Nearly 1,000 volunteers engaged by Peachtree Road United Methodist Church tackled dozens of neighborhood community service projects across Metro Atlanta during the 25th Anniversary Great Day of Service on March 25. This day is PRUMC’s annual community volunteer day. At this favorite outreach event, all ages put their faith in action as they serve those in need across Atlanta.
“The Great Day of Service is the backbone of the Local Outreach Ministry at PRUMC. Many charitable agencies became permanent PRUMC partner agencies after participating in the Great Day, and church members discovered great friendships working together on projects,” Beth Spencer, director of local outreach and volunteer service said. “It is an incredibly impactful time when we as a congregation, with all ages, come together in a relaxed setting to go out to serve others.”
Volunteer teams tackled projects such as landscaping, tree planting, gutter cleaning, indoor and outdoor painting, home or park renovations and an array of other tasks. Some service projects involved exercise in the form of softball, baseball or other games with PRUMC teams engaging a community youth group in play. One group of volunteers sewed blankets for newborns and others filled hygiene kits or made sandwiches for delivery to shelter families.
Overall, volunteers worked on over 30 projects around the city including projects at Wilderness Works, Agape, Habitat for Humanity, Atlanta Community Bank and more.
“We want our volunteers to feel they contributed to the greater good and that their contributions made a difference. We want them to experience that when you help others you can’t help helping yourself,” added Spencer.
The Great Day of Service began at PRUMC as an idea from the Rev. Vickie Smith, then a member and volunteer who went on to become an ordained minister in North Georgia. While the church also contributed financially to several community partners, there was a general sense that the church could also contribute through service. Smith’s original plans estimated up to 100 volunteers might register that first year, and more than 500 answered the call to serve. Since 1992, almost 28,000 volunteers have signed up and participated in the Great Day of Service.
In other news: As part of their efforts to protect urban forests, Trees Atlanta allied with leadership of the member cities in the Peachtree Gateway Partnership and organized a partnership-wide tree planting project to celebrate Georgia Arbor Day. Volunteers, local residents and city staff from all four cities joined Trees Atlanta's collaborative effort to make the thriving quad-city area an even better place to live, work and play by planting 177 trees in Georgian Hills Park, Dresden Park, on Winters Chapel Road, and at the Dunwoody Nature Center.
Information: prumc.org/local-outreach/greatday/
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