"We wanted to participate in helping families that are in our community.”
Experiencing the Joy of Service
September 23, 2023 - Mary Jolley
In three hours, over a hundred women and teens gathered to complete seven different service projects for the people of El Dorado County. Projects included crocheting afghans for foster children, crafting ornaments for families who have lost their homes in recent fires and floods, making paracord lanyards for military and first responders, and creating scented hearts for parents of babies in the NICU.
“It’s really good to send things out to the needy,” said Karen Christensen, one of the organizers of the Rescue congregation, “but we have needy right here in our own county. We wanted to participate in helping families that are in our community.”
During the activity, women and teens made new friends and learned new skills in the spirit of sharing love with each other and the community. It was a heartwarming sight to see children hard at work with glue and markers to craft beautiful letters for first responders, local veterans, and Ukrainian refugees coming to the area. In fact, Karina, one of the refugee children, served by translating letters into Ukrainian.
Olga, Karina’s mother, explained why they came to the activity: “I found out that this day there will be a meeting of people who help other people and give them a piece of warmth that you can do with your own hands. And of course, we wanted to take part in this. I'm glad that we were able to take part in this and bring at least a little bit of warmth.”
One of the service projects included filling new or gently-used purses with basic necessities such as lip balm and notepads. The purses were donated by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and will be distributed to women in need in our county. The recipients will include sex trafficking victims, domestic violence survivors, women released from incarceration, fire survivors, and unhoused women.
While all participants left the activity filled with delicious salads and cookies, they were especially nourished by the spirit of charity, which is the pure love of Jesus Christ. It was clear by the warm smiles, laughter, and hard work that these women and kids love the people in the El Dorado County community.
To find these service projects and many others, visit JustServe.org.