Highlights from Women’s Service Day 2022!

We’re still buzzing from the success of this year’s Women’s Service Day and wanted to share some of the stories about our incredible volunteers! Below is just a sample – if you have any special moments from your experience as a volunteer, we’d love to hear! Send an email to womensserviceday@gmail.com.

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Harvest Stand Ministries

“I just wanted to share a story with you from this last week. We absolutely loved having the volunteer group here and they were wonderful to work with. They served doing things that are not the most fun things to do and they did it with a smile. The ladies asked a lot of questions and we loved the opportunity to meet them and share with them about our mission. One of the things that they asked was what items we have the greatest need for, they noticed working in the pantry that we have a lot of some items but hardly any of others. I shared with them that we are often low on things like pasta sauce, cooking oil, snacks, breakfast items, condiments, etc. When I came in on Saturday to get ready for an event, we had entire cases of these items on our shelves. Now I don’t know if these ladies dropped the donations off, but it was such a blessing to us either way. I wanted you to know that THEY were such a blessing to us. Thank you”

– Jessica Starks | Office and Communications Coordinator

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Kids Food Basket

Our incredible volunteers packed packed 741 meals for that evening PLUS 626 meals for the following night in one session! Way to go!

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Nestlings

The morning crew at Nestlings set an agency record for the most diapers wrapped in a session: 14, 412 diapers total! Our agency contact stated that they usually can wrap about 20,000 in a week, but our volunteers nearly hit that number in just a few hours!! Way to go!

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The Period Project

The Period Project was very happy with the collection of personal care products–nearly everything was suitable for their purposes! Thanks to all of your donations, we donated 4 large boxes of supplies for girls in need.

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Eighth Day Farm

The Eighth Day Farm team was so appreciative of all volunteers and for the donation from the charity fundraiser, which was matched by MillerKnoll Cares and equaled $4875.86 in total! 

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Community Action House Kitchen

The leftovers from lunch were sent to Community Kitchen. Their chef was so grateful! We donated two large pots of chili, sugar, flour,  garlic, dessert, etc. Enough to feed quite a few.

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Thank you again to all who donated, participated, and showed up to support Women’s Service Day 2022! You are the reason we are able to help so many in our community!

Here are a few more shots from that day:

Thank You for an Amazing 21st Women’s Service Day!

Yesterday wrapped the 21st Women’s Service Day and we wanted to extend a HUGE thank you to our volunteers, participating agencies, and all who attended any portion of this incredible day of service!

130 volunteers across 13 agencies

(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 was a beautiful, sunny fall day that featured 130 volunteers registered to serve 13 agencies in the morning and afternoon. Many participants and agency representatives joined us for our networking and charity lunch to benefit Eighth Day Farm.

We are thrilled that our volunteers raised $2875.86. Along with a match and bonus from the MillerKnoll Foundation, the grand fundraising total was $4875.86! Plus, volunteers donated a several boxes of feminine products for The Period Project.

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 supporting your community!

– The Women’s Service Day Organizing Committee

Nancy Corvers, Harris Hof, Marcia Davis, Cindy DeGraaf, Sue Gadbois, Alison Lechner, Lois Maassen, Carolyn Maalouf, Angie Martin, Jill Ryan

What to Expect on Women’s Service Day 2022 (10.6)!

We are so excited for your enthusiastic participation on Women’s Service Day this year!

Here’s what to expect:

Volunteer Crews

• Please review your SignUpGenius communications to be sure you know what clothing or equipment might be helpful to your specific assignment.
• For a morning or all-day crew, plan to arrive at your worksite in Holland at 8:30 a.m (or 9 a.m. if volunteering with Kids Food Basket). 
• For an afternoon crew, plan to arrive at our lunch location by noon for a celebration lunch. If you are unable to attend the luncheon, please arrive at your worksite by 1:30 p.m.

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Lunch Details

Our lunch celebration will be from 11:45 a.m. 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). 

Note that Pine Avenue is closed for construction from 10th Street south. Enter 10th Street from the east to park on the street or in the church parking lot, or park in the west lot (furthest from the building) of the United Methodist church, just north of Hope Church between 9th and 10th Streets. Overflow parking is available in the back lot of the Methodist Church across the street from Hope church. Please do not park in the front lot of the Methodist Church.

A $10 donation will cover your lunch, with any surplus to be donated to Eighth Day Farm.  

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

More details on lunch and the charity fundraiser can be found here.

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Donation Drive

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

1. Summer’s Eve Cleansing Cloths (individually wrapped wipes)

2. Always Radiant Teen Pads

3. Tampax Radiant Tampons regular absorbency, unscented

See the full wish list of items here. Please bring your donations to lunch! We’ll have boxes ready to collect them. 

