36. Participate in two community service activities a year (2009, 2010, 2011). (1/6)

My parents' church works at a local homeless shelter a couple of times a year; the shelter has a number of local churches come in and serve dinner there regularly.  The church is responsible for setting the menu and having church members make all the food and buy all the supplies (coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, plastic forks/spoons, cups, etc).  Whenever it's our church's turn, my family jumps at the chance.  Other church members are happy to make the food but don't necessarily have the time to go serve (or, sometimes, don't want to go serve; unfortunately, there are a few folks who "don't like" to be at the facility - fine by me, though, because I love going and smiling for people).

This time the menu was meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green bean casserole (with apples and cookies for dessert). My sister's friend Krystal was on mashed potato duty (it was her first time participating); my sister was on green bean casserole duty and, as always, quite entertaining.  Whenever someone didn't want green beans, my sister would say, "Oh, come on, it's flu season!  You need your greens!"  She's too much.  My hubby was doling out the meatloaf and I was on gravy duty.

Every time we go, the experience is sadly similar and sadly different.  It's sadly similar in that we see some of the same people we've seen for years and years now.  It's sadly different this time that there were so many new faces and, in particular, people I would guess were not homeless but down enough on their luck that a free meal was something they needed.  There are times I see people my age and people with children, which is always the saddest.  There were no children there yesterday, though.  There was one woman, though, who was asking the supervisor if he had any information about a women's shelter in the area.  She was clean, well put together, and basically looked like she just left her home.  My family's best guess is that perhaps she left an abusive husband or similar bad living situation.  Whatever the situation, it couldn't have been good.

It doesn't take much for one's life to hit the skids.  The husband and I are really only one missing paycheck from not being able to afford any groceries what-so-ever right now.  This was my husband's first time participating in the activity and I think it was really good.  As my dad said on the way home, it always puts things in perspective.  You're not going to go home from this and complain about your download speed or an annoying phone call at work.  I'd like to think I'm always fairly aware of everything I have to be grateful for, but it never hurts to be reminded.  But more than that, I feel very, very lucky to have the life I have and I would like to do more to spread good fortune and good luck, especially in these hard times, but, really, any time.

I hope I'm able to not only do this event again soon, but other events, too.  I put this goal on my 101 list because I wanted to do other activities beyond this one.  It's one of those things that's so easy to put aside and say, "Oh, I don't have time for community service" but most of us do.  I need to do some web research and see what else is available in my area.

Comments

[adventure travel teens]

We are all guilty of "not having enough time", but for the difference that community service programs make, we could all stand to spare some. It is also important to get the youth involved and teach them the values of these services for the people in need. You can check out this website for more information on youth community service programs.