News

By Lorie Lewis Ham

April Fools’ Day is upon us once again. Some people love it and spend days planning elaborate hoaxes to play on their friends and family, and some people loathe the day and prefer to hide until it passes—especially those who tend to be the brunt of hoaxes. But where did this odd day actually come from?

While the exact origins of April Fools’ Day aren’t known, according to the History Channel website some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582 when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. In the Julian Calendar, the new year began with the spring equinox around April 1. People who failed to recognize the change and continued to celebrate the new year during the last week of March through April 1 instead of on January 1, became the butt of jokes and hoaxes and were called “April fools.” There is also speculation that it was tied to the vernal equinox, or first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather.

The History Channel website goes on to state that it spread throughout Britain in the 18^th century. In Scotland, it became a two-day event that started with “hunting the gowk,” which meant sending people on phony errands. It was followed by Tailie Day, which involved pranks where people would pin things on the backs of others such as fake tails and “kick me” signs.

According to an article on NPR, some historians have linked April Fools’ Day to the ancientRoman festival of Hilaria. At this festival, which took place at the end of March, people would come together to commemorate the resurrection of the god Attis. It was a celebration of renewal in which revelers would dress up in disguises and imitate others. Some also think that it might have been inspired by the medieval celebration of the Feast of Fools, where a mock bishop or pope was elected and church customs were parodied.

Over the last several decades, the media has become very involved in April Fools’ Day pranks as well, according to another article on NPR. Even Google gets involved. It was already so much a part of American journalism by 1903 that the Pittsburgh Post reported on March 29 of that year that “it was the habit of newspapers some years ago to observe the day by perpetrating some hoax upon their readers.” However, more recently the media has realized that they have to be careful how far they take it, or they may lose their credibility when reporting real stories.

So, are there any rules to the pranks played on April Fools’ Day? According to The U.S. Sun, while there are no “official” rules and it is celebrated differently in different countries, traditionally, April Fools’ jokes and pranks should only be pulled until midday on April 1. In England, when the clock strikes noon, you are meant to come clean about your pranks. Anyone playing a joke after noon is considered the official April fool. But of course, that doesn’t stop people from pranking throughout the day, at least here in the U.S. The Museum of Hoaxes has a list of rules for the day that include doing no harm and not doing anything illegal.

Cheapflights.com has a list of five April Fools’ Day traditions from around the world, one of which includes throwing flour on people! Musement.com has a list of 10 traditions from around the world that includes taping paper fish on people’s backs. The 1063 Buzz website has a list of some of the most common types of pranks people play, which include mind game pranks, prank phone calls, and food-related ones.

Why do some people enjoy playing pranks so much? Embolden Psychology says that humor and laughing are good for our well-being. It also states that jokes imply a sense of closeness or insider group feelings, and you tend to prank those you are close to or you feel can handle a joke. Several other websites said that pranking gave people a temporary and harmless sense of superiority over those they successfully prank. Whatever your feelings about April Fools’ Day it is a day some of us just hope to “survive” and others can’t wait for. How do you feel about April Fools’ Day? We would love it if you would share your feelings, and any fun jokes you may have pulled, or have had pulled on you, on our Facebook page.

By Lorie Lewis Ham

While it may be harder to get a good job without a degree, obtaining one continues to become more and more expensive. A January 2023 article on EducationData.org states that the average federal student loan debt is $37,574 per borrower, and for private loans the average is $54,921 per borrower. A total of 45.3 million borrowers have student loan debt; 92% of them have federal loan debt.

To help decrease that debt, many students apply for scholarships. Mennonite Aide Plan (MAP)/Mennonite Insurance Services offers one such scholarship. You can find more information on the website, and find comments from some of the students it has helped in a past article.

This month, several Mennonite Insurance employees and board members share some of their concerns and experiences from when their children and grandchildren attended college, and as some are preparing to go soon.

Staff member Michelle Heinrichs’ son Marcus is 20 and will be starting upper-division classes in the fall at Fresno State. He has taken this semester off to work full time and save up towards paying his tuition when he returns. “He feels strongly that he would like to avoid loans if possible, so we are working as a team with him to make this happen,” says Michelle.

Michelle herself also attended Fresno State but was unable to finish due to budget issues. While money was definitely relevant when Marcus was deciding where to attend, it wasn’t the only deciding factor. “Our biggest concern/priority when considering where he might attend was hoping he would have the most chance to really enjoy the college experience while STILL getting an education. Sometimes, kids study too much, work too hard, or party too much and any of those are not balanced lifestyles. We prayed he would attend a college that would allow him to learn and grow without losing sight of reality. We wanted Marcus to be in a safe, but exciting environment, with opportunities to grow in a community.”

Staff member Claudia Fletes currently has a daughter in college. It was important for Claudia that her daughter not have to worry about how she was going to pay for college. Claudia feels that scholarships are a huge financial help for students and parents and are an important part when calculating finances. “I [also] believe there is less financial aid available to students now.”

