Lighthouse Ministries

As our Open House and Marketplace Fundraiser on September 14th approaches, we want to extend our deepest gratitude to all of our incredible sponsors. Through their generosity, the first $15,000 donated will be matched.

Sponsors, your contributions and support make our programs and events possible, and we couldn’t do it without you.

From all of us at the Lighthouse, thank you for believing in our vision and for helping us make a lasting impact in the lives of children and families in our community. Together, we’re building a brighter future! ✨

To learn more about our upcoming event and access registration forms, follow the link below.

https://cantonlighthouse.org/openhouse/

Have you signed up for a bus tour yet? 😄

Our Open House and Marketplace Fundraiser is just over two weeks away! This event will feature an optional 15-minute bus tour around SE Canton, offering valuable background on the area and deeper insight into the Lighthouse's mission and vision. 🌱

Bus tours this year are by reservation so please visit cantonlighthouse.org/openhouse to save your seat. 🚌 There's also an option to RSVP for the event-only.

We can't wait to see you on Sept. 14! 🌟

Our After-School Program is just around the corner, starting on September 16th and running through April 17th! 😁 We’re especially excited to welcome children from the SE Canton area, but all are welcome to apply. With only 10 spots remaining, now’s the time to secure your child’s place! ✨

The program operates directly after school until 6 pm, offering a safe and enriching environment.

If you’re interested in enrolling your child, please go to https://cantonlighthouse.org/afterschool/ to learn more about the program and access the registration form!

During our camp's art enrichment class this summer, the students got really creative and made croc charms using the Shrinky D***s method! They colored heat shrink plastic, baked it, and watched their designs shrink and transform. After adding charms to the back, their crocs now have personalized flair. For those without crocs, they made name tags and key chains instead. Everyone left with something special and uniquely their own! Thanks to their art instructor, Mrs. Lindsey, for this awesome idea! 🖍🎨

🌿 Our Open House & Marketplace Fundraiser is coming and we would LOVE for you to join us! 🌿

🗓 Saturday, September 14 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
💜 Held @ The Lighthouse - 1931 3rd St SE

Highlights of the day:
🥕 Enjoy a walking tour of our spaces, including the garden & art studio
👋 Meet our staff & learn about our programs
🎉 Support our student entrepreneurs
🚐 Take a bus tour of our Southeast neighborhood

Our goal is to raise $50,000 and thanks to our generous sponsors the first $15,000 given will be matched ✨

For more details and to register, visit cantonlighthouse.org/openhouse 🌻

Our summer camp students loved their garden lessons from OSU Extension this year! This particular lesson allowed each student to plant their own plant, learning about soil preparation, planting techniques, and plant care. After planting, they got to take their plants home, providing a lasting reminder of their learning and the chance to practice their skills on their own.

This activity was able to teach our students about gardening, while also instilling a sense of responsibility and pride in nurturing their own plants. It was a wonderful experience that combined education, environmental awareness, and personal (and plant 😉) growth. 🌱🪴🌷

The Lighthouse is looking to hire a part-time staff person for both our After-School Program and our Summer Enrichment Camp. After-School runs Mon-Thu from 3:00-6:15pm mid-Sep through mid-April, and our summer camp runs Mon-Thu from 8:00am-3:15pm for 7 weeks during June and July.

Due to our licensing and Step-Up to Quality rating, the position requires the applicant to hold an Associate's Degree in either Early Childhood or Childhood Development, or the applicant needs to have a School-Age Endorsement through OCCRRA. The position pays $15-18/hour, depending on experience. This is a non-typical staffing position (being both part-time and seasonal), which means we are, most likely, looking for someone in a unique situation in life. We appreciate you helping us get the word out.

The Lighthouse Mission: To support families by walking alongside the youth of our Southeast Canton community by offering safe, holistic, and effective opportunities for students to understand their God-given gifts and their potential to impact the world around them.

Those interested should express their interest via email to Tasha McClain, Lighthouse Director of Education at [email protected] including a resume and references.

