Ripon Christian Schools’ student body – elementary through high school – will reach out to the community as part of their annual Spiritual Emphasis week running Jan. 30 to Feb. 3.
Ripon Christian Schools spokesperson Heidi Bakker  said all grades from kindergarten through seniors in high school will be putting down their books and engaging in worshipping and serving God by helping others.
Kindergarten through fifth grades are scheduled to meet at Calvary Reformed Church at 8:45 a.m. T through Thursday to attend a chapel led by Pastor Angelo Contreras of Zion United Reformed Church in Ripon.  Grades six through 12 will be meeting for a chapel at the noon hour to hear a presentation by Aaron Bart, dean of chapel at Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.
On Friday, Feb. 3, all grade level students will be participating in service projects on their respective campuses and in the community.  Kindergartners will use their artistic skills to make greeting cards for the Ripon Police officers and staff. They plan  to deliver them after walking to the police department at 10:45 a.m. 
It will be a walk over to Bethany Home for first graders to deliver goody bags and cards to the caregivers who are employed there in the nursing home facility.  Second graders will be trekking to Bethany’s Town Square apartment with homemade cards and a litany of songs for the residents during their coffee time at 9:45 a.m.
Puzzle cards made by third graders for homeless kids are to be delivered to the Stockton Gospel Mission  along with students helping to pack backpacks for the Blessings in their Backpack Program. 
The fourth graders have been selling their used books at recess time to all grades to raise money for Comfort Kits which will be given to foster children throughout the community.
Service men and women stationed overseas will benefit from fifth graders putting together their care packages at Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church on Wilma Avenue shortly after their noon recess break. 
Service projects by middle and high school students will kick off  after 8 a.m. on Friday with the youth going to various homes in the community and harvesting fruit trees – mostly oranges and grapefruit – and bringing the produce to food banks, doing yard work and cleaning up the residue.
Valley CAPS and Valley CAPS Plus will also see Ripon Christian students arrive at their facilities ready to help  fulfill needs.  Tracy Interfaith Ministries and the St. Mary’s Dining Room in Stockton will also be getting a helping hand from cleaning to working on the food line at lunch time. 
The Gospel Center Rescue Mission in Stockton and the Children’s Crisis Center of Stanislaus County will be seeing an influx of students who helping to reduce the chores of the day and giving the programs a positive lift with their contributions. 
Preparing food for local families and reaching out to the staff of the Manteca Christian Preschool are also on the students’ list of challenges for the day.  The Ripon Senior Center will also be seeing a cadre of Ripon Christian workers walk into their facilities.
There is a long list of churches in Ripon and a few in Modesto that will see an infusion of young workers including the Parent Resource Center in Modesto.

To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.