At JHS, we have Key Club which is a club where students come together for the sake of other people. You may know that Key Club organizes the blood drives, but they also get a chance to help people in need of relief efforts by traveling to Chatham to volunteer at the Midwest Mission Distribution Center.
Being a part of the Key Club, I’ve gotten the opportunity to help out. We went to the Midwest Mission Distribution Center last year around this time. The staff loves volunteers and even told us they wouldn’t be as successful as they were if it weren’t for volunteers. Once we arrived, we were split into groups to do different tasks such as making care packages, constructing desks, and folding wash rags. Our efforts were going to help the relief in Haiti.
They needed various care packages. They had school bags for teachers and students in Haiti which included notebooks and pencils and personal dignity kits which included many different toiletries like a toothbrush and toothpaste. United Methodist Committee on Relief also had a few kits which they put together at the Midwest Mission Distribution Center. These were more general and were needed for the cleanup and for volunteers traveling to places in need in order for them to help. Some of these are health kits, bedding kits, cleaning kits, sewing kits, and birthing kits.
Although we were only able to build desks while we were there, they also constructed medicine cabinets. The desks were built in order to assist those who were rebuilding or starting schools in locations where they were needed. With the medicine cabinet, after it is constructed they also fill it with medicines which could be helpful.
They also had volunteers come in to help them fix different machines. We were shown many bicycles and sewing machines that they were restoring. Many residents in the areas where these things are sent need the bicycle in order to get to school or work and need the sewing machine because it could be the only way they can fix the clothes they have or make new clothes.
It was a great day to be with my friends, but it was even better that we were helping to make a difference in someone’s life. I would definitely love to go again.