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MONTANA CONFERENCE NEWS<br />
MEA Alumni Weekend Focuses on<br />
Giving Back<br />
Alumni weekend this year<br />
had great turnout, but<br />
it wasn’t just the number of<br />
people who came that made<br />
the event special. Even more<br />
importantly, the influx of school<br />
spirit brought a fresh reminder<br />
of what makes people’s time at<br />
Mount Ellis Academy (MEA) in<br />
Bozeman so unf<strong>org</strong>ettable.<br />
Two bittersweet moments<br />
highlighted the weekend. After<br />
11 years of service to his alma<br />
mater, current principal Darren<br />
Wilkins, along with his wife,<br />
Yvette, and three children are<br />
JULIE GATES<br />
back to Mount Ellis Academy.<br />
His tenure has been characterized<br />
by discovering new directions<br />
for the school through initiatives<br />
like outdoor school and<br />
developing a master plan for<br />
the campus. He has also been<br />
JULIE GATES<br />
Merlin Knowles, Montana Conference president, prays with<br />
Mount Ellis Academy principal Darren Wilkins, his wife, Yvette,<br />
and three sons.<br />
instrumental in developing<br />
resources to keep the academy<br />
functioning such as the Kohl’s<br />
Cares campaign, and he daily<br />
provides faculty and students<br />
with a living example of what<br />
it means to live a life of service.<br />
He will be sorely missed.<br />
In addition to this testimony<br />
of service, the Walikonis family’s<br />
generous gift toward the<br />
development of an exercise trail<br />
at Mount Ellis reminded constituents<br />
of the small blessings<br />
that can come out of tragedy.<br />
In memory of a loving husband<br />
and devoted father, the family<br />
of Warren Walikonis left a<br />
$40,000 legacy for the development<br />
of an exercise trail that<br />
will loop around the academy<br />
campus. The trail will be the<br />
newest resource of a new earlymorning<br />
exercise program<br />
Mount Ellis has begun and is<br />
looking to develop further in<br />
the future.<br />
Kevin Emmerson, MEA<br />
development director<br />
Denise Emmerson, Mount Ellis<br />
Academy class of 1973, shares<br />
a laugh with her former dean,<br />
Barbara McCumber.<br />
leaving for Spring Valley Academy<br />
in Centerville, Ohio, as the<br />
2012–13 school year ends. The<br />
MEA Alumni Association recognized<br />
Wilkins’ contribution<br />
by naming him the 2013 Alum<br />
of the Year.<br />
A video tribute produced by<br />
Mount Ellis Academy’s development<br />
director, Kevin Emmerson,<br />
reminded everyone at the<br />
morning worship service just<br />
how much Wilkins has given<br />
His Word, His Will —<br />
Our Questions;<br />
God’s Answers<br />
Don’t miss this spiritual<br />
weekend led by<br />
powerful speakers<br />
Henry Jones &<br />
Conna Bond!<br />
July 24–28 • Butte Church • mtycweb.<strong>org</strong><br />
June 2013 • GLEANER<br />
15
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