OZARK – The Ozark campus of the Baptist Homes & Healthcare Ministries has successfully engaged its senior residents with a unique initiative: a Vacation Bible School (VBS) designed specifically for them.
“We held a Vacation Bible School for our residents,” said Don Swadley, the VBS director. “We started this last year but saw a much better turnout this year. Attendance was consistently between 35 and 40 people per service, and our final service drew fifty-nine participants.”
Swadley noted that the event attracted residents from all areas of the campus, including those living in the independent living homes known as the “Outback.” Swadley and his wife, Julie, also reside in the Outback.
“The idea for last year’s VBS came from our campus pastor, Ron Adrian, and Pam Workman-Chainey, the executive director and administrator,” Swadley explained. “We were inspired to host another session this year.”
Workman-Chainey reflected on the inspiration behind the program. “One of my favorite childhood summer memories was VBS, and that sparked the idea to bring it here,” she said.
The program aimed to replicate the structure of a children’s VBS. “We started with pledges to the American flag, Christian flag, and Bible, sang songs with hand motions, invited a missionary to speak, and I led the Bible study,” Swadley said.
Refreshments played a vital role, just as they do in children’s VBS. “I was basically the cookie lady,” said Sharon Nelson. “I made sure we had treats—cookies and lemonade.”
Workman-Chainey shared a similar sentiment. “My favorite memory of VBS was the cherry Kool-Aid and the cheap cookies because they tasted so good together,” she recalled.
Nostalgia was a significant element of this VBS. Mary Hagler, a sprightly 101-year-old, reminisced, “I’ve always loved Bible school. I had four children and used to fill my car with kids to take them to VBS.”
Zeldean Munton, 88, who also resides in the Outback, attended all three sessions. “It brought back a lot of memories,” she said. “I used to work in VBS for three hours in the morning for two weeks. It was always busy with my four sons. This program was really neat and fun.”
Swadley conducted the Bible studies over the three days, focusing on the Trinity. “I spent a day each on God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We provided handouts and puzzles for the participants to complete, and those who brought back their finished puzzles the next day earned candy,” he said.
Brad Maxey, the life enrichment coordinator, collaborated with Swadley on a craft project. “We made triangle paperweights, each side representing the Trinity,” Maxey explained. “There aren’t many crafts that fit the theme of the Trinity.”
Adrian noted the positive impact of the program. “We experimented with this last year, and it was successful. We decided to do it again immediately. It requires a tremendous amount of effort, time, and preparation, and it wouldn’t be possible without prayer.”
Swadley emphasized the importance of the event. “It’s crucial to implant the Word of God in hearts. We even took a photo of the oldest participants—about twenty of them were aged 90 and above,” he said.
This innovative VBS has brought joy and cherished memories to the senior residents, affirming that faith and community spirit remain timeless and ageless.