Community Service

The Yomechas Guides and Princesses program is more that just a parent-child activity. It is also a service organization. Service is the basis of our official pledge:

We (parent and child) through friendly service to each other, to our family, to this Circle, to our community, seek a world pleasing to the eye of Our Creator.

We want our children to learn the value of community service. We want our children to understand that a "community" is sometimes larger than just a local neighborhood. Accordingly, the Yomechas Federation officially endorses several community service endeavors each year. Participation by our members is encouraged, but like all aspects of our program participation is strictly voluntary.

Sioux YMCAs of South Dakota

Recognizing that we are all part of a global "community", we support the Sioux YMCAs of South Dakota. We periodically ask our members to donate a few dollars toward the youth outreach programs the Sioux YMCAs operate in the problem-plaqued Cheyenne River Reservation and neighboring regions. Usually our solicitation is made at a campout. Sometimes, members of our organization become much more personally involved -- volunteering a few days of their time to work directly with the Sioux YMCAs at the reservation.

Adopt-A-Family

During the December holiday season, our members support the Adopt-A-Family program - a program that provides Christmas gifts to needy families. The effort is entirely circle-based. Circle-members decide among themselves how much they wish to participate. They buy the gifts themselves; they wrap the gifts. Most circles make this part of an early-winter circle meeting - to be sure the children learn the lesson of giving.

Fish Pantry

At our annual Christmas party, we ask our members to bring a few canned goods as their "admission fee". The food we collect is donated to our local Fish Pantry - an organization devoted to helping feed the needy and homeless.

Christmas Tree Sales

In December of each year, we ask our (adult) members to donate an hour or two of their time to help the Y's Men sell Christmas trees from their annual location at 75th Street and Lemont Road in Downers Grove. The Y's Men is a charitable service organization affiliated with the YMCA. Money from their tree sale is used to help fund YMCA outreach programs in the Downers Grove area.

Indian Boundary Scholarship Fund

Our members also support the Indian Boundary YMCA's annual "scholarship fund" drive. Money raised by this event helps pay for a financial assistance plan that assures no one will be turned away from any Indian Boundary YMCA activities due to financial hardship.

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