First Presbyterian Church 'Service Day' Makes a Difference in the Community
On the cool, clear morning of Saturday, April 26, a total of 105 red-shirted members and friends of First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, including 20 children, came together to do some good for the community on the church's fifth annual Service Day. Volunteers departed in three groups from their meeting point in the church to Clearbrook, CEDA Northwest Self-Help Center, and a WINGS (Women In Need Growing Stronger) facility in Mount Prospect. A fourth group remained at the church to take part in "caring outreach" projects to brighten the lives of others from the local the community.
"It's quite a sight to see 100 red-shirted volunteers all gathered together in one spot, getting revved up to go out and help others," commented Rev. Alex Lang, himself donning the church's trademark Service Day T-shirt. Lang, who volunteered with the caring outreach group along with his family, added, "Over the past five years, this congregation has done some great work for these local organizations, and they have a good time doing it. Service Day is a highlight of spring."
Volunteers on the Clearbrook service team visited three group homes, where they cleaned windows and lawn furniture and talked, sang, and played games with the residents. Haven McClung stopped by each location with her autoharp to lead some group singing. "The residents and the volunteers enjoyed singing together. It brought a smile to all of our faces," she said.
At CEDA Northwest facilities in Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect, volunteers performed a number of landscape and cleaning projects. WINGS projects included indoor and outdoor painting, cleaning, and window washing; sorting food pantry donations; power washing and fixing up donated toys and bikes; and various landscaping and yard work projects. The outside temperature was just warm enough to paint a garage door and apply stain to wooden playground equipment.
A multigenerational group of volunteers remained at the church to complete craft projects for Faith Community Homes in Arlington Heights and for the charter school associated with Christopher House in Chicago. In addition, participants wrote letters and created bookmarks for members of the armed forces. "Spirits were high and everyone enjoyed working together for several great organizations," Lang said.
Aside from the sense of reward experienced by the church's volunteers, the work accomplished on Service Day each year provides real benefits to the greater community. CEDA Northwest posted the following on its website: "Thank you for making our community a beautiful place!"