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Last-minute change in plans (sickness, business crisis, etc.)? Please update your registration in SignUpGenius or email us as soon as possible. To contact event organizers the day of the event, call or text Angie at (616) 283-3341.

Follow the day through photos on Facebook and Instagram (@womensserviceday) and updates on Twitter (@womenserviceday). Share your experiences with the hashtag #WSDHolland!

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Looking forward to seeing you Thursday!

The Women’s Service Day Organizing Committee

Nancy Corvers, Harris Hof, Marcia Davis, Cindy DeGraaf, Sue Gadbois, Alison Lechner, Lois Maassen, Carolyn Maalouf, Angie Martin, Jill Ryan

17 Reasons to Save the Date: October 4

Landscaping as part of the 2016 event.

This year will be the seventeenth year of Women’s Service Day, which will be held Thursday, October 4, 2018. In honor of those years, we’ve put together a list of 17 reasons why you should save the date:

1. To help women and children in our community
2. To see old friends
3. To make new friends
4. For the blueberry crisp served at lunch
5. To learn a new skill
6. To get a good night of sleep after a day of manual labor
7. Because you have to use those volunteer hours somewhere
8. For the chance to win cool stuff in the raffle
9. To soak up the energy of 200 other women volunteers (and maybe a few good men volunteers, too)
10. To set a good example
11. It could boost your happiness, according to research
12. For the opportunity to learn about what agencies are doing in our area
13. To use gifts and talents that you don’t get to use while sitting at a computer
14. It’s a great chance to network
15. It’s a good excuse to get out of work for a day, or half a day
16. It’s another chance to wear your cool WSD 15-year anniversary T-shirt or hoodie
17. To be the change you want to see in the world

For now, all you need to do is mark October 4 on your calendars, and maybe tell a few friends. We’ll send more details as the date approaches.

Women’s Service Day 2017: It’s Time to Sign Up!

This year Women’s Service Day celebrates its 16th year of serving women and children in our community! The event is planned for Thursday, October 5 and it’s time to register now!

Women’s Service Day volunteers continue to make a huge difference in the lives of women and children in our community—approximately 9,000 cumulative volunteer hours since we began in 2001. And we’ve raised and donated more than $100,000 to various nonprofit organizations.

To be a part of this day of volunteering and networking, please register by September 15.

How to Register

This year, Women’s Service Day is using online registration by Sign Up Genius. This new system will allow 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. 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 2017 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!
• Got leadership skills? Consider signing up to be the leader of a volunteer crew. Read more about crew leader expectation and responsibilities.
• 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 5!
• 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!

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

What to Expect on October 5

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 at Hope Church by noon, where we’ll gather for a celebration lunch (for which we ask a $5 donation). We’ll have a raffle to help the Center for Women in Transition provide safe activities for children who stay in Ginny’s Place, the Center’s shelter. Bring your checkbook!

We’ll also collect disposable diapers and wipes for Nestlings Diaper Bank, a clearinghouse that provides diapers to low-income families and babies. (Or donate directly to Nestlings online.)

Watch for additional details about our event in future communications. Thank you for your willingness to help!

Questions?

E-mail the Women’s Service Day Planning Committee or visit our 2017 Event page.

Where We’ll Be Serving in 2016

We have a record number of women signed up this year! We’re thrilled—and so are the area agencies we’ll be serving. Here’s how volunteers will be working with the agencies to help women and children in the community.

• Center for Women in Transition creates and sustains an environment that enhances the voice, opportunities, and strength of women and girls in Allegan and Ottawa Counties. Volunteers will be sorting and organizing curriculum for the Girls on the Run program.

• Eighth Day Farm uses urban fields as a classroom to cultivate healthy and sustainable communities locally and globally. Volunteers will be weeding, harvesting, planting garlic, and cleaning.

• Holland Rescue Mission develops and delivers programs of excellence for the homeless and less fortunate. Volunteers will be cleaning all of the daycare rooms, including equipment and toys, at the Stepping Stones Day Care from top to bottom, as well as deep cleaning and organizing the offices at the Family Hope Ministry Center. They will also help clean and organize the catering closet.

• Kids’ Food Basket aims to attack childhood hunger to help young people learn and live well. Through its Sack Supper program the organization serves nearly 7,000 kids each weekday in West Michigan. Volunteers will be making sandwiches for Sack Suppers, which will be distributed to local children later that day.

• 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. Volunteers will be working to complete a new home construction in Holland.

• My House Ministry provides a safe place for women to eventually transition into independent living. Volunteers will be working at two housing locations in Holland, doing a variety of tasks: washing windows, cleaning, sanding drywall, vacuuming, painting indoors and outside, hanging curtains, yard work, and several other home improvement jobs.

• My Sister’s House II, sponsored by the Holland Deacons’ Conference, cares for women with physical and developmental challenges by assisting them with the activities of daily living in an adult foster care home. Volunteers will be cleaning, washing floors, walls, door frames, windows etc. They will also help organize cupboards and closets, and may be planting bushes.

