Geneva church puts 140 volunteers to work in Day of Service

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva turned out in force on Feb. 7 for its annual Day of Service event, performing a wide range of community service activities across the Fox Valley.

In a single day, more than 140 church members worked on six different community service projects.

Volunteers packed food for area pantries at the Northern Illinois Food Bank; stocked shelves and processed donations at Habitat for Humanity ReStore; bagged and delivered personal care items for needy seniors for the Humanitarian Service Project; played bingo and socialized with residents of the Geneva Care Center; wrapped birthday gifts for disadvantaged children; and helped with cleanup and other tasks at the Mutual Ground women's shelter.

"Our church is involved in service activities throughout the year," said Lisa Gades, Day of Service organizer. "But this special event really focuses our energy to maximize our impact on the community and make a big difference for the organizations and the people they serve."

"For example, our members not only volunteered their time but also donated $2,000 to purchase the items for the Humanitarian Service Project personal care packages," Gades said. "In just one day, our church provided 25 percent of HSP's annual personal care deliveries to 125 needy seniors."

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva, established in 1842 and the oldest church in Geneva, is a diverse, welcoming community that endeavors to make its covenant a living reality. They provide religious education and opportunities for spiritual growth. They encourage individual and mutual responsibility as together we work to be a liberal religious voice in the community and a force for compassionate social justice. For more information, visit www.uusg.org.