WSD 2022: It’s Time to Sign Up!

 

Join us as we celebrate our 21st year! Women’s Service Day 2022 is planned for Thursday, October 6, and it’s time to sign up! To be a part of this West Michigan day of volunteering and networking, please register by September 27.

New this year! If you’re on the east side of the state, consider joining the Southeast MI sister event! Read about it and register through this link.

---

How to Register

We’re again using online registration by Sign Up Genius, which allows you to choose specifically where and when you’d like to volunteer on Women’s Service Day. Volunteer opportunities are limited; they’ll be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Safety is our priority! We follow CDC and State of Michigan DHHS guidelines for recommended protocols

Please keep two things in mind: Most agencies require that volunteers be 18 or older; look for notes on the few that are available to younger volunteers. And because some of our volunteers have physical limitations, please choose options that align with your capabilities.

If you’re not familiar with Sign Up Genius, just follow these four easy steps:

1. GO TO THE FORM: Click here to go to the WSD 2022 Registration Form on Sign Up Genius.
2. CHOOSE YOUR ASSIGNMENT: Click on the green “Sign Up” button next to a volunteer opportunity you’d like to do. To volunteer all day, choose both a morning and an afternoon assignment.

• If you have a physical limitation and don’t see an appropriate task for your abilities on the list, please contact us at womensserviceday@gmail.com. We definitely have a place for you!
• Once you’ve picked your assignment(s), click on the big purple “Submit and Sign Up” button.

3. SET UP YOUR ACCOUNT: Create a Sign Up Genius account (or log in if you already have one). This will allow you to get email reminders and other important messages about the event.

• Complete the remaining questions on the form and click the big green “SIGN UP NOW” button.

4. MARK YOUR CALENDAR: You’re now all set for WSD on October 6! We’re counting on you, so make sure you add your assignment(s) to your calendar.

• And by all means, please invite your friends to sign up — the more the merrier!

Pleasenote that we may add more volunteer activities in the next few weeks, so feel free to check back and see what’s new.

Once you sign-up, you’ll receive confirmation that we’ve received your information, and you’ll be on an email distribution list for future event communications. Remember, we’re counting on you! We plan our agency projects based on the number of registrants, so please be sure it’s on your calendar.

---

What to Expect on October 6

We are so excited for your enthusiastic participation on Women’s Service Day this year. Here’s what to expect….

For a morning or all-day session, plan to arrive at your worksite in Holland at 8:30 a.m (or 9 am if volunteering with Kids Food Basket). For an afternoon session, plan to arrive at our lunch location by noon for a celebration lunch. A $10 donation will cover your lunch.
 

We’ll hold a raffle to support Eighth Day Farm. Proceeds from our raffle (tickets are $5 or 3 for $12; or $10 or 3 for $25) will support Eighth Day Farm in providing donating fresh, locally grown produce to Community Action House and their Food Club. Bring your wallet!

We’ll also collect items to donate to Period Project 49423. Here are the items they need the most:

1. Summer’s Eve Cleansing Cloths-individually wrapped wipes

2. Always Radiant Teen Pads

3. Tampax Radiant Tampons regular absorbency-unscented

---

Watch for additional details about our event in future blog posts!

Questions?

E-mail the Women’s Service Day Planning Committee or visit our 2022 Event page. Or visit our website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for more information. Let’s keep making a difference in our community!

Participating Agencies at Women’s Service Day 2022!

This year’s participating agencies are here! Women’s Service Day is October 6, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Here are the agencies we will support with our volunteer efforts that day:

• Eighth Day Farm
• Nestlings
• Community Action House
• Lakeshore Habitat
• Resilience
• Arbor Circle
• Hope Pkgs
• Gateway Mission
• Benjamin’s Hope
• Children’s Advocacy Center
• Renew Equestrian
• Kids Food Basket (note later start time at 9:00 am)

Sign up starts on September 6th so be sure to check your email that day to have the first pick of your favorite agency. 

Join us on Women’s Service Day to support these vital local agencies!

Please help us stay in touch with women whose email addresses have changed. Forward this email to friends and colleagues, and opt in to our email communications with your preferred email address to be certain.

Questions? E-mail the Women’s Service Day Planning Committee. Or visit our website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for more information. Let’s keep making a difference in our community!

