The Bibles for Grads committee is requesting that all Grade 12 students interested in a personally engraved Bible contact them to ensure their name is on the list to receive one.
Students who have contacted the committee beforehand will receive their Bible at a luncheon banquet April 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Community Centre.
At the banquet, students will enjoy an entertaining performance from the Canadian University College Acronaires acrobatic group, eat a turkey lunch, and receive their Bible with a Lakewood Golf Resort coupon.
Committee member Sharon Nielson said Bibles will be given to every student on the list, as long as the student attends a Sylvan Lake church or school or has anything to do with the Sylvan Lake area.
She said the luncheon is often well attended, as even ƒcole Secondaire Notre Dame High School students from Red Deer are bussed to the event.
“We want to catch all the kids in that age group, because it's at that age that they make a lot of big decision in their life,” Nielson said. “We just want to be a positive influence in that. If they are interested, they have a Bible that they can turn to. If they are not, then that's their choice. I hope they will read it.”
She said the committee gives away an average of over 260 Bibles to students each year.
Currently, the committee has 260 students listed, but Nielson expects there will be a few more as they may have forgotten or were not informed of additional students wanting Bibles.
Nielson said the bulk of the Bibles are already being engraved with the students’ names. Cards will accompany the Bibles as well.
“The people that go to the church in Sylvan Lake write personal notes to each grad which is put into their Bible,” Nielson said.
If Bibles are still requested after the banquet, Nielson said she will still buy Bibles, have them engraved, and the students will still receive a Lakewood Golf Resort coupon.
“As soon as we get the names then we can have the Bibles on the day of the banquet,” Nielson said. “But if we don't get the names then we just buy the Bibles later and deliver them.”
Nielson said the churches in Sylvan Lake donate funds each year to cover the cost of the Bibles, which can range anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000.
Nielson said the committee is not trying to push a religion or beliefs on the students, and instead want students to read it and make their own choices.
“It's an opportunity to put the word of God in their hands, and then they can make the choice of what they want to do with that,” Nielson said. “If they don't have it, they can't make the choice.”