Service LearningService LearningSpring 2006Spring 2006Ben McFarlinBen McFarlin

What is so important What is so important about community about community service?service?

One of the most rewarding aspects of One of the most rewarding aspects of community service is being able to help community service is being able to help out your community.out your community.

By participating in community service you By participating in community service you have a chance to meet other people.have a chance to meet other people.

Volunteering is very rewarding and Volunteering is very rewarding and everyone should volunteer at least once.everyone should volunteer at least once.

Bethany Presbyterian Bethany Presbyterian ChurchChurch

I chose to do my community service for my church, I chose to do my community service for my church, Bethany Presbyterian.Bethany Presbyterian.

There was a work day on the weekend of the 8There was a work day on the weekend of the 8thth which which I was unable to attend, so I went and worked some I was unable to attend, so I went and worked some over the Easter Weekend to help clean up the grounds over the Easter Weekend to help clean up the grounds for Easter Sunday. for Easter Sunday.

I also helped build pieces to a set for a play the youth I also helped build pieces to a set for a play the youth is putting on as well as help with the annual Easter egg is putting on as well as help with the annual Easter egg hunt.hunt.

Lastly I took part in a talent show our church held to Lastly I took part in a talent show our church held to raise money for the youth to go on summer raise money for the youth to go on summer conferences.conferences.

The Talent Show The Talent Show

The Youth group has been going on The Youth group has been going on summer conferences each summer summer conferences each summer for about 7 years now; and the for about 7 years now; and the church always holds fundraisers to church always holds fundraisers to help the youth out with paying for the help the youth out with paying for the trip.trip.

One of the ways in which the church One of the ways in which the church raises money is to hold a talent show raises money is to hold a talent show and the people who come to watch and the people who come to watch donate money afterwards.donate money afterwards.

My brother, one of our friends, and My brother, one of our friends, and me played a medley of three classic me played a medley of three classic rock songs consisting of Let It Be, rock songs consisting of Let It Be, American Woman, and Free Bird.American Woman, and Free Bird.

My Friend played piano, my brother My Friend played piano, my brother was on guitar and I played the drums.was on guitar and I played the drums.

There were 12 acts in all and I think There were 12 acts in all and I think the talent show raise around 400 the talent show raise around 400 dollars.dollars.

The Easter Egg HuntThe Easter Egg Hunt

Every year since I can Every year since I can remember my church has remember my church has held an Easter Egg hunt the held an Easter Egg hunt the Saturday before Easter for Saturday before Easter for kids ages 1-10.kids ages 1-10.

I got to the church in the I got to the church in the morning before all the kids morning before all the kids and helped hide all the eggs.and helped hide all the eggs.

Also if any kids needed help I Also if any kids needed help I was there to help them and was there to help them and point out eggs that some of point out eggs that some of the kids might have missed.the kids might have missed.

Set for the Church PlaySet for the Church Play

For the past two years the For the past two years the youth group has put on a play youth group has put on a play for the Church members to for the Church members to raise money for the summer raise money for the summer conferences they go on.conferences they go on.

This year the scene is set in This year the scene is set in Paris and they needed to Paris and they needed to have these Eiffel Towers have these Eiffel Towers made for the tables for which made for the tables for which the people will be sitting. the people will be sitting.

There were nine towers I had There were nine towers I had to make and; though they to make and; though they were small they were quite were small they were quite difficult to put together.difficult to put together.

Each tower took about 30 Each tower took about 30 minutes.minutes.

Cleaning up the groundsCleaning up the grounds

The first project I had for cleaning up The first project I had for cleaning up the grounds around the church was the grounds around the church was to clean out and fix a birdbath to clean out and fix a birdbath fountain monument that was placed fountain monument that was placed in memory of one of our members.in memory of one of our members.

The pump in the birdbath fountain The pump in the birdbath fountain quit working and so the water was quit working and so the water was just at a stand still and the water had just at a stand still and the water had gotten really nasty and algae had gotten really nasty and algae had covered the fountain completely.covered the fountain completely.

It has not been taken care of in a It has not been taken care of in a while and so I volunteered to clean it while and so I volunteered to clean it up and try and fix the pump.up and try and fix the pump.

I used Clorox and brushes to clean I used Clorox and brushes to clean the algae and took and the pump the algae and took and the pump which my dad and I fixed, and then which my dad and I fixed, and then filled the bath back up with water and filled the bath back up with water and turned on the pump and its nice and turned on the pump and its nice and clean now.clean now.

Cleaning up the grounds Cleaning up the grounds (continued)(continued)

The next thing I did to The next thing I did to help clean up the help clean up the grounds was to walk grounds was to walk around and pick up any around and pick up any trash that was around.trash that was around.

There was not too much There was not too much trash to pick up but there trash to pick up but there was some spread out was some spread out over the Church over the Church property.property.

Cleaning up the grounds Cleaning up the grounds (Continued)(Continued)

The last grounds work I did The last grounds work I did was to spread around hay.was to spread around hay.

There are a lot of bare spots There are a lot of bare spots around the church and we around the church and we had some hay brought to the had some hay brought to the church which I spread out church which I spread out over the bare spots.over the bare spots.

This was the hardest and This was the hardest and longest project that I had to longest project that I had to do.do.

Though it was hard, once I Though it was hard, once I was done it looked very good.was done it looked very good.

Community ServiceCommunity Service

The church was very appreciative for all The church was very appreciative for all of the work that I did: cleaning the of the work that I did: cleaning the birdbath, picking up trash, and spreading birdbath, picking up trash, and spreading hay.hay.

The youth was also appreciative of the The youth was also appreciative of the Eiffel Towers I built for the set.Eiffel Towers I built for the set.

Everyone had fun at the talent show and Everyone had fun at the talent show and really enjoyed our music.really enjoyed our music.