Lessons Learned...

Lessons Learned About Serving

“How many scarves do you need so that each guest at the Rescue Mission’s Christmas Party will receive one?”

“We will need 500 scarves.”

“We can do that. We’d be honored to help in this way.”

So began our scarf project. Piles of fleece were donated by parents and grandparents and friends of our school. After cutting scarves to the proper size and cutting the ends so that knots could be tied, we delivered these “ready to tie” scarves to each classroom of our elementary school to be worked on during indoor recesses, which occurred frequently due to severe wind chills. Even the littlest students worked happily at tying with their beloved older student reading buddies. Together, as a school, we diligently and excitedly tied scarves and watched the pile of completed scarves grow and grow. Scarves in every color and pattern were everywhere around school and smiles were widening each day as we stepped closer and closer to achieving our goal of 500. December 18 was the day the Rescue Mission needed the scarves as they were setting up for their very fancy, very beautiful  Christmas Dinner and  Party for our area’s homeless. On a very chilly December 17,  with fingers tying frantically, we finished, we cheered, and we loaded the vans with these gorgeous, colorful, and toasty warm scarves.  The scarves were received at the Rescue Mission with smiles, hugs, and tears of joy. We never realized that 500 scarves could make our hearts feel so warm.