Volunteers supply school with handwashing stations
Anessa WoolfordFeatured Photo: Nelson Family from left to right – Eden (pink shirt), Jeremy,
(dad), Jana (mom), Micah, and Bear. Photo by Steve Hawkes.
Park Glen Elementary students in Fort Worth, Texas, have clean hands thanks to the vision of Principal Marci R Formby and the volunteer efforts of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Photos by Steve Hawkes.
With just a week to go before school started, Principal Formby needed ten foot-operated hand sanitizing stations assembled pronto to help combat COVID-19. Having heard about the volunteer efforts of the Fort Worth Texas North Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Formby asked librarian Suzanne Ross for help contacting Linda Hawkes, a volunteer specialist working with JustServe, an online resource linking community volunteer needs with volunteers.
“Do you think Linda’s volunteer crew would be able to donate and build ten [stations] with black PVC pipe?” asked Formby.
Say no more.
“I got the email Saturday morning about this service opportunity, and I immediately contacted stake president Shawn Furniss to see if this was something we could do. After discussing it with his presidency, they all agreed that it was a wonderful service opportunity.
“Monday, Hector Grajeda, 1st Counselor of the Fort Worth North Stake, bought the supplies, and Thursday, families arrived and assembled the hand sanitizing stations at the [local church building.]”
Volunteer Jana Nelson said, “It was fun! It really meant a lot to us, especially since [my daughter] Eden goes to Park Glen Elementary. She’s told everyone that she helped build them. It’s helped her adjust a little to being at school.”
The following Tuesday, Linda Hawkes delivered the ten foot-operated hand sanitizing stations just in time for the first day of school.
“Thank you doesn’t seem like enough,” said Principal Formby. “I just knew Linda and her crew would come through for us.”
While Formby didn’t formally utilize JustServe, community projects, big and small, can find ample volunteers through the online resource— and volunteers can locate worthy projects.