Save the Date! Women’s Service Day is October 6!

Aaaand we’re back! This year marks 21 years of Women’s Service Day, a one-day volunteer event for nonprofit organizations that support women and children in Holland, MI. We have an exciting lineup of agencies to volunteer with in person, but there will also be great opportunities to help with fundraising or donation drives for participating nonprofits that are doing amazing work.

Mark your calendars for October 6, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. as we look forward to providing service opportunities for you to support nonprofit organizations in Holland. 

Now is the time to recruit your friends and colleagues! There will be more communication throughout the summer about Women’s Service Day, including a registration email – so feel free to forward this announcement to anyone who might be interested. We will be sharing the date on all of our social media accounts as well (details below). 

Please help us stay in touch with women whose email addresses have changed. Forward this email to friends and colleagues, and opt in to our email communications with your preferred email address to be certain.

Questions? E-mail the Women’s Service Day Planning Committee. Or visit our website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for more information. Let’s keep making a difference in our community!

20 Years of Hardworking Volunteers

In spite of our most rainy event in 20 years, more than 100 volunteers had smiles on their faces as they helped 11 nonprofit agencies on Women’s Volunteer Day October 7–all so women and children in our community could benefit from the organizations that support them.

Focused on their assignments, volunteers diligently completed tasks like pulling tomato plants to prep a farm for winter; organizing a food pantry; cleaning up at a farm that provides therapeutic horsemanship; yard work; assembling backpacks for foster kids; wrapping 7,000+ diapers for distribution to social services organizations; building food storage racks for the new Community Action House Food Club; and even painting birdhouses to adorn an outdoor setting at an agency that helps children and families achieve change in their lives and communities.

During our lunch raffle–when we experienced the biggest downpour–spirits weren’t dampened. Volunteers raised over $1,500 to benefit Resilience, which advocates for ending domestic and sexual abuse in Ottawa and Allegan Counties. (In fact, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, even more poignant now with an increase in incidences since the pandemic began in 2020.)

Along with a match and bonus from Herman Miller Cares, the grand fundraising total was $3,540.67! Plus, volunteers donated a pallet full of items to stock the pantry at Resilience in support of kids in need.

We are also grateful to Herman Miller Cares for providing the tent that allowed volunteers to socialize safely outside and stay dry.

We appreciate Community Action House for use of their outdoor space and tours of their new facility (a real asset to our community) and Joe2Go–a woman-owned local business–for going the extra mile to assemble our lunch wraps!

Thank you, everyone, for your energy, open hearts, hard work, and good spirits to make Women’s Service Day 2021 a success! You are the ones who have built the reputation around town over the past 20 years as the hardworking volunteers our agencies rely on. Check out the slideshow to see all the great things we collectively did that day.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

20 Years of WSD: Thank You to Our Volunteers!

Even in our 20th year, we still see the same level of generosity and hard work Women’s Service Day volunteers have been known for. (To see our historical numbers of hours volunteered, funds raised, and gifts in kind donated, visit our History page that highlights two decades of philanthropy from our community.)

 

This year, despite the challenges of a lingering pandemic and a noontime downpour, 100+ volunteers registered to serve 11 agencies in the morning and afternoon. Many participants and agency representatives joined us for our networking and fundraiser lunch to benefit Resilience, which advocates for ending domestic and sexual abuse in Ottawa and Allegan Counties.

During such a critical time when abuse incidence numbers are up, we are thrilled that our volunteers raised $1,540.67. Along with a match and bonus from Herman Miller Cares, the grand fundraising total was $3,540.67! Plus, volunteers donated a pallet full of items to stock the pantry at Resilience in support of kids in need.

Stay tuned for the full story with event photos to see all we accomplished in just one day!

For now, we just want to say thank you for opening your hearts, pulling on your work clothes (and mud boots), and sharing your love!

Full List of Lunch Fundraiser Prizes

Here is the complete list of all prizes that will be available to bid on during the lunch portion of Women’s Service Day 2022. In addition to morning and afternoon volunteer sessions with this year’s nonprofit organizations, the WSD hosts a networking lunch and charity fundraiser, which will benefit Eight Day Farm in partnership with Community Action House. This lunch is your opportunity to meet other folks in the Holland community and a chance to bid on some amazing prizes!

