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SERVICE


SERVICE PROJECT LINKS:  Here are a few links that you can search out for ideas for service projects.
Charity Works -- help project of supplying children's hospitals with childsize quilts
Cancer Caps for Kids and adults -- crochet caps for center
Charity Crafts -- Baby items to crochet and knit
Binky Patrol -- Comforting Covers for Kids -- for Homeless Children
LDS Church Humanitarian Service
Leper Bandages

YW/RS SERVICE AUCTION: -  - Last night we went to a combines activity for YW and RS.  It was a service auction. In both RS and YWs, they've been talking about doing compassionate service.  They asked each of the ladies and YW to write down a service they'd be willing to do for someone. Last night, as we arrived we were each given a paper which helped us figure the amount of money we earned to use at the service auction. For example, if we had gone visiting teaching this month, we got $20.00. The Young women earned $10.00 for each value they had signed something off on this month; a trip to the temple was worth $25.00 and making your bed that day was worth $15.00.  It was possible to earn up to $400.00. After we had our sums totalled, they had an auctioneer auction off the services.  I ended up purchasing "one piano performance--good for any kind of performance any time"  "one singing performance--any time any
occasion"  (these young ladies will be performing a number in my gospel Doctrine class Sunday!) and "1 hour of work time to be spent doing anything."   My daughter purchased "1 batch of chocolate chip cookies," "1 batch of cookies (any kind)" and "2 hours pulling weeds"  (She rejoiced when she heard that one announced.  She hates weeding!  There were some items that were silly (will fill water balloons for your FHE activity) and others that were really fun, viz.  "a candlelight dinner for two".  There was one that struck me really strongly though. Towards the end, the auctioneer picked out a paper that said, "I'll be your friend." I thought,  "How much is this worth?  How much would I pay to have another friend?"  I wondered who it was that put this in, what person in the ward would offer their friendship for sale.  The bidding went quite high, and when it was over I asked the lady who bought it, who the offer was from. We have a woman in our ward in her mid-fifties who lives with her parents and has the mental age of a 7 year old. She was the person who offered her time and her friendship, she offered everything she had to give.  I think that ultimately, the result of this activity will be to bring
the two groups (the RS and the YW) closer together.  They want to make it an annual event.

SERVICE SCAVENGER HUNT: -  - When I was in YW I set up a "Service Scavenger Hunt" with my neighbours.  I had the girls meet at my house so that we would not be too late starting.  I split the girls into 2's and gave them each a list to take to the houses on
my street, the first team back having completed all the tasks would be the winners.  I made blue ribbons for them, then treated the girls to a dessert pizza that I had baking while they were gone.  The services on the list were things like...fold a load of laundry; load the  dishwasher; sweep the kitchen floor; vacuum the living room and hallway; and so on.  When the chore was completed they had to get it signed off then go to another house. Only one chore could be done per home.  It was great fun and took about 45 minutes to complete.   The girls loved it, any all of my non-member friends said they had never met such good kids.  You might give it a try.  Have fun in
YW!

SCHOOL PAINTING: -  - This summer we are going to volunteer to paint the school's playground equipment.  It's a great project because it doesn't matter if we are too neat!   Our school district is providing the paint and brushes. They are happy to have the  volunteers.  The youth like doing this because they attended the schools and it gives them a chance to give something back.

SERVICE SCAVENGER HUNT: -  For this idea, CLICK HERE

FEED THE HOMELESS: -  If you live in Salt Lake you can go on Sunday mornings to feed the Homeless. We went as a combined YM/YW and if was very rewarding. You just show up at 7am sharp on 5th south 4th west and Jenny will tell you exactly what to do. If you have questions email me. Sonja

QUILTS: - The YW in my ward made two quilts (our ward is quite small), and when they were done, we took the quilts to the women's shelter and took a tour and presented them with the quilts. They are in need of a lot of supplies. Kinsey

BABYPROOF A HOME: -  We babyproofed the home of a younger single sister in the ward who has a 1 yr.
old.  We asked if we could use her home to teach our girls how to babyproof.  I watched the clearance racks for a few months and picked up cabinet locks, outlet covers, etc.. for a reasonable cost.  The night of the activity, each girl had a check-list, and we went through it item by item.  We either babyproofed, or marked on the copy we left for the mom if there was something we could not do.  We finished the night by crawling around to see her house from the baby's point of view to make sure we hadn't missed anything.  It was an enjoyable evening and a worthwhile service project!  Jennifer

BAPTISM BOOKS: -  We put together Baptism books for 8 yr olds getting baptized. We made up pages about baptism, about covenants made, pages for them to glue in their picture, a copy of the program, some pictures of the Savior, and some fun activity pages for them to do puzzles or draw. All relating to baptism. Then we covered the little books with report covers. They turned out very nice as we did most of the pictures and pages on the computer. We put on the back "Made for you, with love.  From the Mia Maids" and the date. The Primary kids seemed to really like them and the girls were really proud. I have an example book here at home if anyone is interested in further detail.
Tawnie

PUPPET SHOW FOR HOSPITAL KIDS: - We made puppets out of socks, felt,  ribbon,  etc.  then built a puppet show stand ( the puppet show stand was a laurel project) then we performed for group of kids at a hospital. Before going to hospital, invited primary kids to Young Women's activity night and had a show for them.  Tawnie

HOMELESS SHELTER: - On the 5th Tue of the month ( we have about 4 a year),  we calendar to go down to the homeless shelter and serve dinner as a volunteer group. The girls are humbled by this and enjoy serving them. They like to go and do this.   Tawnie

 VOLUNTEER SERVICE: -  Volunteer at a library, hospital, community center, or senior center.

SERVICE PROJECT: - This was a Stake project.  The Bishops in the wards found out about people who needed service and submitted names and projects and then we contacted the people to see how long the project might be.   The people usually provided all the cleaning products and  vacuums.   At one home we mowed a yard and weeded a garden,  washed windows at another and vacuumed the upstairs and downstairs, put mulch on our stake patriarch's garden, moved old wood from behind the garage,  cut branches from an old tree,  scraped and painted a house (one level) washed windows at a nursing home where we had ward members,  pulled weeds and tied up tomato plants onto stakes in a garden, and  picked strawberries.    We also raked grass after being mowed and put it in bags.  We went to a park and cut out bushes they needed trimmed. We also painted a fence.  We had over 300 kids and we found projects for all of them. 

NEW PAVILIONS Two years ago in Logan our stake youth conference had the youth build two pavilions for two separate parks.  One was a picnic table shelter, but the other was a regular building - enclosed, pumbling and concrete and all.  We had the builders teach the youth and really do it and not just stand back and watch the adults do it.  I was in  charge of 20 kids and we were on the roofing crew and we were up there  putting black tar paper on and shingles and everything.  That was quite the project.  We had a city willing to provide all the materials and we provided all free labor.  Somehow is all worked out legally and no injuries other than fingers hammered and sun burn.