Meade, Kansas – August 9, 2024 – The Back-to-School Bash, held on August 8 at Meade City Park, was a tremendous success, drawing enthusiastic participation from the community and exceeding all expectations. The event, organized by Artesian Valley Health System (AVHS), Meade Church of the Nazarene, and USD 226, aimed to distribute backpacks and school supplies to children as they prepared to start the new school year. Additionally, the event sought to foster community engagement and collaboration among local organizations.

Highlights of the Event:
• Attendance: Over 300 attendees joined us for a fun day of entertainment. The event featured a free meal, bounce houses, face painting, cotton candy, free Diva-Licious Nutrition drinks, and much more.

• Community Involvement: The event fostered a strong sense of community by bringing together numerous organizations and businesses. The Meade Fire Department prepared the meal, and the Meade County Kansas Sheriff's Department attended the event. Shiver Shack was also present to sell snow cones. In addition, twenty-two organizations and businesses from Meade, Meade County, Liberal, and Dodge City participated, offering games for the children and providing valuable resources.

• Artesian Valley Health System
• Coordinated Approach to Community Health (CATCH), Meade, KS
• Diva-Licious Nutrition, Meade, KS
• Elaine's Facepainting
• Harvest America Corporation, Dodge City, KS
• Immunize Kansas Coalition, Seward County
• KJIL, Meade, KS
• Lone Tree Retirement Community, Meade, KS
• Meade Church of the Nazarene
• Meade County Core Community
• Meade County Economic Development
• Meade County Extension Office & 4-H Youth Development
• Meade County Health Department
• Meade County Learn & Play
• Meade Food Bank, Meade, KS
• Ministerial Alliance, Meade, KS
• Revive Family Chiropractic, Meade, KS
• Southwest Kansas Mosaic, Liberal, KS
• St. John Lutheran Church, Meade, KS
• The Rusty Junker in Meade, KS
• Town & Country 4-H Club, Meade, KS
• USD 226

• Sponsors:
• Church of the Nazarene: Donated Backpacks & School Supplies
• Emmanuel Mennonite Church, Meade, KS – Donated Hot Dogs
• Meade County Community Foundation – Awarded AVHS a grant for events.
• Meade Locker & Processing, LLC, Meade, KS – Donated Hot Dogs
• Meade Thriftway, Meade, KS – Donated Water
• St. John Lutheran Church, Meade, KS – Donated Pre-school Backpacks

"We want to thank our generous sponsors who donated to our event, as well as all the organizations and businesses that participated. Their support was crucial in making this event a success. We also want to give a special shoutout to our amazing volunteers, whose hard work and commitment helped ensure everything ran smoothly," said Crystal Torres, Marketing Manager of AVHS.

AVHS and its partners are excited to continue building on this success. For more details about upcoming events and opportunities to get involved, follow Artesian Valley Health System on Facebook or contact our Marketing Department.

About Artesian Valley Health System
Artesian Valley Health System (AVHS) is a local non-profit organization in Meade, Kansas. It serves the healthcare needs of the surrounding communities through Meade District Hospital and Meade, Montezuma, and Plains Rural Health Clinics. Established in 1950, AVHS exists to enhance the lives of those who entrust us with their care by providing an exceptional healthcare experience with compassion and quality while meeting the unique needs of all members of our community.

​

Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/ArtesianValleyHealthSystem