Sedona AZ (September 25, 2017) – Does your non-profit organization have a project that needs volunteers? Are you and your friends, family, classmates or co-workers looking to volunteer to do some community service? Mitzvah (Good Deed) Day can satisfy both needs as it has for the past 10 years.
The 11th Annual Mitzvah (Good Deed) Day will take place on Sunday, November 5, Noon-5PM in Sedona and surrounding communities announced co-chairs Barbara Litrell and Rabbi Alicia Magal of the Jewish Community of Sedona Verde Valley. Men, women, families, kids, teens, seniors, visitors, in fact, everyone is invited to participate in this intergenerational, interfaith, spirit-led day of community service to organizations and individuals in our communities.
Since Mitzvah Day began in 2007, over 425 projects have been completed and and average of 250 volunteers per year have contributed over 12,500 hours of community service throughout the Verde Valley. Families, co-workers and groups of friends are invited to sign up together for projects needed by organizations and individuals in the area. This year’s goal is 50 projects and 250 volunteers which will amount to approximately 1200 volunteer hours in one day.
Mitzvah (Good Deed) Day projects have included landscape and trail clean up, planting gardens at local schools, shelf stocking at local Food Banks, Library projects, painting projects, projects at local Humane Societies, and individual projects to help seniors and veterans at their homes including gutters that need cleaning or landscape that needs trimming.
In addition to the physical work projects, groups of volunteers work on crafts to be donated to organizations in the area. These have included stuffing and sewing teddy bears for Hospice patients, Feelie Hearts for children in the hospital, blankets for women and children at the Verde Valley Sanctuary, and holiday cards for veterans at the VA Hospital in Prescott. “There’s something for everyone, all ages, all degrees of skill and strength,” said Litrell.
One of the outcomes of the day, besides feeling great about giving back to the community, is that many people learn about organizations where they can volunteer all year long. The many non-profit organization in Sedona and the Verde Valley depend on volunteers to help them provide services to the community.
The term mitzvah, from the Hebrew word for “commandment,” has come to express acts of human kindness. “November 5, when we are looking forward to Thanksgiving and acknowledging all we have to be grateful for, is a perfect time to reach out to our whole community in the spirit of caring,” according to Rabbi Magal.
This year, Mitzvah Day is expanding to more communities with check in and projects in Sedona, Cottonwood, Camp Verde and other surrounding communities. Volunteers will check in at Noon at one of four locations: The Sedona Public Library at 3250 White Bear Road in Sedona, Christ Lutheran Church at 25 Chapel Road in West Sedona, Cottonwood Recreation Center at 150 S. 6th St. in Cottonwood, and the new Camp Verde Library at 130 Black Bridge Lp Rd, in Camp Verde. Volunteers will get directions to their assignments, a tee shirt (while supplies last), water and a snack to take with them. They will work at their project sites from 12:30-3:30PM and then everyone is invited to return to Rock of Ages Lutheran Church at 390 Dry Creek Rd in Sedona at 4PM for a pizza party, sharing of stories, and music and song celebrating the kindnesses of the day. The day always ends with everyone singing, “Let There be Peace on Earth.”
In the weeks following Mitzvah Day, the local non-profit organization, SedonaKind, will host several events including an OLLI Lunch and Learn presentation at the Yavapai Campus on November 8th at 12:30; two showings of the acclaimed movie, Perfume War, at the Mary Fisher Theater on November 13th at 4:00 and 7:00 and Gratitude Trees popping up all over town for community participation throughout the holidays.
Mitzvah Day is funded by grants and donations from the Arizona Community Foundation, the City of Sedona, Thrivent Financial, faith communities, organizations and individuals.
Participating in Mitzvah Day is free but volunteers are asked to bring canned and packaged grocery products for distribution to food banks in the area. To register your non-profit organization’s project or to sign up as a volunteer, contact Barbara Litrell 649-0135 or blitrell@aol.com, www.mitzvahday2017.com. ;