Once a year, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints declare a day of voluntary service to others. Seeking to
follow the example of Jesus Christ in helping others, thousands of
volunteers participate in worthwhile projects.
Once a year, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints declare a day of voluntary service to others. Seeking to follow the example of Jesus Christ in helping others, thousands of volunteers participate in worthwhile projects.
About 75,000 Mormons and their friends volunteered at parks throughout the state of California on May 8.
“Parks are essential to the health, well-being, happiness and quality of life for members of our communities, and the state’s economic downturn has impacted park budgets,” said a statement released by the church on using this year’s annual day of service to concentrate on renewing and beautifying city, county and state parks.
Three hundred-thirty members, friends and neighbors from the south San Jose, Gilroy and Morgan Hill wards (congregations), wearing distinctive yellow vests decorated by logos shaped like hands, worked from 8 a.m. to noon at Morgan Hill’s Community Park. Using their own tools, as well as some provided by the city, volunteers aged eight to past 80 (some in wheel chairs and some with oxygen tanks) spent their time and energy on important tasks like these:
– Spreading bark
– Mulching plants
– Cleaning the pond
– Directing traffic
– Trimming shrubs
– Painting score booth and backstop
– Spreading gold fines for pathways
– Pulling weeds
Morgan Hill Mayor Steve Tate addressed the volunteers, commending them on their “hard work and dedication to the community.” Local merchants provided refreshments.
Meanwhile, in Hollister, 110 people gathered at the San Benito Historical Park to perform long-delayed necessary projects at that facility:
– Removing the floor from the dance hall
– Installing a new fence near the school house
– Removing another fence and placing it in front of the Garcia House
– Scraping paint from and repainting the Sullivan House
– Adding a new deck at the Garcia House
– Manicuring yards
– Plowing under weeds in a field
– Washing windows
The San Benito County Board of Supervisors recognized the group’s volunteer efforts with an official proclamation of appreciation.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strive to regularly serve their communities, not just on Helping Hands Day. Some other examples include the following:
– More than 80 volunteers assembled a hundred hygiene kits for donation to disaster relief efforts in Haiti, Chile and elsewhere at a humanitarian evening a few weeks ago in Hollister. They also quilted 10 blankets and sewed 35 bags for school supplies to be donated overseas.
– A booth at The Taste of Morgan Hill will display necessary supplies for a family 72-hour disaster kit, along with lists of items to be included. It will also display computers for visitors to learn interactively about family history research, an area in which Latter-day Saints are acknowledged authorities.
For more information about Helping Hands Day or other projects of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, call Public Affairs Director Diana Dufur at (408) 847-1420.
