Learning How to be a Community Leader Together: Service Projects for Kids
Michelle from Life is my Lemonade is guest posting today. Michelle and I met in college where we pledged Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. Needless to say, we've known each other awhile. Michelle also helps out with Pinterest account management. Today, she shares her reluctant adventures in teaching a child how to be a community leader. (Psst... Michelle's a little shy.) Here are some great ideas for service projects for your kids.
Race for the Cure 2011
What do you do when your child says I’m bored? I decided to
take a page out of my family’s book and take her on a new adventure. It started when she was old enough to put
groceries away. I took her to the food
pantry to help put groceries away on the shelves and explained why we were
helping out. Over the years, this
evolved into working to bag up the bags for Saturday openings. Then she asked if she could help out on
Saturday’s when the pantry was open. She
wanted to be able to work directly with the people that came into the food
pantry and help them out to their cars. Aww! That
was a great idea so we stepped into the rotation and did a Saturday morning
every once in awhile.
Helping out at a food pantry doesn't mean just donating items.
I’m
proud of how she stepped up and asked for more time with the people that came
in. Her Grandpa would be proud of
her. She didn't get to know him because
he died from Leukemia a few years before she was born. One of the proudest memories I have is of his
funeral, there were so many people there that came up to me and explained how
they knew him. He had helped them
throughout the years. He gave so many pints of blood I can’t even tell you what level
he was at. He also was an EMT for many
years, picked up people who needed transportation to doctor’s visits and
church. He and my mom both volunteered
for numerous committees. When those
people that he has touched came to show respect it made an unbearable day
better. I was proud to know that he had
done so much for others. Those are the
moments I share with my daughter now. I
am hoping that she will be able to say that she is proud of me for giving back
as well. Here are some of the things we do or plan to do when she says she is
bored.
Race for the Cure –whenever we can to support my Aunt who
is a survivor and the friends we have lost. Relay for Life-again whenever we can to remember my dad
and find a cure.
Sheltering Wings-This is a local domestic violence
shelter that helped me out. We have done
many projects from planting flowers around their building, donating money,
going to their various fundraising events, donating items for the silent
auctions, earrings for the kids to give their Moms on Mother’s Day, numerous
sweet treats just because and most recently Megan has written and received
grants to help provide pre-school supplies for their new pre-school classroom
and make up Birthday boxes for the kids.
Yep, she really did the work on writing the grants. It’s one of the requirements for the grant
because it is a Youth as Resources grant from United Way. Parents can assist but the kids are on the
ones that write it up and give the presentation. When she was younger I helped out with the
grant writing but now that she is a teen it’s all her and her Girl Scout
troop.
Pinterest idea turned into a warm welcome treat for Sheltering Wings
Pre-school supplies purchased with Grant monies
So while Megan is learning to help out in the community she
is having a good time and getting great experience. She donated time at the shelter to babysit
and play games with the kids. And she
learned that she likes to babysit and she can earn money when she’s not
donating her time.
Another bonus to helping out in the community is that she is
setting goals. Goal #1 earn the Bronze
award for Girl Scouts. Happy to say
that’s checked off, She earned her bronze award with a book drive and building
a bookcase for the shelter. Goal #2 the
Silver award for Girl Scouts. And another check, She earned her silver award
with the birthday boxes. For Goal #3 she
is going for the Gold award. She has a
list of the different places that she wants to help and a year to wait and plan
so we will see what will happen. Top of
the list for today is animal shelter, Riley or Peyton Manning children’s
hospital, or outdoor area. Whatever she
decides to do will be on her to plan from start to finish and raise the money
for because this is an individual project.
She can get help from the community but she has to put in at least 100
hours of time to meet the goal. I don’t
think it will be a problem though because she put in close to that with the
Silver award.
Going for the Gold Award
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Race for the Cure 2011
What do you do when your child says I’m bored? I decided to
take a page out of my family’s book and take her on a new adventure. It started when she was old enough to put
groceries away. I took her to the food
pantry to help put groceries away on the shelves and explained why we were
helping out. Over the years, this
evolved into working to bag up the bags for Saturday openings. Then she asked if she could help out on
Saturday’s when the pantry was open. She
wanted to be able to work directly with the people that came into the food
pantry and help them out to their cars. Aww! That
was a great idea so we stepped into the rotation and did a Saturday morning
every once in awhile.
.jpg)
Helping out at a food pantry doesn't mean just donating items.
I’m
proud of how she stepped up and asked for more time with the people that came
in. Her Grandpa would be proud of
her. She didn't get to know him because
he died from Leukemia a few years before she was born. One of the proudest memories I have is of his
funeral, there were so many people there that came up to me and explained how
they knew him. He had helped them
throughout the years. He gave so many pints of blood I can’t even tell you what level
he was at. He also was an EMT for many
years, picked up people who needed transportation to doctor’s visits and
church. He and my mom both volunteered
for numerous committees. When those
people that he has touched came to show respect it made an unbearable day
better. I was proud to know that he had
done so much for others. Those are the
moments I share with my daughter now. I
am hoping that she will be able to say that she is proud of me for giving back
as well. Here are some of the things we do or plan to do when she says she is
bored.
Race for the Cure –whenever we can to support my Aunt who
is a survivor and the friends we have lost. Relay for Life-again whenever we can to remember my dad
and find a cure.
Sheltering Wings-This is a local domestic violence
shelter that helped me out. We have done
many projects from planting flowers around their building, donating money,
going to their various fundraising events, donating items for the silent
auctions, earrings for the kids to give their Moms on Mother’s Day, numerous
sweet treats just because and most recently Megan has written and received
grants to help provide pre-school supplies for their new pre-school classroom
and make up Birthday boxes for the kids.
Yep, she really did the work on writing the grants. It’s one of the requirements for the grant
because it is a Youth as Resources grant from United Way. Parents can assist but the kids are on the
ones that write it up and give the presentation. When she was younger I helped out with the
grant writing but now that she is a teen it’s all her and her Girl Scout
troop.
Pinterest idea turned into a warm welcome treat for Sheltering Wings
Pre-school supplies purchased with Grant monies
So while Megan is learning to help out in the community she
is having a good time and getting great experience. She donated time at the shelter to babysit
and play games with the kids. And she
learned that she likes to babysit and she can earn money when she’s not
donating her time.
Another bonus to helping out in the community is that she is
setting goals. Goal #1 earn the Bronze
award for Girl Scouts. Happy to say
that’s checked off, She earned her bronze award with a book drive and building
a bookcase for the shelter. Goal #2 the
Silver award for Girl Scouts. And another check, She earned her silver award
with the birthday boxes. For Goal #3 she
is going for the Gold award. She has a
list of the different places that she wants to help and a year to wait and plan
so we will see what will happen. Top of
the list for today is animal shelter, Riley or Peyton Manning children’s
hospital, or outdoor area. Whatever she
decides to do will be on her to plan from start to finish and raise the money
for because this is an individual project.
She can get help from the community but she has to put in at least 100
hours of time to meet the goal. I don’t
think it will be a problem though because she put in close to that with the
Silver award.
Going for the Gold Award
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