We do not expect that each sister will be able to participate in each and every service opportunity listed below. We are simply trying to brain storm as many ideas as possible to provide you with ample opportunities to serve. This list is meant to inspire ideas and facilitate, not to overwhelm and frustrate!
#1 Four of our Monthly Relief Society Activities throughout the coming year will be dedicated to S O S. Every sister will be invited and we will strive to provide a variety of different types of service. We know as we come together to serve we will be more unified and that we can do a lot of good in our community. Also sponsored by the Relief Society, we will continue our participation with meals on wheels.
#2 Sisters may start a Service Group which will meet on a regular basis as determined by the group leader/leaders to do their special types of service. An example could be a knitting group who donates their handiwork to those in need or a singing group who regularly visits a retirement center to cheer the residents. Any sister who regularly volunteers by herself may also count her hours here.
#3 Family Home Evening Challenge. The Relief Society Presidency is challenging each family to hold a special Family Home Evening sometime this year to teach their kids about service and to take them out in the community to experience it first hand. We hope Sisters who take the challenge will please share their ideas with us all!
#4 Any Sister may sponsor a One Time Service Event. It may include other sisters who wish to participate but can be as simple as one sister personally going and volunteering somewhere for a day. The Relief Society wishes to help facilitate these activities and provide any needed support for Sister's who choose to sponsor an event. Ideas for this could include holding a coat drive in the winter to give to the homeless, several sisters going together to clean up a park, etc.
WHAT COUNTS AS HOURS???
Any time spent in serving the community counts. While we love how much service the sisters provide to each other and to their families, only community service hours, or hours spent watching another sister's children so that she may serve, count towards our goal. If you are already actively volunteering: Wonderful! Your hours count whether it is a new venture or something you have been doing for years!
If there is any question as to what counts towards our hourly goal please ask a member of the Relief Society Presidency.
Sisters are Asked to Please Ponder the Following Questions as they decide how they want to participate in the SOS Program:
#1 What talents or gifts have I been blessed with that I might be able to use to bless the life of another?
#2 Where do my sympathies naturally turn? Is there something that I already CARE about, that this year I can resolve to DO something about?
