William Penn Life, 2016 (51. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2016-04-01 / 4. szám
31 Great Join Hands Day Project Ideas That Work! I JOIN HANDS DAY brings young people and adults together to plan and implement projects that benefit their communities. It’s the only national day of service that unites generations through volunteering. Although officially observed on the first Saturday in May, many groups aren’t able to participate on that date for a variety of reasons. So, our branches and other groups have leeway as to when to host their Join Hands Day event. The important thing is that you partner with youth in your community and organize a project. Organizing a Join Hands Day project may seem overwhelming, but WPA can show you how easy it can be if you stick to it and stay organized. Just call Judit at 1-800-848-7366, ext. 149, for answers to any questions you may have. In an effort to inspire and motivate you, here are 31 great project ideas other groups have successfully conducted: 1. Repair bicycles to give to disadvantaged children and teach them bicycle maintenance. 2. Collect chairs of various shapes and sizes, artistically paint them and auction for a worthy cause. 3. Collect children’s books to give to disadvantaged children. Consider sorting into themes, decorating theme book areas, dressing in appropriate costumes and developing suitable games. 4. Repair gravestones and improve landscaping in a cemetery. 5. Connect with a builders’ association to help refurbish a group home. 6. Plant flowers, shrubs and trees in a park or other location. Work with a landscape architect and/or master gardener to develop a special garden in a park or a nursing home. 7. Revitalize a community facility by mulching; planting trees and flowers; refurbishing sandbox, swings and track area; or painting picnic tables or bleachers. 8. Develop a hiking path, removing vegetation and putting down mulch. 9. Work with an environmental group in monitoring river water and/or saving rare plants and/or removing invasive plants. 10. Collect stuffed bears (and other animals), write messages to tie or clip onto the bears and give them to local police departments to use in comforting children. 11. Hold a health and safety fair. 12. Invite the visually impaired to a special bowling event. 13. Participate in the national Veterans’ History Project by having youth videotape interviews with war veterans in advance. Invite the veterans to a program to showcase portions of the videos along with their war memorabilia. 14. Sponsor a major recycling project that culminates with a recycling program and demonstration. 15. Provide free vision and/or other medical screening tests. 16. Build and put up birdhouses, butterfly boxes or bat houses. 17. Collect school items, pack into donated backpacks for disadvantaged children. 18. Help seniors by installing safety devices, raking yards, cleaning gutters or shopping for their groceries. 19. Assemble “Summer Fun Reading Bags" for children to encourage reading and learning over the summer months. 20. Refurbish or build a new playground in a neighborhood, park, childcare center or foster children’s home. 21. Clear out an illegal tire dump, giving the tires to a recycler. 22. Hold a benefit supper and bake sale for someone with medical needs. Invite choirs and singing groups to donate time to sing for an after-supper program. 23. Plant a vegetable garden at a seniors’ residence or children’s center. 24. Teach seniors computer skills, or help seniors and youths learn Web page skills together. 25. Take seniors and/or children fishing. 26. Paint a mural at a school, community center or group home. 27. Spring cleaning of a community ball park or soccer field. 28. Build on a Habitat for Humanity house or other home for someone in need. 29. Clean and paint camp cabins. 30. Plant sunflowers and other wildflowers on country roadsides. 31. Develop an entrance to town with signs, plantings and flagpole. Whatever type of project you decide to do, please remember to celebrate your accomplishments when you’re done to reward all your volunteers for their hard work. Also, remember to share details and photographs of your Join Hands Day project with us. We want to see you and your fellow fraternalists doing good works in the pages of this magazine! It starts with US! William Penn Life ° April 2016 0 3
