Church of Jesus Christ in Dallas: Day of Service Benefits Diverse Groups
Mary Ann TaylorFeatured Photo: Chelsea and Marcus Ashdown with their two daughters and the sister missionaries, man the booth they put together for the Waxahachie ISD Back-to-School Bash held August 7, 2021. Photo by Jim Brunson.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who live between the Trinity River and Waxahachie participated in multiple acts of service on Saturday, August 7, 2021, benefiting the Red Cross, Waxahachie ISD, Keep Duncanville Beautiful, and The Chris Howell Foundation. Members, missionaries, and friends from Dallas, Duncanville, Midlothian, and Waxahachie joined other volunteers to make a difference in their communities.
First up was a blood drive. The Church of Jesus Christ has a recognized partnership with the Red Cross for blood drives. Building a donor base takes time and effort. Jim Brunson, a Church volunteer, coordinated with the Red Cross, securing a venue, printing up door markers, inviting the community to participate, and writing an article for The Waxahachie Sun about the event. Turnout was positive, and the Red Cross personnel responded with professionalism and courtesy as always.
When Waxahachie ISD planned a Back-to-School Bash for Saturday, members in Waxahachie were ready to host a booth. Chelsea Ashdown spearheaded this event, stocking the booth with snacks and information. English Connect, a free program to assist language learners, was featured. Family history tutoring—always a popular topic— whetted appetites for the upcoming September 18th free family history fair to be held in Duncanville.
Keep Duncanville Beautiful is a city board with a history of Church of Jesus Christ participation. On Saturday, the event brought out a number of other community members of all ages to clean up Waterview Park. A great view of a small lake is the highlight of this park, but its long walking path behind nearby businesses needs regular litter removal as well. KTB’s next event is August 28, and yes, it’s a Saturday!
Finally, Church of Jesus Christ members, missionaries, and other volunteers assisted the Chris Howell Foundation with its distribution of school backpacks and food. This non-profit regularly hosts community outreach programs in Fort Worth and Dallas. Because of the great work done by missionaries in the Fort Worth area, the Foundation asked for assistance in Dallas as well. Agnes Monzingo, a volunteer member from DeSoto, worked for weeks preparing the Church’s response. Sister missionaries helped first by filling the backpacks and food bags on Thursday. The elders worked on Saturday distributing the goods to families at Mountain View College in a drive-through event. The Chris Howell Foundation reaches diverse populations in its efforts to strengthen families and educate the public about AIDS and HIV.
All in all, it was a great day for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ members south of the Trinity—making new friends, serving in the community, providing information, and—as we say in Texas—feeling the heat.
