At an age where many kids tend to be more focused on themselves, our amazing group of AWANA T&T girls and boys found a way to care for others.
On May 21st, these 3rd-5th graders used the money they raised earlier this year to host a “Spring Fling” at Summit Glen, a local senior living center. Armed with decorations, desserts, punch and loads of nervous smiles they gathered to help set-up the event on a Saturday evening.
The AWANA clubbers created several stations for the seniors to participate: potting flowers, decorating sugar cookies, playing board games, a silly photo booth and even a bean bag toss! As the event start time neared, they bounced around in anticipation of their “first customer.” Some kiddos were even so excited to serve that they went in search of people to bless, by blanketing the building with encouraging words inviting residents to come participate! As many seniors played games, ate snacks and visited with our Pulpit Rock kids, our clubbers soon realized they were not only serving others but received many blessings themselves.
In
what began as timid conversations with the seniors, our girls and boys began to learn more about their lives, their children and the things they liked to do.
- A dear lady taught some of the girls some secrets of planting flowers.
- Another was an ace at bean bag toss.
- A gentleman played an intense game of chess with one of the boys.
- One lady giggled loudly as she saw her Polaroid picture wearing a goofy, floppy hat and over-sized sunglasses from the photo booth!
- Another resident, after decorating cookies with the children and learning about their love for dogs, retrieved her puppy from her room and brought it to meet them.
It was amazing to see something that began as a brainstorming service idea from these young children come to fruition through their dedicated fundraising and hard work. The Spring Fling service project created beautiful memories that left these servant-hearted kiddos with the desire to do it all over again next year!
Written by Lindsay Yochum, Children’s Ministry Event Director