As part of National Pet Day on Sunday, April 11, children at IMPACT Church in Parkesburg will celebrate Adopt a Plushy Pet Sunday.

During the event, children from the community and their friends will be able to choose a new plush pet, a collar and leash and a cardboard pet house that they can color. "We'll even have adoption certificates to make it official," said Beka Bailey, IMPACT Kids director.

The Adopt a Plushy Pet activity will take place during IMPACT Kids, which meets during the 10 a.m. adult gathering at IMPACT Church. IMPACT Kids is open to children from age 6 weeks to fourth grade. On a typical Sunday, youngsters enjoy music, games, crafts and a lesson from the Bible. On April 11, IMPACT Kids will include all of the usual activities plus the fun adoption party.

The church has a secure check-in and checkout system established for parents who drop off their children while they are in the worship service. Children are divided into age groups with age-appropriate activities. Rise is for children ages 6 weeks to 35 months; Shine is for children ages 3 to 5. Launch is for students in kindergarten through fourth grade.

"In our nursery we have a crawler side and a baby side. Kindergarten through fourth grade is in another area," explained pastor Mike Bailey.

According to Beka, the top priorities at IMPACT Kids include creating an environment where parents feel safe bringing their children and helping equip parents to be the spiritual leaders in their homes. All the volunteers are trained and vetted and want to help children connect with each other and with God.

The pets that will be given out to children on April 11 were purchased by the church. "We have enough pets from Kohl's Cares plush animal collection to create our own plushy pet zoo," Beka noted.

The idea to hold the event for children is to make more people in the community aware of IMPACT Church and its offerings. "If you've been thinking about checking out IMPACT Church, there's no better day than (April 11) for the kids to really have a fun time," Beka said. "Plus, parents will be encouraged with the new message series on relationships in the adult gathering."

IMPACT Church is located at 101 E. First Ave., Parkesburg. Mike has been leading IMPACT Church, formerly known as Church of the Open Bible, since June of 2020.

To learn more about the safety procedures and to preregister children for IMPACT Kids, visit http://www.impactpa.church/kids. Registering children will allow the church to have enough stuffed animals to give out.

Those interested in attending a service at IMPACT Church should visit http://www.impactpa.church and choose "Plan a Visit." A gift bag will be given to those who attend the church for the first time.

The church's weekly in-person gatherings are held at 10 a.m. on Sundays, and they are also livestreamed at http://www.facebook.com/impactchurchparkesburg. Those who attend in person will be asked to wear a mask until they are seated in the gathering area.