Day of Hope Community Celebration Story

 A large crowd was in attendance on July 12 for a celebration, with sunny skies and warm temperatures creating ideal conditions for a summer gathering. Several local churches and agencies hosted the annual Day of Hope Community Carnival and Car Show at Washington Heights United Methodist Church. The history of this community carnival began four years ago. “Our church joined forces with the community organization, Battle Creek Impact and Violence, in 2021 to organize the Crusade for Peace and Car Show,” explained Reverand Dr. Monique French, Washington Heights’ pastor. “The goal for this event was to address the violence in the community. Reverand William J. Wyne from Second Missionary Baptist Church reached out to us after the first year. He wanted to bring a carnival to the community. We were open to this idea.”  

French and Wyne coordinated with other local pastors to plan, organize, and implement the Day of Hope Carnival and Car Show in 2022, in place of the Crusade for Peace and Car Show. Washington Heights had  been hosting the Maranda Park Recess Party for a few years as well, which was a week before Crusade for Peace. “We continued hosting the Maranda Park Recess Party the first year of the Day of Hope and Car Show , but eventually stopped doing the Recess Party so that we could give more attention to Day of Hope,” said French. 

Day of Hope has come together through a teamwork approach. “This is a community effort, with many local organizations and churches working together,” stated Brenda Murphy, an administrative assistant at Washington Heights. “There are carnival rides for the kids, food, and entertainment. Everything is free. In the past, we have had live music and DJs. This year’s event features a variety show with local artists.”

The entire community is always welcome. “Our goal is something for everyone,” said French. “This is a family-friendly event.”

Vendors were present serving a variety of food, including gumbo, popcorn, hamburgers, and hot dogs. The fire department and the Calhoun County Sheriff's Department were present with their equipment, including officers on horseback. The carnival was followed up a day later with a Sunday morning unity service at Washington Heights, combining seven other local churches, followed by a cookout.