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Jul 2011 Issue
[photopress:helping_hands_2_0711.jpg,thumb,pp_style] By Mark Severts
Red, yellow and green were the main colors used by volunteers from the Lakes, Nevada Stake to serve community members in Las Vegas and senior citizens in a mobile home park located near East Stewart Avenue and Pecos Road.
Approximately 100 volunteers dressed in yellow “Mormon Helping Hands” vests, provided a fresh coat of yellow paint on dozens of fire hydrants, painted the fire hydrant curbs bright red, and picked thousands of green weeds and trimmed green trees for the Rulon Earl Mobile Home Community.
The essence of the service project was summed up by 14-year-old Sarah Quinn who said, “It made me realize just how very blessed we are, and I don’t want to complain about the little things anymore.” Sarah added that the homes were very modest and there was even a burned-down home right next to one of the fire hydrants.
“It was amazing when people came out to thank us for painting their curb and fire hydrant. It was such a small thing, but they were still grateful,” she added.
The service project was initiated in response to the Las Vegas Neighborhood Services Department’s request for support for fire hydrants and curbs that had not been painted in many years. Equally important were the needs of elderly members of the mobile home park who – in their 80s and 90s – didn’t have the capacity to spruce up their yards like they did when they were younger.
One 94-year-old resident clapped her hands in delight when a tree was trimmed in front of her front window allowing her to see what was going on along the street in front of her home.
The residents were so pleased with the service that they provided water for thirsty workers and then cooked up some hotdogs for the volunteers, some of whom spent more than four hours in the warm sun.
Lakes Stake President Kurt Teshima worked alongside his stake members and also was cornered by a reporter from Las Vegas KTNV Television. The station has a feature called “Positively Las Vegas” that looks for positive uplifting stories in the community. The station featured the service and during the aired interview, President Teshima explained that the church believes in “following the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we want to help others.”
If other stakes in the Las Vegas Valley are interested in providing service through the Las Vegas Neighborhood Services Department, they can contact Maria Castillo Couch at 702-229-6681.
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