Follow the link below for a more detailed job description.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MO82DyY0Gh42NUxFhOM10iKtzhehABcYQyf73HkAZNI/edit?usp=sharing_eil_se_dm&ts=66be4060

Beech Creek Botanical Garden is a favorite among our Field Trip Program students, and this year's visit was tons of fun! 🦋 The kids had a blast catching butterflies, playing on the playground, and seeing all kinds of animals. A highlight of the trip was the Raptor Hallow Sanctuary bird show, where students saw various local and exotic birds flying right overhead. 🦅🦉 One lucky student even got to go on stage as part of the show! We wrapped up the day with a short hike along one of the many trails at the garden.

We love taking our students to Beech Creek Botanical Garden because it's not only super fun, but also highly educational. The staff was able to provide lots of information about the various creatures, enhancing the learning experience for everyone. Until next year's trip! 🤩

Our Open House and Marketplace registration is now open!✨ The event is Open House style, but registration is encouraged so we can best prepare to greet you! If you are joining us for the self-guided tour only, please register with the link attached to this post! However, if you prefer to take a bus tour, there's no need to register for the general event. Be on the lookout for bus tour information and registration!

Register for the Lighthouse Open House & Marketplace Fundraiser We are so eager to welcome you to the Lighthouse on September 14 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.! The event is open house style, but registration is encouraged so we can best prepare to greet you! If you are joining us for the self-guided tour only, please fill out the form below. If you registered for a bus....

This summer, our camp students had an incredible visit to the McKinley Presidential Library and Museum's Discover World Science Center! During the visit, they had the chance to interact with authentic fossils, observe live animals, and explore a variety of historical artifacts. 🦖🐰 This field trip provided a rich, hands-on learning environment, allowing students to delve into the wonders of science and history. The visit was not only educational but also deeply engaging, sparking curiosity and excitement among our young learners as they discovered and explored the fascinating exhibits! ✨

Sky Zone trips are definitely a favorite at the Summer Enrichment Camp! 🌟 Our students had a fantastic and active day at the trampoline park, bouncing and laughing non-stop. They enjoyed dodgeball, foam pits, and wall-to-wall trampolines, making for an eventful day to say the least! It's always a joy to see them having so much fun while staying active and building friendships! 🤸‍♂️🎉

Check out our recent posts to see more highlights from the Lighthouse’s summer adventures and stay tuned for more! 😊

Our Field Trip Program recently hiked Dundee Falls with our friends from Beech Mennonite Church! We may or may not have made a couple wrong turns along the way, but it added to the adventure and made finding our way back even more rewarding. 😆 It was an active and challenging day, and we're so proud of our students for persevering. We ended the day with ice cream at the one and only, Smith’s Waco Market!🍦Big thanks to Beech Mennonite Church for joining us! 🌲🏞️ beech_mennonitechurch

✨🦋 Nature walks and butterfly crafts! 🦋✨

Our Enrichment Camp friends had an amazing time collecting leaves during one of their many nature walks to incorporate into their butterfly crafts. This activity was part of their lesson on raising monarch butterflies. 🌿🍃 Check out last Monday’s post to learn more about their exciting butterfly class! 🦋🎨

This year as part of our Summer Field Trip Program, our students visited Stirrup Courage, where they engaged in an immersive experience with horses! During their visit, students learned various grooming techniques, gaining practical skills in caring for the animals. They also received instruction on how to effectively communicate with and understand the horses, fostering a deeper appreciation for these majestic creatures. This experience not only enhanced their knowledge of horse care, but also built confidence and empathy through interactive learning. 🐎🐎🐎

Understanding the importance of wildlife education is crucial. According to an article discussing its benefits, learning about wildlife improves children's emotional and cognitive skills. We aim to provide our students with diverse opportunities to learn and grow. 🤎

Learn more about how animal and wildlife education is beneficial to students here! ☺️

https://atutor.ca/why-teaching-kids-about-animals-nurtures-curiosity-and-compassion/ #:~:text=Through%20teaching%20kids%20about%20animals,%2C%20emotional%2C%20and%20cognitive%20benefits.