Furniture

1.  Herman Miller Keyn Office Chair. $695.00. Donated by Office Outlet in Zeeland, MI. Value: $695.00.

Keyn Chair

2. Herman Miller Aeron Office Chair. Donated by MillerKnoll Foundation. Value: $1400.

Aeron Chair #1

3. Herman Miller Aeron Office Chair. Donated by MillerKnoll Foundation
(Picture is only representative of product: colors and options may change.) Value: $1200.

Aeron Chair #2

4. Haworth Maari Chair. Donated by Marcia Davis. Value: $450

Maari Chair

---

Homewares & Food

1. Wine Basket #1 including three bottles of wine, air drying rack, wine opener. Donated by Nancy Corvers. Value: $50.

Wine Basket #1

2. Wine Basket #2 including three bottles of wine, bottle opener, three wine stoppers. Donated by Angie Martin. Value: $45

Wine Basket #2

3. Fustini’s Olive Oil Sampler, donated by Anonymous. Each bottle is 2 oz. Value: $35.00.

Fustini’s Sampler

4. Four Michigan wine glasses and a bottle of wine from Warner’s, donated by Anonymous. Value: $45.00.

Warner’s Wine & Glasses

5. Crane’s Preserve Gift Basket, includes: Three 12 oz. preserves. Donated by: Crane’s Pie Pantry, Restaurant & Winery. Value: $20

Crane’s Basket

6. Coral Yeti 45 Cooler. Donated by Nancy Corvers. Value: $32

Coral Yeti 45 Cooler

7. Large Bella Russo Rolling Duffle Bag, donated be Larry & Sue Wolters. Value: $40.

Large Duffle

8. Medium Bella Russo Rolling Duffle Bag, Donated by Larry and Sue Wolters. Value $29.

Medium Duffle

9. Quilt. 56” x 72”, donated by Judy Hoeve. Value: $100.

Quilt

10. 14” Portable Charcoal Grill. Donated by Larry and Sue Wolters. Value: $29.

Portable Grill

11. 10” Ceramic Plates and Matching 10-Ounce Ceramic Mugs. Donated by Richard and Linda Berglund. Value: $49.

Ceramic Plates & Mugs

12. Double Sided Cast Iron Griddle. 29” x 9”. Donated by Richard and Linda Berglund. Value: $37.

Griddle

13. Blue Glass Bowl. Donated by Waltraud Beckman. Value: $25.

Blue Bowl

14. White and Blue 5-Inch Glass Bowl. Donated by Waltraud Beckman. Value: $25.

Blue and White Bowl

15. Crystal Candy Jar. Donated by Waltraud Beckman. Value: $25

Crystal Candy Jar

16. Lawn Art # 1. Donated by Nancy Kempker. Value: $30.

Lawn Art #1

17.  Lawn Art # 2 . Donated by Nancy Kempker. Value: $30.

Lawn Art #2

18. Clay Banks Pottery Bird Feeder. Donated by Anonymous. Value: $40

Bird Feeder

 

---

Treat Yo ‘Self

1. Spa Basket, includes: Custom made Libra candle, soy candle, body wrap, body lotion, HUM supplement, self-tan facial crème, towel, wax melts and hair band. Donated by: Nicole McAndrew with Furry Friends Pet Recovery & Stephen Ales. Value: $75

Spa Basket

2. Gift Bag from Harbor Health Massage containing healing balm, hemp muscle relief, hand & body soap, lip balm, & body butter bar. Donated by Harbor Health and Massage. Value: $75.

Harbor Health Gift Bag

3. Bath & Body Works Mystery Scent 3-Wick Candle. Donated by: Anonymous. Value: $26.50

Candle

4. Fall Spice of Life Gift Basket. Includes: Yankee candle, Bath & Body Works shower gel, bath bar, Hempz lotion and loofah. Donated by: Anonymous. Value: $75.

Fall Gifts

5. Mary Kay Timewise Miracle Set, package of 4. Donated by Nancy Kempker. Value: $120.

Mary Kay Gifts

6. Gift Card to Engels Jewelry in Grandville. Gift bag contains $50 gift certificate, jewelry cleaner, and cleaning cloth.  Donated by Engels Jewelry. Value $50.

