By: Oniska Blevins

Since its start in 2014, the Edmundite Community Festival has provided the community with a safe and fun way to bring in the summer.

The festival is Friday, June 1 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on the Center of Hope Lawn located at 1107 Griffin Ave.

Chad McEachern, President and CEO of Edmundite Missions, said the idea to have a fun day came about as he was speaking to local youth. They expressed to him there were no fun events for youth in Selma during the beginning of the summer.

“We welcome all the children of Selma and our entire community to come and celebrate with us,” McEachern said. “I like to say it’s become our version of a family reunion.”

The free event will have food, games and music. There will also be raffles for bikes, fans, and one lucky person will win a chance to have a utility bill paid.

The Edmundite Missions has been providing food, clothing, and shelter to poor and marginalized families since its early beginnings in 1937.

“At its very core, this event, like everything the Edmundite Missions does, is meant to spread the hope and joy of God,” McEachern said.

The festival is another way the organization brings a sense of togetherness to its community service efforts.

“We hold this event to provide a safe place for our community to come together to eat, play, praise, and fellowship,” McEachern said. “We serve so many folks throughout the year that come to us with a sense of hopelessness, and this event is one way for us to celebrate as a community.”

Each year, the attendance grows as the event becomes more and more popular amongst community members.

“It’s always so exciting to see people line up to get in to the festival.” McEachern said. “I’m confident we’ll have a record-breaking crowd again this week. The more the merrier.”