Social Responsibility - Recent Projects and Activities
- Re-started collection of non-perishable goods for the NorthEast Kingdom Community Action food shelf. To date First Parish has donated items valued over $250. Thanks to everyone who brings food items for the collection basket on Sunday.
- Organized a community informational meeting on Vermont's Catamount Health Care Program. Vermont Interfaith Action did the presentation. The meeting wasn't as well attended as we had hoped but it was recorded and presented several times on the NEK public access television station.
- We testified at a "Health Care is a Human Right" panel discussion in St. Albans that was organized by the Vermont Workers Center.
- We worked with the Elks Lodge and the NEK Area Agency on Aging to put on a community Thanksgiving dinner.
- On July 9th, 2009 the first Derby Line Senior Meals day was held at St Edward's Catholic Church. We had been working with the great people at St Edward's, other area churches, experienced Senior Meals volunteers from the area, and the Northeast Vermont Area Agency on Aging for nearly six months making our small contribution to help this become a reality. Many thanks to all the volunteers who made this a big success.
Senior Meal slide show
The highlight of the past year was the
Community Thanksgiving Dinner. First Parish was responsible for providing 75 lbs of mashed potatoes, in the end we provided closer to 100 lbs, and for delivering meals to shut-ins. Many thanks to the Wellers for providing the potatoes and for hosting a festive potato peeling dinner party prior to Thanksgiving and to the many First Parish volunteers who turned out on Thanksgiving day to deliver meals to shut-ins. Special thanks to those who went above and beyond the call of duty to complete their assigned deliveries even though given inaccurate or incomplete address and phone number contact information. We were all very proud of playing a roll in this activity and of how well First Parish carried out its responsibilities. We hope to participate in a similar way this year and expand shut-in deliveries to our Canadian neighbors.
View slide show
