2010

The new year has been fantastic so far. I am really starting to connect with the PAHS students. Friday we will be hosting the “Friendship Dinner”, we will be cooking and serving a meal for 100-175 community members in need. The teens are excited about it and have committed their Friday night to serving the community. The relationships I have developed with these teens is one of the major contributing factors in my decision to stay a second year.

Taylor Schraudner
North Olympic Youth Corps Coordinator
North Olympic Volunteer Center

Interpreting Service

Something I love about this service...so much to learn. I recently had the chance to join in an Interpretive Writing Workshop. It was actually helpful in terms of grant-writing and proposals in general! Here is a sample of what the instructor had us write to begin the session and use words creatively.

"Dancing dandelions
Dissipate diverse drek
Lo and behold
What do you know,
Words become verbs
And inspire a literal
Transformation
Inclination
Inspiration
The folly and flirtatious fun
Of precarious and carnivorous
Punctuation."

Not until I engaged in this workshop on Interpretive Writing did I realize the amount of time I have spent writing for my service. At this point, I could finally begin to conceptualize the power of each word I present. Intentional use of every phrase will make my aspirations and objectives clearer, more concise and therefore more likely to happen. Consequently, this learning experience I expect will provide a very positive product in this, my second year of service as a VISTA.

Interfaith Day of Service SUMMARY

In case you are not able to view these images, please click on the following site...

http://www.motionbox.com/videos/4c99dab41b1ee8c9c4

What is the Interfaith day of Service?
"Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." ~ Martin Luther King
The Clark County Interfaith Day of Service honored the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. by bringing together people of many cultures and faiths to serve. Through our shared commitment to service, we went beyond mere tolerance of diversity to build positive relationships as we worked with one another. We hope various faith communities will join us for this fun event in the future.

Martin Luther King Day: January 18th, 2010
175 people of all ages and faith traditions met for breakfast, generously provided by Loaves and Fishes, at 8:30 am at the Luepke Center. After several interfaith activities and comments from Rabbi Elizabeth Dunsker and Subeeh Siddiqui, a local Moslem youth leader, we all adjourned to our service sites. We returned at noon to reflect on ways our lives and faith are nourished by service.

Service Sites

Americans Building Community Inc. (ABC)
Engaged in Service: 16
At the home of an elderly woman, recently hospitalized suffering from Alzheimer’s, two hours were filled pulling down sheet rock with crowbars and hammers, in the family room, laundry area, and bedroom. Furthermore, volunteers tore down shelves, cupboards, a stove, sink and counter, siding on the porch, and demolished the entire kitchen. This woman's house is being rehabbed to either be sold to cover her care or for her to live with her adult son, who will care for her. In fact, this very son of the woman was there, working with us. He commented, “Thank God for you people.”

“This activity was totally unexpected in the best way possible.”

Empty Bowls
Engaged in Service: 40
Empty Bowls Decorated: 20
Empty Bowls was a very fulfilling workshop given for the benefit of raising money for Loaves and Fishes. Originally, there was a class of 20 adults, each to paint one of the 20 bowls. Given the popularity of the event, 10 children from the Boys and Girls Club and 3 of their counselors, joined us. The discussion before the children arrived was one of political and faith-based causes and solutions for hunger, but when the children all sat cross-legged in front of their bowls, the essence changed from the head to the heart!

“Without understanding a concept such as hunger and starvation one cannot begin to solve it.”

Interfaith Day of Service Logo/Poster Contest
Engaged in Service: 7
Volunteers were given the chance to help design next year's Interfaith Day of Service Logo! Utensils and examples of logos were offered and then the participants themselves were given free reign to create what they believe should symbolize this extraordinary event next year. In the end we came away with eight viable options to choose from that showcase various perspectives of our community.

Loaves and Fishes
Engaged in Service: 30
Loaves and Fishes gave our volunteers an opportunity to deliver hot, nutritious meals to the elderly of our community. These meals were prepared from start to finish by our willing group.

Meals Prepared: 200

Mercy Corps Action Center
Engaged in Service: 8
An interfaith group of 8 people visited Mercy Corps' dynamic new Action Center and learned how they, individually or as part of a faith community could support International relief efforts. Due to the most recent devastation in Haiti, this was their primary focus. Over one hundred dollars was raised for this worthwhile cause.


“It made me look at the world in a completely new light.”

Oak Bridge Teen Shelter
Engaged in Service: 12
Teens painted a mural designed by a local artist. The sketch was pre-posted on the wall of their home so that the two hours spent painting would be optimized. Kids between the ages of twelve and fifteen took brushes into their own hands to benefit their peers who may not have had the same opportunities. Everyone enjoyed the artistic chance to express themselves and their hopes for those who live in these walls.
“I never got to do anything like this before!”

