Chat with Cat: 8 Ways to Add Some Heart to Your Retreat

This past week I had the opportunity to go out to the Presbyterian Home for Children, hoping to gain some insight on how groups could make service a part of their retreats. I met with the PHFC's director for development and PR, and she gave me a great overview of their programs and a tour of their facilities.

They are doing amazing things--I could go on for days about their programs and about what they do for these kids, but you can check it at their website. The PHFC hosts more than 1,500 volunteers each year, but they can always use more help, as can many of your local nonprofits and charities. Volunteering is good for the community, but it can also be a new opportunity for members of your group to bond and to relate on a different level.

• Organizations like the PHFC, including camps, homeless shelters and social services organizations, often have facilities and property that require constant maintenance. Your group could plant flowers, mow the grass, or paint a hallway.
• Meals are opportunities to connect with neighbors over something that's a common experience to us all. Volunteer for a shift at the local soup kitchen, or sort food at a food bank. It's important to get some context for these experiences, so see if you can arrive early or stay late to have someone give you a tour or explanation of the organization. Some communities have programs similar to this area's Welcome Table, which serves lunch to about 200 local residents each week.
• Check out local volunteer organizations, like Hands on Asheville. This group compiles a database of projects in the area and allows individuals to apply to them online.
• Be creative! In an intergenerational group, set aside program time for youth and children to make baked goods, and then have a bake sale for the adults. Allow the youth to research and choose a cause to receive the funds raised. (I've done this with the Heifer Project. They have excellent low-cost resources to prepare kids for the project, and we bought a water buffalo!)
• If your retreat or event does now allow time for you to go volunteer somewhere, consider gathering donations as part of your retreat preparation. The PHFC posts a list of their needs, and they also suggest donating "Welcome Baskets" for a child's first night: a laundry basket filled with twin sheets, towel & washcloth, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste & toothbrush, hairbrush, Bible, and an age-appropriate item like a toy or journal.
• Help a neighbor with tasks around the house or handywork. Or allow neighbors to hire your services and donate the money to your chosen cause.
• Got golfers? Host a golf (or putt-putt!) tournament to raise money for your favorite cause.
• If you are a crafty group, think about what you may be able to create to donate. Popular choices are: making prayer shawls for friends (or strangers) who are going through difficult times; knitting hats for newborns or for winter homeless clothing shelters; making blankets for premature infants; knitting sweaters for children who need them.

Whatever you do, know that you are helping neighbors in your community and strengthening the bonds of your own group. Happy helping!

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Cat is the Sales Associate at Montreat Conference Center. She loves helping people plan the perfect Montreat Experience and would love to hear from you about how this blog can help you.

Cat can be reached at catw@montreat.org.