Kids have 'whale' of a time in the Great Bible Reef BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Staff Writer PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff Marta Pelka, 13, portrays a starfish, and Brendan Benedict, 17, plays the part of a jellyfish during the "Great Bible Reef" performance at St. Joseph Parish's vacation Bible school on Aug. 3. MILLSTONE - Local youths dove deep into biblical teachings last week. Campers at St. Joseph Catholic Church's annual vacation Bible school experienced "The Great Bible Reef" July 30 to Aug. 3. At the beginning of each day of camp, the children received playing cards featuring the image of a sea creature, a short Bible story and a message of the day. They then participated in an assembly of songs and various activities throughout the day that further explained the information on their cards. All the messages the children received were derived from the Bible and aimed to instill in them that "God's people care, help, trust, believe and listen," according to Patty Meyer, the camp director. Thursday's playing card showed a picture of Heidi the Octopus and noted that octopuses have the gifts of camouflage and changing appearance. The card informed the children that these characteristics are reminiscent of John 9:1-12, which relates the story of Jesus helping a blind man to not only see, but also believe in Jesus. Bree Ostmann, 11, gives an underwater wave as part of a "Great Bible Reef" skit during St. Joseph Parish's vacation Bible school. Kathy Paglia, a crafts coordinator, explained that the children made clay pots on Thursday and that the clay was supposed to remind them of the mud that Jesus had the blind man place on his eyes in order to be able to see again. Meyer said the clay is also something that can be molded, which teaches another lesson. "God is the potter, and we are the clay," she said. "We can be molded." Susan Ostmann, a Bible story coordinator, helped the children awaken their other four senses by covering their eyes with a blindfold and having them reach into a bag filled with random objects. She asked the children to try to use their other senses in order to guess what it actually was that they had pulled from the bag. Jacqueline Ferre, 12, acts up a storm to knock down blocks representing a home during a play at vacation Bible school. In the Sea Water Science rooms, experiments further illustrated the messages the children were receiving throughout the day. Adult supervisors Debbie Novellino and Laura Sosa helped the children use vinegar and baking soda to create a chemical reaction that produced carbon dioxide. Sosa said, "This experiment today is about believing. When we breathe, we mostly breathe out carbon dioxide. Can we create carbon dioxide on our own through a science experiment?" Jill Sykes, the game coordinator, placed a blindfold on one child and then had another lead that child through a small obstacle course to a large pool where they were doused with water and allowed to remove the sight obstruction. The game built trust among the campers and cooled them off at the same time, she said. According to Anna Zonis, a snack coordinator at the camp, even the snacks related to the biblical teachings of the day. On Thursday, the children enjoyed cucumber slices and carrot sticks, which they were encouraged to use to make an octopus with before actually eating them. Youngsters were also enjoying two scoops of ice cream, which Meyer said represented the blind man's eyes. In addition, the camp also hosted a mission drive during which the students were encouraged to bring in donations to help Millstone Boy Scout Mat Goldberg with his Eagle Scout project by collecting nonperishable food items for Freehold's Help Other People Eat (HOPE). Goldberg will use the goods the youngsters collected to restock the shelves at the local food pantry. According to Meyer, the campers placed their donations in the "sunken treasure ship," which holds "the treasure of food for God's people." Of the donated goods, Pastor Michael Lang said, "Community service doesn't have to be something that is hard or something that they hate. They are learning that it can be something that they love. They are using their gifts to bring God's message to life." In its sixth year, the church's vacation Bible school grew to accommodate 127 children in grades K-6, with 71 adult and teenage volunteers. "A lot of work goes into this effort," he said of the camp. "The dedication on the part of the volunteers is astounding and can't really be measured." Lang said that vacation Bible school is fantastic every year. "It's great to see them so enthusiastic and learning something," he said. "Faith and religion is not separate from having fun." Monica Luigi, 11, who has attended the camp since its initial year, said, "At vacation Bible school, I've learned how many miracles God can perform. "It makes you feel special to hear about them," she added, "because it makes you feel that God is there and that God cares." When asked why she enjoys returning to camp year after year, Monica said, "Because it's fun every year, and I like to see what kind of new stuff will be here." Monica looks forward to returning to the camp as a volunteer helper in the years to come. "I like to help others," she said. and baking soda to create a chemical reaction that produced carbon dioxide. Sosa said, "This experiment today is about believing. When we breathe, we mostly breathe out carbon dioxide. Can we create carbon dioxide on our own through a science experiment?" Jill Sykes, the game coordinator, placed a blindfold on one child and then had another lead that child through a small obstacle course to a large pool where they were doused with water and allowed to remove the sight obstruction. The game built trust among the campers and cooled them off at the same time, she said. According to Anna Zonis, a snack coordinator at the camp, even the snacks related to the biblical teachings of the day. On Thursday, the children enjoyed cucumber slices and carrot sticks, which they were encouraged to use to make an octopus with before actually eating them. Youngsters were also enjoying two scoops of ice cream, which Meyer said represented the blind man's eyes. In addition, the camp also hosted a mission drive during which the students were encouraged to bring in donations to help Millstone Boy Scout Mat Goldberg with his Eagle Scout project by collecting nonperishable food items for Freehold's Help Other People Eat (HOPE). Goldberg will use the goods the youngsters collected to restock the shelves at the local food pantry. According to Meyer, the campers placed their donations in the "sunken treasure ship," which holds "the treasure of food for God's people." Of the donated goods, the Rev. Michael Lang, pastor, said, "Community service doesn't have to be something that is hard or something that they hate. They are learning that it can be something that they love. They are using their gifts to bring God's message to life." In its sixth year, the church's vacation Bible school grew to accommodate 127 children in grades K-6, with 71 adult and teenage volunteers. "A lot of work goes into this effort," he said of the camp. "The dedication on the part of the volunteers is astounding and can't really be measured." Lang said that vacation Bible school is fantastic every year. "It's great to see them so enthusiastic and learning something," he said. "Faith and religion is not separate from having fun." Monica Luigi, 11, who has attended the camp since its initial year, said, "At vacation Bible school, I've learned how many miracles God can perform. "It makes you feel special to hear about them," she added, "because it makes you feel that God is there and that God cares." When asked why she enjoys returning to camp year after year, Monica said, "Because it's fun every year, and I like to see what kind of new stuff will be here." Monica looks forward to returning to the camp as a volunteer helper in the years to come. "I like to help others," she said.