Accustomed to hearing calls from sideshows, food vendors and other attractions, visitors to the National Orange Show heard, "Our next drawing for a free Bible is at 3 o'clock," or "Let me tell you about vacation Bible school."

The National Orange Show, a regional fair held in San Bernardino, attracts as many as 100,000 visitors over Memorial Day weekend. In January, the Victoria church board learned that the Orange Show had free booth spaces for non-profit organizations.

The board envisioned this as an opportunity to publicize their vacation Bible school that would be held in June, along with other church programs. At its website, www.victoriaadventist.org, the church invited other congregations in the area to list their VBS programs. Nineteen churches responded.

Twenty Victoria members and friends volunteered to staff the booth. The outreach team asked Andy Rob, "Clarence the Clown" from the Calimesa church, to teach them the art of balloon twisting.

"We really enjoyed learning to make dogs, giraffes and hats," commented Karen Huaccasi, a youth member of the team.

Volunteers crafted about 1,000 balloons into creatures for the children. "It was exciting to see the children's eyes light up when I handed them a balloon," said Susie Fries.

"I should have gone to vacation Bible school when I was a kid, because, if I had, my life would have been so much different," said a local business manager to one of the team members who purchased booth material.

In addition to VBS information, the team gave away 600 copies of their monthly leaflet, "Health Tips," that also listed the church's website. Four hundred people registered to receive one of the Bibles given away every two hours. On the registrations, 100 people expressed a desire for a class in healthy menu planning, 60 for a class about debt-free living, and 100 for Discover Bible study guides. The church is now planning seminars to meet these needs. Numerous children attended vacation Bible schools in various churches near their homes. Visits to the church website, which numbered about 1,400 per month, jumped to 2,000 following the church's exhibit at the Orange Show, a suspected result of the booth's influence.

Reviewing the experience, Michael McMillan, pastor of the Victoria church, said, "The contacts made will enhance not just our vacation Bible school attendance, but also other events. But the most exciting aspect was that our team of volunteers experienced the thrill of outreach."