Teresa Quijano, who is also a Mennonite Insurance employee, has a daughter who will be applying for and attending college within the next four years. While one of Teresa’s biggest concerns regarding where her daughter goes to college is safety, thankfully money is not holding her back from the colleges she is exploring. “I want my daughter to apply for all scholarships that she qualifies for. Scholarships are very important. College is very expensive and financial aid is not a guarantee to all students. Where she decides to attend college will be up to her and we will help financially support her throughout her education.”

For board member LeAnne Quenzer, scholarships were a high priority when her children were applying for college, though the most important factors in their choices were high-quality academic and campus life exposure and experiences. Fortunately, the cost didn’t hold her children back. “We encouraged them to apply for many [scholarships]. Receiving scholarships made a very positive impact on attending their colleges of choice. The opportunities for scholarships are vital, and could make all of the difference for many in the ability to attend college or not.” 

Board member John Hochstetler’s daughter benefited from the MAP scholarship program. While attending a Christian college was a priority for their children, finances were also a factor in choosing what school to attend. “She received a scholarship for college after applying which was a real benefit to her financial needs at the time.”

John recalls that college was much more affordable when he attended. He was able to pay his school off in five years. He feels that the cost of attending college now is way overpriced, which makes it difficult to attend a private college.

Mennonite Insurance staff member, Jerry Linscheid says that when he went to college you could pay for a semester by working during the summer. “When my children went to college, it was not possible to pay for a whole semester from a summer’s earnings. So, scholarships were important, but not determinative, of where they attended.

“The ability to borrow money at low-interest rates made college affordable,” continues Jerry. “I think it is gradually getting harder to justify going into debt for a 4-year degree. Students need to work hard to put together a financial package from all available sources so that the debt burden at graduation is not overwhelming.” If you, your child, or grandchildren are looking into attending college and are searching for scholarships, the Mennonite Insurance Services will be accepting applications from April 1-July 1, 2023. Scholarships of $1,000 are awarded to up to five applicants each year. Applicants may apply multiple years; however, preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received the scholarship. To see if you qualify, and to learn more, you can find all the information on the website. Also, feel free to email Mennonite Insurance Services at [email protected] with any questions you may have.

By Lorie Lewis Ham

Back in October we did an article about the West Coast Mennonite Relief Sale happening in Fresno, California on April 14-15. But there is another similar event that takes place each year in Upland, California called the Southern California Festival and Sale. This event takes place on May 20 this year. We chatted with their Publicity Chair Corinne Edington recently to learn more. Corinne has been involved with the Sale since the beginning! Creating the publicity has been her primary role since 2011.

Q: When did the first Southern California Festival and Sale take place and how did it come about?
Corinne: This is our 26th year of the Sale that had its “birth” out of our denominational [Brethren in Christ] Board for Brotherhood Concerns.

Q: What is the purpose of the sale?
Corinne: The purpose of the Sale is primarily to raise financial support for the work of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) while also sharing the good work being done through MCC in the name of Christ through peace-building, relief, and community development programs.

Q: For those who may not know what MCC is, can you share a bit of history about MCC’s work around the world:
Corinne: MCC is a global, nonprofit organization that strives to share God’s love and compassion for all through relief, development, and peace. In all our programs we are committed to relationships with our local partners and churches. As an Anabaptist organization, we strive to make peace a part of everything we do. When responding to disasters we work with local groups to distribute resources in ways that minimize conflict. In our development work we plan with community and church groups to make sure the projects meet their needs. And we advocate for policies that will lead to a more peaceful world.

In 2020, we celebrated the centennial of our ministry. As we enter a second century of service, we reaffirm our Christ-led commitment to compassionately serve and learn from vulnerable people around the world. We continue to answer God’s call and do this work through offices, MCC staff, volunteers, and partnerships in every continent in the world except Antarctica and Australia.

Q: What all takes place at the sale?
Corinne: Live Quilt Auction & Special Auctions
Silent Auction
Ethnic Food Court
Kids’ Activities
Live Kids’ Auction
Farmer’s Market
And more!

Q: What things do you auction off?
Corinne: Quilts, opportunities to bid on and fund special MCC projects, special antiques, donated destination vacations.

Q: What are some examples of the food that you will have there?
Corinne: A variety of ethnic foods as well as a Country Store selling a variety of baked and homemade sweets.

Q: What is different this year as opposed to past ones?
Corinne: Last year we hosted a concert for the first time (Girl Named Tom, winners of The Voice) and this year we hope to have another concert; however, those details have not been finalized as yet.

Q: Where does the Sale and Festival take place?
Corinne: Pacific Christian Center Campus
Arrow Highway & San Antonio Avenue
Upland, California 91786
For more info call (909) 981-1965

Q: Do you need to purchase tickets to attend?
Corinne: Entrance and parking are free.

Q: Please tell us about My Coins Count.
Corinne: Each year the Sale selects an MCC project to highlight for funding through My Coins Count. We encourage our constituency to save change all year to fund the project and have a special wishing well where we encourage children to pour collected coins–the noise it makes add to the festive nature of the Sale.

You can learn more about the Southern California Festival and Sale on their website and follow them on Facebook.