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Nearly 175 homeless and at-risk children living in the community received medical, dental and vision checkups, haircuts, back- packs filled with school supplies and other essentials on Aug. 2 during the Church of the Redeemer's fourth year of hosting a Day of Hope event at its downtown parish campus, the church has announced. Nearly 290 parishioners and community vol- unteers and partners pulled together for the day-long event to help youngsters in need prepare for the upcoming school year "and give them the basics to start the first day of school on a level playing field with other schoolmates," a news release says. Day of Hope began locally in 2009; it is organized annually by the Bradenton nonprofit Hope Kids Community, the release adds. Day of Hope at Redeemer began with hot breakfasts of bacon, eggs, toast, fruit and juices served to 174 children and their siblings and families, the release continues. As the morning progressed, children, with parents and sometimes grandparents, were escorted through a series of private rooms and spaces that had been transformed into medical facil- ities with local doctors, physician assistants and medical teams performing needed tests and evaluations. Children were guided through areas and table setups where they were allowed to select school supplies, personal care items, games 174 HOMELESS AND AT-RISK CHILDREN RECEIVE HELP DURING DAY OF HOPE Fritz Maxwell and brothers George Swain Jr. and Garrison Swain contributed manpower in the kitchen during the Church of the Redeemer's Day of Hope, held on Saturday, Aug. 2. Maxwell is a Redeemer parishioner entering his sophomore year studying accounting at Florida State University. The Swain brothers are 2014 graduates of Booker High School; in mid-August, both will head to Nebraska on football scholarships to study business at Concordia University. Contributed photo Sarasota News Leader August 8 & 15, 2014 Page 71