Abundant sunshine greeted more than 100 volunteers from St. Ladislas Parish in Westlake as they tackled various projects during their second Parish Day of Service.
Organizers said the event was a wonderful experience for participants and it helped bring parishioners together in a meaningful way.
Dozens of parishioners met at St. Ladislas and carpooled as they fanned out on June 29 to eight locations: the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Providence House, St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish and the St. Vincent de Paul store, all in Cleveland; The Gathering Place and Youth Challenge in Westlake; and Blessing House and St. Elizabeth Center in Lorain.
Another group stayed in Cullen Hall at St. Ladislas, where they worked on various outreach projects, including making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the homeless, creating no-sew children’s fleece blankets that will be donated to the Christ Child Society, sorting and packaging donated items and other activities.
Each volunteer received a bright blue St. Ladislas Parish T-shirt to wear that day and at subsequent parish activities.
At the food bank, volunteers assisted with sorting and packing food. Taking inventory of donations and other items was the project at Providence House, a family crisis shelter on Near West Side, while volunteers who traveled to the St. Vincent de Paul store in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood sorted and tagged clothing. Those who worked at St. Ignatius of Antioch sorted items for the St. Vincent de Paul Society and cleaned storage areas.
Volunteers at Blessing House, a children’s crisis care center in Lorain, did yard work, cleaned the garage and washed the vans. At St. Elizabeth Center, a Catholic Charities facility in Lorain, the group cleaned and painted.
Closer to home, those who volunteered at Youth Challenge, a sports and recreation program for children with physical disabilities, cleaned vans and gym equipment. Those who went to The Gathering Place, an outreach center for those touched by cancer, sorted, organized and discarded items.
After a morning of work, the volunteers, who ranged in age from children to senior citizens, returned to St. Ladislas for a pizza lunch and fellowship.
The event was organized by the parish’s evangelization team. Martha Bober is evangelization ministry coordinator. Father Don Snyder is parish pastor and he is assisted by Deacon John Travis.