Engels Jewelry Gift Card Bag

7. Crazy Horse Gift Certificate (1of 2) . Donated by Sally & John Janssen. Value: $50

Crazy Horse Gift Card

8. Crazy Horse Gift Certificate (2 of 2). Donated by Sally & John Janssen. Value: $50

Crazy Horse Gift Card

9. An original artwork by local artist Erin Drews. “Macaroni & Magnolias,” 9″ by 12″ piece, Oil, Acrylic, and Oil Pastel on cradled Wood Panel. Donated by the artist. Value: $140.

Painting by Erin Drews

10. Scenery Photography Note Cards. Donated by Mary Hildore. Value: $24

Scenery Note Cards

11. Floral Photography Note Cards. Donated by Mary Hildore. Value: $24

Floral Note Cards

12. Hua Garment, can be worn 20+ different ways. Donated by Sue Gadbois. Value: $30.

Hue Garment

---

Bring your checkbook, credit card, Venmo, or cash, and your generosity! Proceeds from our charity fundraiser (tickets are $5 or 3 for $12; or $10 or 3 for $25) will support Eighth Day Farm in providing donating fresh, locally grown produce to Community Action House and their Food Club. Please note, the ticket colors are changing this year, the red tickets are the $10 tickets and the teal tickets are the $5 tickets.

A few more notes about lunch:

Our lunch celebration will be from 11:45 to 1 p.m. at Hope Church, centrally located at 77 West Eleventh Street in Holland (between River and Pine Avenues, just south of downtown Holland and west of Centennial Park).

A $10 donation (cash collected upon arrival) will cover your lunch. Any additional dollars you give that exceed food costs will be added to our group donation to Eighth Day Farm!

---

As a reminder, Women’s Service Day is October 6, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Please help us stay in touch with women whose email addresses have changed. Forward this email to friends and colleagues, and opt in to our email communications with your preferred email address to be certain.

Questions? E-mail the Women’s Service Day Planning Committee. Or visit our website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for more information. Let’s keep making a difference in our community!

Lunch Fundraiser – Preview Items You Could Win!

Women’s Service Day is just 23 days away! Are you signed up yet? We still have spots available!

In addition to morning and afternoon volunteer sessions with this year’s nonprofit organizations, the WSD hosts a networking lunch and charity fundraiser, which will benefit Eight Day Farm in partnership with Community Action House. This lunch is your opportunity to meet other folks in the Holland community and a chance to bid on some amazing prizes!

Items You Could Win:

• Coral Yeti 45 Cooler
• Gift Card to Engels Jewelry in Grandville
• An original artwork by local artist Erin Drews
• Gift Package from Harbor Health & Massage 
• Seating from both Herman Miller and Haworth
• Kitchen appliances and home décor
• Plus many more!

Bring your checkbook, credit card, or cash, and your generosity! Proceeds from our charity fundraiser (tickets are $5 or 3 for $12; or $10 or 3 for $25) will support Eighth Day Farm in providing donating fresh, locally grown produce to Community Action House and their Food Club.

A few more notes about lunch:

Our lunch celebration will be from 11:45 to 1 p.m. at Hope Church, centrally located at 77 West Eleventh Street in Holland (between River and Pine Avenues, just south of downtown Holland and west of Centennial Park).

A $10 donation (cash collected upon arrival) will cover your lunch. Any additional dollars you give that exceed food costs will be added to our group donation to Eighth Day Farm!

---

As a reminder, Women’s Service Day is October 6, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Please help us stay in touch with women whose email addresses have changed. Forward this email to friends and colleagues, and opt in to our email communications with your preferred email address to be certain.

Questions? E-mail the Women’s Service Day Planning Committee. Or visit our website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for more information. Let’s keep making a difference in our community!

A WSD Satellite in SE Michigan!

Building networks among women has been a goal of Women’s Service Day (WSD) since the very first event in West Michigan 20 years ago. That network is now paying off in an unexpected way! 

In late summer, the WSD planning team was contacted by several women who work for Yanfeng in West Michigan and in Novi; they’re a part of the Women’s Resource Network at that company. Several of them had participated in the West Michigan WSD event; others had heard about it from coworkers. 

