to work at ballpark
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| JOIN HANDS DAY- St. John Lutheran Church Vacation Bible School participants joined with members of Central Texas Chapter of Thrivent Financial to paint the foul-line poles at the base-ball field at Pecan Creek Park as part of Join Hands Day. |
The activity last Wednesday was followed by food and drinks for all participants.
The event was part of the ninth annual Join Hands Day, which is sponsored by America’s fraternal benefit societies and is the only national day of service specifically focused on bringing youth and adults together to form lifelong relationships while improving their communities through neighborhood volunteering. Approximately 26 youth and adults participated in the activity.
“This year’s Join Hands Day project accomplished what we set out to do,” said Ryan Polster, Thrivent Financial member, project coordinator and Hamilton City Park Director. “To gather with others from the community to make a difference where we live and work is an incredible opportunity, and that’s what we’re all about as members of Thrivent Financial. Everyone who participated in our project left knowing that they made an impact on the community.”
“Each year, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and its members are excited to participate in Join Hands Day,” said Dee Terry, manager of Lutheran community services for Thrivent Financial Texas Region. “This national volun-teer day supports the positive impact members of Thrivent Financial and other fraternal benefit societies make throughout the year by doing outreach activities in their communities.”
Thrivent, the nation’s largest fraternal benefit society, has almost 3 million members in 1,357 chapters. Chapters meet regularly to plan and execute benevolent, social and educational activities enabling members to support their local communities and congregations through fundraising and ser-vice projects.
Through participation in outreach programs last year, Thrivent members raised and donated $178 million to help not-for-profit organizations, individuals in need and Lutheran congregations. The organization contributed an additional $143 million for a total of more than $321 million. In addition, through membership programs, the organization’s members contributed 22.6 million volunteer hours in 2007.