By now, you may have noticed a trend in the recent posts, as each title concludes with the word "Community." My intention has been to establish a foundation for an ongoing series of posts about our community here in Grand Rapids. In May, I began by highlighting the inherent power that resides within communities in general. In June's post, I delved into the valuable insights I have gained from our own community.
Now, in this month's post, I encourage everyone to take a moment and contemplate what they can contribute to our community.
Every contribution matters, whether it is volunteering your time with us making some sandwiches, baking a batch of cookies to donate, dropping off that forgotten hoodie from your closet, or making a monetary contribution. The value of contribution extends beyond the receiver, and has meaningful impact on the giver as well. Acts of service build the community, they serve as bridges between individuals who might not otherwise interact.
On July 8th, our dedicated team of volunteers, despite some light rain, gathered at Heartside Park at noon to distribute goods and engage with our neighbors. Despite the weather conditions, the gracious smiles of our neighbors warmly greeted us. This month, we were incredibly fortunate to receive the generosity of Steve & Kathy Schoenborn Family Farms. They allowed us to handpick over 20 lbs of fresh, sweet cherries, which we then distributed to our neighbors.
Additionally, we had a fresh supply of men's t-shirts and underwear. These items are consistently sought after, and we can never have too many!
I truly want to encourage all of you to ask yourselves what can you contribute? Is it a forgotten sweater? A big smile?
Our donation bin is still located outside the entrance of The Community Church in Ada (7239 Thornapple River Dr SE, Ada), and you can find our Amazon wish list as well as a donation page on this site!
Everyone, truly everyone, can do something for their community.
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