They didn’t want to miss out, and they saw an opportunity for women to come together on the east side of the state to do the same kind of good our volunteers have accomplished here! They’ve worked with local-to-them agencies to identify volunteer opportunities, and are ready to launch this first satellite WSD event this Thursday, October 14. Agencies supported are:

• Earthworks, where volunteers will do seasonal garden maintenance
• Crossroads in Michigan, where they’ll package condiments for the soup kitchen
• First Step Domestic & Sexual Violence, where they’ll beautify the area outside of the shelter
• Food Gatherers, where they’ll sort donations and pack food boxes
• Michigan Council of Women in Technology, where they’ll pack bags for high school students

Like the “mother” event, the SE Michigan event is using SignUpGenius so volunteers can select the opportunity that’s most appealing, and one or two half-day crews. This event has been publicized within Yanfeng by the Women’s Resource Network; they welcome friends, family, and colleagues from other organizations. 

Available opportunities are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that the Women’s Service Day Planning Team has put these protocols in place for in-person participation:

• Mask wearing is required indoors regardless of vaccination status
• Mask wearing is required outdoors when social distancing is not possible
• Follow CDC and State of Michigan DHHS guidelines for recommended protocols 

How can you help launch this SE Michigan event? Spread the word! The initiative to create this event demonstrates that our networks extend across Michigan and beyond.

What to Expect on October 7

We are so excited for your enthusiastic participation on Women’s Service Day this year. 2021 is a big milestone for WSD, commemorating 20 years of our event! (And, it’s not too late to register! Sign up here!)

Here’s what to expect….

Safety is our priority! Please remember that mask wearing is required indoors, and outdoors when social distancing is not possible.

For a morning or all-day session, plan to arrive at your worksite in Holland at 8:30 a.m. For an afternoon session, plan to arrive for lunch by 11:45 at our outdoor venue (with tent), 739 Paw Paw Drive. Bring your own chair and pick up your bag lunch with a sandwich wrap (from Joe2Go), for which we’re asking $10. All lunches will be pre-packaged.

Bring a jacket if the weather’s cool and a mask to tour the facility–you’ll want to check out this exciting new Community Action House Food Club & Opportunity Hub, slated to open later this month. 

We’ll hold a raffle to support Resilience, which advocates for ending domestic and sexual abuse in Ottawa and Allegan Counties. Check out the raffle items ahead of time and remember to bring your wallet!

We’ll also collect items to donate to Resilience. (Check out their wish list here.) In 2020, the agency not only had a record number of shelter requests, but shelter stays were generally longer due to the lack of available housing during the pandemic.

If you bought a WSD t-shirt in the past, please wear it as a way to celebrate 20 years of supporting women and children in our community! 

Questions?

E-mail the Women’s Service Day Planning Committee or visit our 2021 Event page.

 

Where We’ll Be Serving on October 7

We’re looking forward to October 7, when WSD volunteers will be at 11 agencies in the Holland area.

Get excited about the organizations we’ll be supporting through volunteer activities, fundraising, and our donation drive!

• Arbor Circle provides responsive and compassionate services to individuals, families, and communities, including counseling, early childhood programs, Great Start Western Regional Resource Center, parent and family support and education, foster care, and adoption.
• Benjamin’s Hope is a “live, work, play, worship” organization addressing the multifaceted needs of adult individuals and families affected by autism and other intellectual and developmental differences.
• Children’s Advocacy Center does abuse prevention and intervention using a coordinated and multidisciplinary approach.
• Community Action House provides area families and individuals with food, clothing, shelter, and opportunities to build necessary skills to achieve a stable and prosperous life.
• Eighth Day Farm is a not-for-profit farm that provides education regarding healthy food and improving access to fresh food for low-income families.
• Hope Pkgs provides “first night bags” of essential items (e.g., pajamas, socks, underwear, toothbrush and toothpaste) for kids entering foster care.
• Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity builds housing with partner-owners based on the principle that everyone deserves a decent place to live and that our community is a better place when that occurs.
• Nestlings Diaper Bank serves as a central location to collect, store, and distribute diapers that have been donated by the local community or purchased through fundraising efforts.
• Resilience (formerly Center for Women in Transition) is dedicated to ending domestic and sexual violence. It provides programs to engage and educate community members to help end the cycle of abuse before it begins.
• Renew Therapeutic Riding Center provides equine assisted activities and therapies to children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities.
• Sisters House One cares for women with physical and developmental challenges by assisting them with the activities of daily living in an adult foster care home.