ADRA Helps Pathfinders Set a Guinness World Record
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) partnered with the North American Division’s Adventist Education for the highly anticipated International Pathfinders Camporee with the ambitious goal of setting a Guinness World Record. The record in question is for most backpacks stuffed with school supplies.
From August 5 to 11, nearly 60,000 people have collected in Gillette, Wyoming, for the International Pathfinders Camporee. Pathfinders from across the globe were counting down the days for a chance to worship, play, learn, and compete in faith-based games intent on challenging the Pathfinders’ biblical knowledge. One of the activities offers 166 Pathfinders one hour to break the Guinness record by packing 6,200 backpacks with needed school supplies such as pencils, notebooks, pens, erasers, and other essentials.
The core mission of ADRA is to provide necessary aid and relief through practical means. With a new school year around the corner, thousands of schoolchildren across the United States and surrounding territories such as Guam-Micronesia, along with other parts of the world, are without basic school supplies. The activity aims to raise awareness of the vulnerability and disadvantages of the lack of supplies many take for granted. According to national surveys, an estimated 15 million children live in extreme poverty, and the lack of classroom supplies hinders their education and success later in life.
ADRA is no stranger to providing tools to strengthen and stabilize communities that often slip through the cracks. For decades, they have established nearly 160 projects to assist in the advancement of education by providing access to technology, clean water, nutritious meals, hygienic care, and tutoring. Through faith-based initiatives and partnerships with organizations such as Adventist Education, they can utilize Pathfinders’ commitment to make a lasting difference in a fun, interactive way.
As quoted in ADRA’s coverage for the event, event organizer Nicole Mattson, associate superintendent of education at the Lake Union Conference said,
“We wanted to help the community, involve the Pathfinders, and show them that Adventist Education engages in many ways. Our goal is to touch the lives of as many students as possible, so providing much-needed school supplies was a natural fit. This will be a fun blessing to all those involved, and it would not have been possible without the backpacks donated by ADRA, as well as the support of the North American Division, Adventist Unions, and other private entities.”
