Olympus Stake R.S. Serving Sisters

submitted by: Susan Maughan

Here are the totals from the service projects that were completed on Sat. at our Stake Women's Conference:

• 4 boxes of children's books collected for Ethiopa
• 4 baby quilts
• 40 fleece blankets
• 100 pocket hearts
• 100 I spy bottles
• 55 Journals

A heart felt thank you to all who helped!

Primary Children's Service Projects

by Christi Jardine, Stake Provident Living Leader

 

Primary Children's Medical Center is always in need of service. Two of my sons have done Eagle Scout Service Projects  and my daughter did a Hope of America service project for the children. They have a great website with many service ideas with detailed information on projects. The sight has patterns and measurements for puppets, medical play dolls, stuffed animals and several kinds of blankets.  these would be great for Family Home Evening, extended family parties, Achievement Days, Cub Scouts, Relief Society, Hope of America, etc.

Here is the link to the service ideas:

primarychildrens/donations/service

Serving in Simple Ways

submitted by Susan Maughan- Stake Humanitarian Leader

The following is a quote from a great article, "Scatter Sunshine", Ensign, Oct. 2008. It gives great ideas from people all over the world about how to serve in your community. The following is just one idea. 

"Sometimes service can be done in quiet and simple ways. My friend purchases unstained baby blankets at yard sales, washes them, and donates them to charity. Another friend gives the extra items from her buy-one-get-one-free coupons to the sisters on her visiting teaching route or to families with children. Another sister has gorgeous rose bushes and shares a vase of them with the sisters in the ward during the summer. A young woman in high school started a knitting club with some of her friends. They made leprosy bandages to send to third-world countries. Some dads coach their children’s sporting activities; not only do they spend time with their children, but they also support the community."

You don’t have to do something big for service to count. After all, it’s “by small and simple things [that] great things [are] brought to pass” (Alma 37:6).

To read the entire article go to:

Scatter Sunshine 

Volunteering Opportunities- Where to Start?

by Susan Maughan- Stake Humanitarian Leader

If you want to volunteer your service, but are not really sure where, herea are some links to get you on your way!

1-800-volunteer.org- is a national database of volunteer opportunities. Put in your zip code and the number of miles you're willing to travel. Narrow your search based on the programs that interest you.

http://www.goabroad.com/volunteer-abroad- Choose a country and limit your search based on the type or work and length of job. Some projects require registration fees that can range from $200 to over $2000.

http://www.seniorcorps.gov.- Offers volunteer opportunities for people 55 and over.

http://www.americorps.org/- This organization will connect you to long-term service projects, from disaster relief to homelessness. Create a user profile and apply for opportunities that interest you.

www.charityguide.org/- Charity Guide presents service projects that are entirely flexible and immediately actionable. You can volunteer whenever you want, from wherever you want, in as few as 15 minutes.

Salvation Army Bucket- Teaching Your Children to Give

Submitted by Susan Maughan, Stake Humanitarian Leader

Here is a really easy and simple idea for encouraging your 
children or grandchildren to become "Humanitarian Helpers".

During the holidays, I get a $10 roll of quarters for each of my children and keep it in my purse. When we are out running errands, my children get to put a few quarters into the Salvation Army buckets coming and going out of the store. I give them the money while we are in the car, so it feels like they are giving it all on their own. 

This is a great way to teach giving to a child. There is lots of excitement in this giving because of the bell ringing and the thank yous from the Salvation Army volunteer. It is a rewarded effort every time they give. That good feeling of giving will stick with them throughour their whole life. It did for me!

Concern for the Poor

At this time of year as gratitude fills our hearts, here is a great article 

to help us remember to reach out to others recommended by  
Susan Maughan our Stake Relief Society Humanitarian Leader:

Church News: Concern-for-the-poor

"My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness — 

be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. 

We are the Lord's hands here upon the earth, 

with the mandate to serve and to lift His children.

He is dependent upon each of us."

-Pres. Thomas S. Monson

(October 2009 general conference; Ensign November 2009).

Humanitarian Tidbits

by Susan Maughan, Stake Humanitarian Leader

There was an article in the Deseret News recently (Sept. 17^th) about a local church in Sandy (Sandy Ridge Community Church.).  The pastor asked himself a sobering question,

“If we closed the doors of our church tomorrow, would anybody notice?”

He said he didn’t like the answer.  “I felt compelled by the love of God for this church to be a blessing not just to its members, but to the community in which we live.” He urged his church to find ways to reach out into the community to find ways to make a difference.  The article then wrote about ways his church congregation has done this.

Our church leaders have similarly encouraged us to reach out into the community. President Monson recently said, “My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness – be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers.  We are the Lord’s hands here on earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children.  He is dependent upon each of us.”

*Did you know, according to Family Circle Magazine (March 2011), “only 29% of parents frequently explain to their kids the importance of giving to others, according to a recent poll.”

Humanitarian Heroes

by Susan Maughan- Stake Humanitarian Leader

MariAnne Dubois of the 7^th Ward has made 150 lined dresses for little girls!  These dresses will be sent to Guatemala and countries in Africa where there is a need.  Marianne heard someone speak who said that when children come to orphanages in Africa they have often lost their hair, and the only way to distinguish girls from boys is by the dresses the girls wear.

MariAnne began this project after hearing the talk last April Conference by Elder Henry Eyring, “Opportunities to Do Good.”  She said she sat in her chair and thought about what she could do to serve.  The result is 150 beautiful dresses in six months by one amazing, loving woman!

 

Another pair of heroes are the couple along the Cottonwood Creek walking/biking trail who pick up litter as they walk. We could all take a garbage bag and a sharp stick with us as we walk to pick up litter.

Once a month three families get together and make 300 sandwiches for the homeless shelter.  They do it on a Saturday and take all their children with them to serve the lunch

Hearts Filled With Gratitude

"I pray that the Lord will bless each of us with a greater sense of mercy, charity, and compassion. 

I plead for an increase in our desire and ability to reach our and assist the less fortunate, 
the distressed, and those who suffer, that their needs may be met, 
that their faith may be strengthened,

and that their hearts may be filled with gratitude and love."

-Silvia H. Allred, "The Essence of Discipleship," Ensign, May 2011, p. 86

Hope Phones Project

by Susan Maughan

We would like to express a big thank you to those of you who donated used cell phones to the Hope Phones project this summer.  Our ward Relief Societies gathered and sent in a total of 99 phones.  These phones will be refurbished and used to purchase appropriate, usable cell phones for community health workers in medical clinics in over 30 countries around the world.  Hope Phone's pilot project distributed cell phones to community health workers in 100 rural villages in Malawi, saving thousands of dollars in travel and hospital costs, and doubling the number of patients treated for diseases such as tuberculosis.
So, thank you so much!