WINONA LAKE — Lakeland Christian Academy, Winona Lake, held a special event Tuesday, April 18.

The evening included a tribute to Joy Lavender, Lakeland Christian Academy administrator, who is retiring after 22 years of faithful service at LCA and a mortgage burning ceremony.

Donors and board members from the past twenty years were invited to attend the event, which included a barbecue feast featuring chicken and burgers by Big Boss Barbecue, Silver Lake.

Lavender’s service at LCA includes involvement with the school as a parent, board member, staff member and administrator. She was voted in as a board member in 2000. In 2003 she became the development director. She became the principal in 2004, and in 2005 she became the administrator, a position she has continued to hold.

Members of the audience were invited to come onstage to share favorite stories about Lavender. Several people took advantage of this opportunity to express appreciation for the positive impact Lavender has had on their lives.

Lavender’s brother, Kevin Landis, Cincinnati, took to the stage and informed those in attendance that he and his siblings were blessed to have been raised in a Christian home. Landis said he had some stories to share about his ‘older’ sister, recounting how he and his brother would torment Lavender and their other sister when they were children, resulting in both sisters hitting the boys with their hairbrushes. He added, “She is nice, but there is a side to her that you want to stay away from.”

Once the laughter died down, Landis continued on by sharing a sentimental memory of Lavender. He went on to say that one of his memories of Lavender relates to the time that he was attending Grace Seminary and was near the end of his college years. Landis said he was fearful of doing his thesis and not at all sure he could do it. He decided that he would just finish up his classes but would not obtain his diploma. Landis described walking around Winona Lake one afternoon with Lavender, sharing this information with her. Landis remembers how Lavender encouraged him to do the thesis. He expressed that he looks back on that and feels that Lavender is the real reason he finished seminary and got a degree, stating, “She’s always been a source of encouragement and I’ve always looked up to her and appreciated the gifts God has given to her. I’m thankful she’s my sister.”

Lavender was visibly moved by the entire tribute. She addressed the crowd, stating, “It has been my privilege to be at Lakeland for all these years. I want to thank you all for coming this evening. It’s very special to me and my family.”

Lavender expressed her excitement about the burning of the mortgage and said it was due to the work of many people, including the donors, parents, students, teachers and board members.

Lavender said many people had a hand in constructing the building, stating, “I can remember many parents sticking the stones on the walls of the outside of the building.”

A ceremonial “burning of the mortgage” was performed to celebrate the fact that the building has been paid off, far ahead of schedule. Copies of the “paid in full” mortgage notice were handed out, with the notices then being placed in a barrel and lit on fire.

These events were followed up by the 2017 LCA annual association meeting where the agenda included an election of LCA board members, financial report information and a strategic planning update.