• 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. Volunteers will be wrapping diapers into packs of 12 for distribution through area nonprofit organizations to mothers in need, and possibly stuffing envelopes for a mailing or helping out with light office duties.

• Pathways, MI is committed to demonstrating excellence in providing responsive and compassionate service to all individuals, families and communities who seek their assistance. Services they provide include: counseling, early childhood programs, Great Start Western Regional Resource Center, parent and family support and education, foster care, adoption and participation in community efforts to improve life for children and families. Volunteers will be continuing last year’s renovation project to make the facility more welcoming by cleaning up baseboards in preparation for laying carpet, installing blinds, and painting. Outdoor work will include landscaping and clean-up of the central courtyard.

• Ready for School aims to create communities of readiness where all children thrive and reach their full unique potential. Ready for School prepares children for success by equipping parents through integrated support of the Holland/Zeeland/Hamilton communities. Volunteers will disinfect, clean, organize, label, and update inventory of toys and materials in bins that the organization uses to engage families with young children in the community.

• The Salvation Army is an international movement, motivated by the love of God to meet human needs in Jesus’ name without discrimination. Volunteers will clean and re-sort the pantry, which needs a fresh look. This food pantry is available to people in southern Ottawa County and most of Allegan County who are in need of some supplemental pantry items. It offers a large selection of both perishable and non-perishable items.

Preview This Year’s Raffle Items!

Our annual raffle is one of the highlights of lunch (along with the food, of course). Once again this year it features a variety of items, including some beautiful, handcrafted items. Proceeds will help support continuing renovation work at Pathways MI, with some portion covering minor event costs.

We have two raffles, featuring fabulous donations from local artisans and businesses, and designated by white and red tickets:

• Red Raffle Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $12
• White Raffle Tickets are $10 each or 3 for $25

The slideshow below gives you a sneak peek of a few of the items you can win. Bring your checkbook and your generosity!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

What? You’re volunteering but want to do even more?

That’s awesome! Consider holding a donation drive within your network for the Nestlings Diaper Bank, a clearinghouse that provides low-income families and babies in need with diapers and wipes, for the following items: Disposable diapers (especially sizes 4, 5, and 6) and wipes. They also accept open packages of diapers. We’d be happy to add your contribution to ours on October 6! Or—easiest of all!—you can donate directly to Nestlings online.

We’d also love your financial support for our continuing renovation work at Pathways MI, where many of you worked hard over the last two years. Donations fund the paint, carpet, and furniture that makes the facility welcoming and healing for the children and families who receive services there.

• We’ll also be hand-crafting delicious pigs-in-blankets during our Women’s Service Day event on the 6th, with, again, proceeds going to the renovation fund for Pathways. Pigs are $12 for a dozen, and orders must be received by October 1. Order yours via this online form.

• Monetary donations may be made directly to Pathways through their website. All gifts are tax-deductible. To support Women’s Service Day projects there, choose the Building Renovation Fund option when you click “donate.” (Note that Pathways becomes a program of Arbor Circle Corporation on October 1, so you may receive a receipt from that organization.)

• To complete the project at the Pathways MI facility, we’re on the lookout for furniture, equipment, and supplies, as well as skilled trades and crews willing to volunteer throughout the year. Please contact us to discuss our needs.

Thank you! Every little bit helps!

 

Order Your Pigs-in-Blankets by October 1!

The pigs are back in town! We’ll be making Dutch pigs-in-the-blankets* on Women’s Service Day again this year. Cost is $12 per dozen, and all proceeds will support our continuing renovation work at Pathways. Volunteers will be preparing your orders in the Hope Church kitchen on October 6.

Using our online form, please enter the required fields and submit the form no later than October 1.

Your purchase of pigs must be picked up on October 6 between 3 and 6 p.m. at Hope Church, 77 West 11th Street, Holland. Payment is accepted by cash, credit card, or checks written to Arbor Circle Corporation, with “Women’s Service Day” in the memo line.

And, if you’re interested in selling to your church or book club, let’s talk! Please e-mail us at womensserviceday@gmail.com.

Bon appétit!

*For dietary concerns, pigs-in-the-blankets contain: all-purpose flour, margarine, salt, eggs, milk, and spiced pork sausage.

Last Chance to Order T-shirts!

Show some heart! Thursday, September 15, is the deadline for ordering commemorative T-shirts. We’re offering long-sleeved, short-sleeved, v-neck, and crew-neck shirts and even a hoodie! Proceeds benefit our renovation project at Pathways, which works to improve life for children and families by providing services like counseling, foster care, and education. Don’t delay just a few more days! Visit https://www.booster.com/wsd-2016 for full details and to place your order.