Most churches base their vacation Bible schools on cookie-cutter programming from national suppliers, but, at Saints of the Valley, campers will get an experience specific to the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Each day of the program focuses on a different patron saint for one of five Catholic churches in the region — St. Margaret Mary, St. Peter, St. Joseph, St. Mary of Czestochowa and St. Vladimir.

St. Margaret Mary Church is hosting the camp during the week of June 26, from 9 a.m. to noon for grades K-5.

Heather Hensley helps oversee the program as youth director for the New Kensington Catholic Community and St. Margaret Mary. She’ll also be responsible for Christ the King in Leechburg and St. Gertrude in Vandergrift starting in July.

“It’s a learning experience for all of us,” Hensley said. “I think the ultimate goal is to teach these kids that they can also become saints.”

More than 20 campers rotate between four stations throughout the day, where they make crafts, learn about the saints, eat snacks and play games — including a ring toss with pictures of a saint or local minister on each bottle.

The campers and youth volunteers come from St. Margaret Mary and the three New Kensington Catholic Community churches. Though his parish lacks youth programs, Father Yaroslav Koval of St. Vladimir’s will give a presentation Friday about his church’s namesake.

“It was a little surprise for me that they asked us to prepare some information to be part of this vacation Bible school,” Koval said.

For even more information on St. Vladimir, Koval will show campers a video from a youth group in Ukraine that his church has collected nearly $7,000 for since war broke out in the country.

“It doesn’t matter about time or boundaries. We can share our faith,” Koval said.

As one group exited the story station Wednesday, volunteer Linda Henkel reminded them to “keep the love burning” like St. Margaret Mary.

As the Bible story goes, Jesus appeared before St. Margaret Mary to show her his sacred heart and charge her with spreading his love. Henkel said she wants to teach children how to express that same love, even to people who don’t love them back.

For Henkel, Saints of the Valley is a creative way to teach children about these saints, but it’s also a celebration of the vibrancy of the local Catholic community.

“There are so many churches that are closing,” Henkel said. “And we are so blessed to have these churches that are open.”

Henkel and a handful of other adult volunteers are getting help from about 20 kids ages 10 and up. Linda Reno, a coordinator for New Kensington Catholic Community, said she was “touched” by the number of youth group members who volunteered.

“They have been doing such a wonderful job of leading the children from one station to another,” Reno said.

Jacob Litz, 13, helps set up games, crafts and snacks as a volunteer — “whatever they need me to do,” as he put it.

“I just like helping,” Jacob said.

Hensley said she’s heartened by the number of campers and young volunteers, something she attributes to the relationships she’s built in her nearly two years as youth director.

“I just want to give them a safe place to be themselves,” Hensley said. “And hopefully, along the way, we teach them something about the Lord.”

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)