It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

Featured Photo: Teens and leaders from Little Elm and Frisco gather with their cellphones to begin documenting graves in the Macedonia Champion Cemetery. Photo by Shauna Erickson.

Somehow in the messy, rainy, windy, hail-filled confines of April in North Texas, Mother Nature (with the help of many fervent prayers to the Creator) allowed the clouds to part, the wind and rain to abate, and the sun to shine obediently on Little Elm’s Day of Service, hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday, April 23, 2022.

Hundreds of volunteers from the Little Elm area rallied to perform a variety of projects that cleaned, organized, planted, supplied, and connected many residents to good things for good reasons.

Under the entrance bridge of red, white, and blue balloons, families and individuals were offered a variety of opportunities at the Church of Jesus Christ meetinghouse on Martop Road in Oak Point.

Carter Blood Care was delighted to have more than 48 units of blood donated, possibly saving 144 lives.

Down the hall, children created cheerful handprint banners for a special child in the stake who is hospitalized.

The children’s Sunday school room was lively with numerous tables covered with everyday toiletries to support Refresh Little Elm. Many participants donated soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, shaving cream, deodorant, and anything else required in a daily routine for guys or gals. The assignment was 59 packs, but the supplies far exceeded that. Willing volunteers loaded the packs, and Refresh Little Elm directors picked them up. As a bonus, other participants added cards with positive, uplifting messages to give an additional “lift” to the recipients.

Additionally, service was spread far and wide across the area. Fueled by donuts, a terrific group of teens and leaders descended on the well-hidden Macedonia Champion Cemetery in Lewisville to record the headstones of African American neighbors from as early as the mid-1800s to the present. Sadly, though 135 graves were recorded and submitted to the Billion Graves Project, the youth were touched by the fact that many graves were noted only by a simple white cross, or a few piled stones, creating a new sense of reverence for our neighbors and their families.

Meanwhile, volunteers prepared garden beds and transplanted seedlings from the organization’s greenhouse at the St. Arbor Community Garden, which straddles the border between Little Elm and Frisco. It was a terrific opportunity for many children to see how our food sources begin. The Garden project is supported by the New Life Community Church, which Church of Jesus Christ members have had the opportunity to assist throughout the year.

And what neighborhood doesn’t need beautiful parks? Sadly, the multiple days of wind and rain played havoc on local playgrounds. Eighteen volunteers spent thirty-eight man-hours pulling trash and stray items from the bushes and environs of McCord Park in Little Elm. Participants ranged from ages eight to 80—a big neighborhood pool for sure!

The group filled more than eighteen of the large 43-gallon trash bags with only two casualties—a young man falling in the creek and another with a splinter that was successfully removed on-site.

It was a great family activity, and very rewarding as several park patrons expressed gratitude and curiosity about the organizers and participants of the event. The final reward of kolaches and donuts made it a perfect day!

As evening fell, the clouds began to gather once more and the wind picked up briskly, but the work was finished, and the neighborhood looked forward to a brighter new day.