East Coast Volunteer Service Day 2016

In celebration of having received the Queen’s Award in the United Kingdom for Volunteer Service, the Churches of God of the U.S. East Coast held the East Coast Volunteer Day 2016. On September 25th, 25 locations on the East Coast, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic together held volunteer activities in their local communities. Events included cleanups, appreciation dinners, encouragement events for seniors and more.

In Maryland, the Church of God visited Sunrise Senior Living of Silver Spring to entertain and brighten the residents’ day. Through different activities, including upbeat performances, songs, and dances, volunteers uplifted the spirits of the elderly residents. The lively mood and atmosphere were a great change of pace for the seniors.

The performances ranged from a line dance to Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” to modern songs and dances. Popular songs from the sixties such as “My Girl” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” were crowd favorites. A modern day instrumental rendition of “You Raise Me Up ” was also a big hit. Although many of the residents could not walk unassisted, they swayed, clapped the beat, tapped their feet, and sang along to the familiar songs of their youth. One resident even stood up and danced the electric slide, holding the hand of a volunteer with a happy smile.

The residents thanked the volunteers for coming and asked for them to come back again. The Church of God volunteers all smiled brightly, promising they would return. They even asked what types of performances the residents would like to see in the future. The volunteers’ goal is to continue to touch the lives of others with sincere joy and love from God following the example and teachings of God the Mother.