Cal-Aid Refugee Service Opportunity
We were asked for the third time to help with a massive food relief project to aid the refugees in Calais, France.
Our ward was in charge of getting all the supplies in order after they were ordered by the stake leaders. SOOOO many hands were involved and many, many hours were given to help this project take place. I was to act as contact "lead" person from our ward, but everyone jumped in and did their part.
Our goal was to fill 3000 boxes. We ended up filling 4000. 1300 of these boxes were filled on one night together. However, leading up to this night, we had an "onion, garlic and herb" party. We had to separate and wrap each group of items in their own individual bag. It was so much work, but very worth it.
me with Jessica Allen
On the left are Katie and Matt Bliss.
Onion and garlic party!
Naomi, Ty, Brother and Sister Bliss, Carol Balfe, Dierdre Wood, and Leo and Alyson White
Wrapping each flour and sugar package with saran wrap.
Our youth were responsible for putting boxes together.
John Price helped me barricade the flour in so it wouldn't slide all over!
Anne Frost, Hannah Barron, Anne and Megan Kelly
Kids hard at work filling boxes
Colbie (& Lauren Carroll) and Joshy
1300 boxes were done that night!
Josh's cub scout troop and families came to pack boxes.
21 vans were filled to the brim with food and driven down to Calais, France. 80 people, including Spencer, Ike and our new neighbor and friend, Jon Barron, spent over 17 hours driving, lifting, delivering, reassembling and building shelters for the refugees in this area. They were able to show one of our churches in Calais, how to run a food-packing line so that they can provide more local help on an on-going basis. It was a long and hard, but fulfilling day.
Calais refugee camp
Ike at the end of a VERY long day!
Our project received some very positive highlights from the Staines community.
Our stake President (on the left) Russell Ball, invited the Mayor and his wife to a sacrament meeting and they said yes. It was actually ward conference that weekend, so it was a nice day to have them.
The Mayor's title: The Worshipful the Mayor of the Borough or Spelthorn - and yes, that's how he's introduced.
The Mayor and the Mayoress were so impressed with the actual sacrament service of the young priesthood holders, and that cute Cameron Maytham and his older brother Callum (who helped him during the sacrament prayer when he stumbled on the words), that the mayor asked to have his picture taken with the two brothers.
Of course, everyone is quite timid to even barely shake hands with the mayor and Cameron wraps his arm around him and gave the peace sign! Love it!!
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