By Bruce Leuthold

On Monday, January 17, 2022, the eighth annual MLK Jr. Day of Service was an enormous success. Glen Mar partnered with Ames Memorial Church and St John Baptist Church. Our health-related partners were Howard County General Hospital and Howard County Health Department and EMTs. Watch the slide show of the activities (start watching at 55:03).

Day of Service summary: 1,030 crafts for 5 years old and up; 1,580 crafts for 8 years old and up; 600 no-sew fleece hats; 748 braided bracelets; 60 pillowcases; 28 families participated in the Scavenger Food Hunt; 16 families created artwork; 235 “thank you for your service” letters for military service members; 685 “thank you” letters for essential workers; 365 “thinking of you” letters for elderly and shut-ins; 70 “encouragement” letters for confirmation students; 95 “encouragement” letters for young adults; 25 families collected non-perishable food; 27 families donated gently used winter clothes; and 63 families baked cookies. At Glen Mar Church: 122 people were administered COVID-19 vaccine shots; 13 people received free health screening; and 19 people received annual flu shots.

Children’s Testimonies:

• Bradley (age 7) – I feel good because I am telling people that they did a good job. I know this will make them feel happy. I feel God is proud of me and helped me do these activities.
• Paul (age 7) – I feel really nice and kind after serving others. We were helping others today like God does every day. I liked putting the beads on the necklaces.
• Adaline (age 10) – I felt good about helping others. He (God) had an influence on me by saying good things to people. He also had influence on me by working with others.
• Charles (age 7) – I felt good about doing these crafts. We saw God in our work because we were helping. I liked today’s project and sticking the stickers on.
• Jameson – I felt great helping others because it feels like I’m helping God and others.

Adult Testimonies:

• Brownie Troop Leader – Participated in the virtual service day. The girls enjoyed doing things to help others and make a difference in the lives of others. The kits had a variety of items they enjoyed making to brighten someone’s day. And the hats will keep others warm. Thank you!
• Madison – It felt good to serve others. He made me look at my blessings and how to share them with others. I see God as teaching us that it’s important to show thanks because we are more alike than different. COVID has shown us that we all have to care and depend on each other. I will continue to work to help others.
• C.S. – After serving today, I feel a great sense of pride, being able to help and knowing I helped kids less fortunate than me, means a lot. I almost want to show off, gloat even that I helped, not for attention to myself but encourage others to join in and support.
• Will – It always feels good to help. I am so glad we have an easy way to help out. I did this with my niece. The crafts were a little too tricky for her, but we worked together on them. Please keep trying to develop ways that younger kids can do mission.
• Anonymous 1 – Thanks for this opportunity to follow the Club Scout Oath and Law by helping other people. It made us feel good and proud to serve the community. Please continue to offer this opportunity to pick up kits, do them at home (so all family members can participate together) and drop off kits when finished. We enjoyed it. It would be great to be able to do it more often. Thanks for coordinating this effort.
• Anonymous 2 – I felt proud after serving others. It felt good to do something for other people, and not just myself. My involvement in serving others has made a difference in my life because helping people helps yourself. I would like to keep making these kits because a kind, encouraging letter or a hat can make a big difference in someone’s life.
• Jennifer – I chose to write cards to service members and aspiring young adults. It was a blessing to write out cards to service members. As I was writing, I was imagining the individual serving their country, working far away from their loved ones. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my life and for the serve member’s sacrifice to serve our country. A big thank you to the Day of Service ministry for this opportunity.
• Cole – I felt great and happy after serving others today. I saw God’s will at work because he was the one who was my motivation to do these many projects. It has made a difference in my life by serving others because it has made me a more selfless and caring person. God has influenced my life because I like to think how God wants me to live which is to preach and help others like I have done with these service projects.