The free four-hour celebration featured Christian music.

August 27, 2007 at 2:00a.m.

By SEAN BARRON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

STRUTHERS — Julie Palumbo took delight in seeing adults and children getting plenty to eat, and dabbing paint on youngsters’ faces, but it’s the intangibles she hopes will stick with people the longest.

Count among them acceptance, fellowship and a sense of purpose.

“It doesn’t matter about your past. God accepts you regardless of your past or flaws you feel you might have,” said Palumbo, who sang as part of Sunday’s 2007 Jammin’ for Jesus Outdoor Music and Neighborhood Celebration.

When she wasn’t holding a microphone, Palumbo was holding a brush and providing face-painting to several youngsters. She came with her three children, Brittany, 8, Tylor, 6, and Riley, 3.

Palumbo was one of 10 performers to participate in the sixth annual event at the Fairview Arts and Outreach Center, 4220 Youngstown-Poland Road, which was set up to provide a platform for local artists as well as outreach services to neighborhoods and anyone in need. Sponsors were the Salvation Army, Top Hat Productions, Lost Then Found Ministries and the Jericho Project, a street outreach program.

Several hundred people took advantage of perfect weather to attend the free four-hour celebration, which featured Christian music by Palumbo as well as Carla Gipson, Fred Lee, Brian and Rachell, Anthony Torres, Julie Stone, Angel Febres, Brandon Martin, Kelly Williams and Jamie Longwell, all of whom are local performers.

Many attendees heard inspirational selections such as “Anoint Me Lord,” “Holy Spirit, Have Your Way,” “King of Kings,” “Because of Who You Are” and “He’ll Bring You Through.”

Also available

Also included were children’s activities such as face-painting, tattoos, cookie decoratiing and games. Free food and clothing, as well as a prayer station for those who sought prayer and spiritual guidance, also were available.

Using pieces from different puzzles to decorate the perimeter of a picture frame was 13-year-old Amber Sampson of Mineral Ridge. Amber, who came with her mother, Barb, said she enjoyed the music, and that she heard about the event through word of mouth.

“We came last year and had a lot of fun, so we decided to come back. We thought we’d come and enjoy the day,” said Amber, who attends St. Rose Church in Girard.

This year’s celebration also initiated a giveaway of bookbags with school supplies that any child age 6 to 17 could take advantage of, explained Rachell Joy, a member of Lost Then Found Ministries, a faith-based outreach organization in its 39th year.

Jammin’ for Jesus began when Lost Then Found was asked to put together a street outreach program for Centenary United Methodist Church on Youngstown’s North Side, Joy recalled. In time, others wanted such an event in their neighborhoods and the family-oriented event grew, she noted.