Geneva church gathers 175 volunteers for 175th anniversary

The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva assembled its largest number of Day of Service volunteers to date for its annual community service event, which took place March 18. In honor of the 175th anniversary of its founding, 175 church members and friends accomplished a wide range of community services across the Fox Valley.

These volunteers performed more than 450 hours of public service on this cold Saturday in March. Seventy of the volunteers visited Northern Illinois Food Bank and packaged 33,834 pounds of food, distributed to local food pantries.

Others assembled 134 Senior Gift Boxes which were donated to the Humanitarian Service Project, a nonprofit organization based in Carol Stream.

Adults and children played bingo with area senior citizens at Bria Health Services of Geneva.

A fourth group collected paper products for the elderly and created "Birthday Party in a Box" kits for disadvantaged children.

Another team applied a fresh coat of paint to the interior walls of Mutual Ground, the woman's shelter in Aurora.

Finally, a sixth group collectively wrote 133 postcards and letters to their representatives in government on behalf of social and environmental causes.

"From its earliest days, our church has been focused on promoting practical goodness in the world," said Lisa Gades, Day of Service co-chair. "It is part of our covenant. As we celebrate our 175th anniversary, it is especially meaningful to have so many members and friends serving the community."

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. It provides religious education and opportunities for spiritual growth. They encourage individual and mutual responsibility as together they work to be a liberal religious voice in the community and a force for compassionate social justice. For more information, visit www.uusg.org.