Project Linus
Engaged in Service: 27
Drawing on Muslim quilt squares with fabric markers, was just the beginning. Next, the participants took the squares, stitched them together with printed fabric, to make quilt tops. Additionally, they took fleece and knotted the ends to make blankets. All of these blankets are distributed through Southwest Medical to kids who have endured a traumatic experience. With this comfort in mind, uplifting designs were created that would appeal to these youth. At least six participants have plans to return, while others will donate what they have!
“We all make a difference in our own ways!”

Vancouver Watersheds
Engaged in Service: 15
Together with an estimated 150 volunteers from other organizations, volunteers with the Interfaith Day of Service Vancouver Watersheds Team assisted in planting shrubs at the Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway. All of the volunteers helped plant 5,000 tress and shrubs over the course of the day, and helped spread mulch to protect the newly planted saplings. One IFDS volunteer stated that he now has a greater interest in volunteering regularly, while another said she was very happy to have the opportunity to help the environment.


Closing Gathering:
We celebrated our collective work by viewing the work of each team and sharing what was learned and valued by each service team. Participants also learned about additional opportunities to serve through A Parents’ Guide to Family Service in Clark County.

"I had a wonderful MLK service day today with 2 granddaughters...met some great people and quilted for children who have experienced trauma. We all agreed we want to do it again next year. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the dream that Martin Luther King, Jr. had!"

With Gratitude….

A STORY OF FAITH

Sleep did not come easy for me the night before our big MLK Day event. Concerned with the rumblings I heard from talking to volunteers, that people were coming but hadn’t registered online, I lay thinking that this service literally never ends. I had done all I could before I turned in, but everything leftover kept creeping into my mind. Finally, a thought of surrender to the service I had done came over me, “Everyone will be in their right place.” I fell asleep.

We awoke early to a chilly but clear January morning it was the beginning of a new year. Months of work was about to manifest itself. Students that had been part of the last few weeks of planning showed up to lend a hand setting-up for the day. In just an hour, we placed all the pre-made centerpieces on the 15 circular tables Loaves and Fishes had kindly prepared for us. Additionally, we put together 2 registration tables, one for the reregistered and one for those who had not registered, 8 information booths for each of the volunteer service sites, and made sure that our 2 microphones were working. We just finished as people started to wander in the door.

As I knew that at least some of our participants or groups would not be registered, I stood by the registration table to expedite the process. Four of our service sites were flexible with numbers, I had double checked, and I had a excel sheet of the interested volunteers for the limited service activities. With the three extraordinary people behind the desk, we were able to place our newcomers quickly and proficiently. Moreover, we had a trio of welcomers to smooth out the process. Despite all the preparation, we still had a line! While I was so grateful that this event would be well attended, I tried to balance the wants and needs of the volunteers with those of the service site projects. These six amazing individuals made it possible to start our opening ceremonies only fifteen minutes off schedule. Simultaneously, we replenished breakfast, thanks to Loaves and Fishes once again, switched one of the speakers, and coordinated two games that instigated dialogue amongst all of the different groups that came together.

Wow, without a breath, it was moving forward and the time had come for the Martin Luther King Jr. short film I had put together. There always seems to be technical difficulties of some kind, but as it played and I observed the eyes of those watching and saw a range of emotions that put me at ease: gratitude, insight, curiosity, motivation, sadness and hope. As I felt everyone getting anxious, we were off to our service sites. Each Volunteer Leader transitioned their groups into the service portion of the day, that would make up their next two hours. They had sign-in sheets provided by Hands On Greater Portland, our partner in purpose and liability, and instructions for introductions, as well as reflections. I heard later that some activities needed more time, and some needed less. All I knew was time lept away from me as if it was just as excited as I was.

Almost three-fourths of our participants returned for our closing! We ate lunch and became one for a moment in the willingness and readiness to understand each other. There was a beautiful showcase of the products made, as well as the meaning of what we had just done. Although, there was also supposed to be a slide-show of three to five pictures from each site, I did not have enough time before the conclusion the event to provide this visual closure. However, I did promise that everyone would receive it before the week was out. Instead, we handed over certificates and parting words.

While I write this, I am analyzing all the registrant numbers, placements, and evaluations,. It turns out that we had double the number of participants expected! There were 175 people spread between 8 different service sites. Nonetheless, having spoken to the exiting volunteers and leaders, as well as reading over all the thirty surveys we received from those who gave us feedback and advice for next year, overall the service was worthwhile and full of meaning!