This is our 2nd edition of this newsletter!
Beginning next month, you will only receive this if you opt-in by subscribing below.
|
|
Ways to Serve in Our Community |
|
LPC continues to be an ongoing collection site for winter goods. We've collected 22 coats so far... can we do more?
Drop off your donations outside of our back entrance Sundays-Thursday between 2-6 PM.
|
|
Can you drive and deliver? |
Sign up to be a driver/deliverer/sorter for the Brighton Family Center Food Distribution!
FYI: Lakeside member, Lara Guttadauro has been delivering groceries almost every Wednesday afternoon since this program started... read about her experience here, in a feature done by WCPO.
Tom & Linda Crutchfield have also helped and shared their experience (see below for their story!) So, if you're interested in being involved but would like to run it by some LPC folks who know the ropes, reach out to them!
|
|
Sunday Serving: Pick up food from Barleycorn's next to church at 4:30 and then deliver meals to 7 nearby homes. (Youth will get back to adding their help when it is safe for us to gather again!). Sign up here for an upcoming Sunday.
|
|
Can you serve Breakfast or Dinner?
Help adults experiencing homelessness feel welcome by overseeing breakfast or dinner at ESNKY's winter cold shelter, which is located in a separate building on the Campbell County Detention Center campus, 525 Central Ave in Newport. The meals will be prepared by the detention center kitchen. Volunteers will plate and serve up to 50 guests, who will eat in shifts to observe social distancing. 2-3 volunteers per shift are needed.
FYI: Lakeside member, Joe McGee, has been heavily involved with the Emergency Shelter for over 3 years, and volunteers to serve these meals frequently (you'll see his name, and other LPC folks on the sign-up!) Consider signing up alongside Joe to serve!
Learn about the Emergency Shelter's NEW Facility here.
Donate to the Emergency Shelter's NEW Facility Fund here.
|
|
A reflection from December... written by Tom and Linda Crutchfield |
|
Prompted by the church e-mails with opportunities to serve in the community, we signed up to assist with food distribution at Brighton Center. It was a fun and rewarding 3 hours spent with some wonderful, dedicated people – staff and volunteers, and serving wonderful folks in need. The work was similar to what we do when we would set up food and essential for Open Door clients. We felt comfortable with the safety precautions in place: temperature checks for volunteers on the way in, masks worn at all times and a limit on the number of people allowed in the food distribution area.
For us, common themes emerge from volunteer experiences such as these.
The gracious and sincere thank you's from those who are in need. Many of them likely never thought they would be a situation where they would need help and it must be hard sometimes to accept it. One Mom with an older relative and a child in a stroller was able to carry 5 bags of food the 5 blocks to her residence. Though we offered to help (I use the “we” loosely, as Yovani used his fluent Spanish to sort out options and her desires – more on him later…), she was determined to do it on her own.
|
|
The stories of other volunteers. They are truly dedicated to serving others and for a variety of reasons. Jack – retired from CSX, connected through friends, someone who enjoys playing golf, spending time with family, and helping others. He comes in every Monday to help unload food trucks. Yovani – a recent Berea college grad with parents from Guatemala, pursuing a career in Social Work. Just showed up to help. And in a small world moment, turns out he graduated from Highlands with Jeremy Marquardt who he seemed to know quite well. An impressive young man. Another reminder that the next generation will figure it out quite nicely.
The dedication of the staff – everyone we met couldn’t have been more enthusiastic about their mission.
|
|
The nature of community that connects – food came from many sources (retail stores like Kroger, individual donations of food, commodities from sources like Freestore/Foodbank). A network linked by a common desire to help others in need and more fully utilize the resources we have.
And finally, how blessed and fortunate we are in so many ways.
On a side note, we toured upstairs where they were organizing all of the toys donated for holiday families, many of them by members of Lakeside. A nightmare of matching up gifts with families. 600 families, 2.5 children per family. So much need, and so much joy as gifts were given to those in need.
As always, volunteering inspires and changes us for the better.
Linda and Tom Crutchfield
|
|
Presbyterian Women step in and up to help a local woman in need... |
|
The Presbyterian Women first learned about Savannah through the efforts of our church mission project, who select a foster child each month to receive a birthday celebration. She was selected for her 18th birthday in August. When we communicated with Pastor Nancy in September, seeking ideas for a mission opportunity, she shared Savannah's story, and the ladies knew immediately that this was someone we wanted to help!
We contacted her caseworker, who shared some background details and explained how we could help her get settled in her apartment, and provide food and transportation assistance. She opted to remain in the Foster program to achieve independence by age 21. This means she has to abide by all their rules and regulations. She was not previously given driving lessons, so this has been a top priority since getting settled in her apartment. We were impressed to discover that she found a job working 3rd shift at a business in Florence, and has been working overtime to get ahead and start saving money for a car.
|
|
Our initial needs list from her caseworker included sheets, curtains, kitchen table and chairs, cleaning supplies and basic necessities to live. Our PW group stepped up to the plate and provided many of these items, plus food gift cards and money for her to select some items with her caseworker. At our December zoom meeting, we discussed her transportation situation, and as usual, our ladies were generous with their donations. |
|
During the week before Christmas, one of our members felt the need to take a break
and re-read the most recent email about Savannah. In that e-mail, Savannah's caseworker, Sarah, mentioned that if we found her a good car for Christmas, it would be a "Christmas miracle!" This PW member felt called to reach out to her car mechanic to inquire if he would have any leads on a car. Well, less than 2 hours later, he called back and said the story about Savannah touched his heart, and he and his wife (who adopted a child 10 yrs ago) decided to donate his older Toyota Camry!
We all very much felt that this was totally God's work.......and we were merely God's hands and feet!
We are sponsoring Savannah all year, so, we will continue to pray how best to support her moving forward. We also covet your prayers about an opportunity for us to share the gospel, as she apparently has not had any teaching about Jesus or the Bible. We welcome anyone interested to join us with prayers, or donations. All donations for Savannah are distributed by her caseworker as needed. If you are interested in donating to this cause, please reach out to PW by way of e-mail: Pam Houseman, Mary Abner, or Rosemarie Deye
Story written by Mary Abner
|
|
Thank you for all you do to serve with LPC in Jesus's name! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