Our camp students have been working on a mural for the side of our Art Studio! Their art instructor, Mrs. Lindsey, had the wonderful idea to create a mural featuring the students themselves. Each student had their picture taken while engaging in their favorite activities, and these photos were then enlarged to life-size and traced onto paper. Soon, the students will add their traced images to the wall of the Art Studio! 📸🎨

As part of our Summer Enrichment Camp curriculum, our students raise monarch butterflies. Our staff orders a batch of caterpillars, which the students observe as they transform through each stage of their life cycle. Our students even name every single butterfly! The camp celebrates by releasing the butterflies into the Lighthouse’s Butterfly Garden. Awesome job at raising these beautiful insects, friends.🦋

This year, our Summer Camp's garden lessons have been led by our friends Meredith and Sam from OSU Extension! OSU Extension is part of Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. Through this partnership, our students have had the opportunity to learn about the nutritional value of foods grown right in our garden, all in a hands-on, classroom-free environment. Thank you, Meredith and Sam, for enriching our students' learning experience! 🌱✨

Friends, thanks for celebrating the Festival of Nonviolence & Peacemaking with us! 🕊️ It was a special afternoon at Nimisilla Park, where we gathered to promote peace in our city and world. A few highlights included:

🎨 Make-and-take art projects, turning bullet casings into something beautiful
📣 Speakers who shared how their experiences motivated their peacemaking
🎶 Fellowship over music, games and food

The afternoon culminated with a moving speech from Shane Claiborne and a demonstration of beating deconstructed guns into garden tools. Attendees could even gear up to participate!

We hope this event was a launching point to pursue more peacemaking! Thanks to Kelly Klein Photography for capturing the event! 📸

Our Summer Enrichment Camp took its first-ever trip to Harry London Candies Inc for an exciting factory tour! 🍫🍬 Our students were thrilled to learn about the rich history of the company, see the candy-making process up close, and gain insights into the confectionery industry. The tour concluded with a fun shopping experience where everyone got to pick out some delicious treats. A huge thank you to Harry London Candies Inc for hosting us and providing such a memorable and educational experience! ✨

TODAY is the day!

The Festival of Nonviolence and Peacemaking is TODAY! Join us at Nimisilla Park from 3PM-7PM for a day of lament and celebration as we hear from rawtoolsinc and many guest speakers on the topic of gun violence and safety in our community. If you’re attending the Community Parade, don’t hesitate to stop by after! Seats are limited, so feel free to bring your lawn chairs as well.

Music, food, and games will also be part of the event.
Come spend the evening with us! We’re so excited to see you!🕊️

TOMORROW is the day! ✨

The Festival of Nonviolence and Peacemaking is tomorrow! Join us as we cultivate a space for change. The event starts at 3, but if you’re attending the Community Parade, you’re encouraged to join us after! Seats will be available, but limited, so feel free to bring those lawn chairs!

As the festival in Akron also takes place today, we pray for an awesome gathering filled with community and peacemaking. 🕊️

The Festival of Nonviolence and Peacemaking is starting off in Cleveland today!✨ We pray that the hearts and minds of everyone in attendance are filled with love and a passion for safety in their community as the evening concludes.

Only 2 more days until the Canton event! We hope to see you there! 🕊️

We’re 4 days away from the Festival of Nonviolence and Peacemaking! Today, we’d like to recognize our sponsors. ✨

A heartfelt thank you goes to the incredible sponsors of the Festival of Nonviolence and Peacemaking. Your generous support makes this celebration of peace, unity, and harmony possible. Together, we are building a brighter community. 🌍✌️

Have you marked your calendar yet? 😁 This Sunday is the Festival of Nonviolence and Peacemaking in Canton, OH! We’re super excited to be welcoming shane.claiborne and rawtoolsinc to Canton for this event. Join us in creating a space for change in our community. Swipe for event info, as well as what to expect! 🕊️