Members of the Junior Auxiliary of Vicksburg prepared balloon animals, snow cones and cotton candy for the students at Good Shepherd Preschool Friday morning.

JAV Cares, one of seven service projects the Junior Auxiliary of Vicksburg undertakes, hosted a circus themed carnival for the children at Good Shepherd for their summer kick-off.

“I thought it’d be fun for the kids to be able to get outside and to have the ring toss and get their face painted,” Shannon Lyons, JAV Cares service project chair, said.

About 50 children jumped in donated bounce houses and lined up to get their faces painted. Maggie Nasif and Lauren Cappaert, JAV Cares service project members, served snow cones, and some of the kids tried to sneak back in line for seconds.

“JA chose Good Shepard, we’ve been partnering with them only for about two years, because of all the good work they do in the community,” Cappaert said. “They help people of all ages and they just do great things for Warren County.”

Good Shepherd Community Center, at 629 Cherry St., is a United Methodist community center and a United Way agency. Director Tommy Miller is a United Methodist minister who was appointed to Good Shepherd. Miller said the center offers GED classes and low-cost childcare to parents who are working or in school full-time.

“Some of them pay as little as $10 a month for childcare,” Miller said. “We have opening for all ages right now.”

The center serves around 85 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. The preschool is open Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Children in the summer program stay busy in sport camps and bible school.

Lyons said next month they are planning to do a water day for the kids.

“It’s marvelous, wonderful, overwhelming, can I say any more adjectives there, to have a group that will come in like the Junior Auxiliary and do it all so that not only our kids, but out staff, can enjoy the day too without having to do a lot of preparation,” Miller said.

The Junior Auxiliary members want to promote the center and help them get the monetary and supply donations they need to secure grants.

“There are volunteer opportunities all the time here for different age groups and people who can paint, people who can read to children, people who can do light carpentry work, just about anything,” Miller said.

For information about volunteer work and donations call the Good Shepherd Community Center at 601-636-7687.