staff at Saint Paul Catholic School does to create a healthy experience for her family.
“I think they do a wonderful job trying to incorporate the school community,” Hawes said. “Both of my kids are having a happy and successful learning experience and I hope that continues here throughout eighth grade.”
On top of the fundraiser with this picnic, Bookholt mentions how Saint Paul Catholic School is looking at various ways to contribute toward a successful future of education for these students.
“There’s different things that we raise money for as a school,” Bookholt said. “While this fundraiser is a part of our gala, we are also working on expanding the school. Right now we only have one class and next year there will be two.”
As the summer season approaches, there is a lot to be excited about for the future of Saint Paul Catholic School. Bookholt was pleased with the impressive turnout of energetic families and shared her appreciation for the rest of the staff to make everything come together smoothly for this picnic.For more information on Saint Paul Catholic, you can visit their website.