Service Project Ideas

111 Service Ideas for Youth / donated by Elder and Sister Bird
 1. Collect ironing from a large family in a basket,return neatly ironed,tied with a bow. Include a note: It was a pleasure to serve you
2. Collect mending from a large family and return it all mended with a bow.
3. Take an elderly person shopping or offer to do a little shopping for them each week
4. Take a flower from your yard and give it to someone who lives alone or needs a lift
5. Commit to do household tasks for elderly in the branch on a regular basis, sweeping, changing bed linens, pulling weeds, etc
6. Put on a "This is your life" night for older members, new members or special families in the Ward.
7. Offer to read the newspaper, the scriptures or favorite Church book to an elderly member of the ward who needs it.
8. As a class, furnish a group babysitting service for tots (age 1-5) during Dec or other busy seasons on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 1 pm, so mothers can go shopping.
9. Build picnic tables for your branch or community
10. Volunteer to baby-sit younger brother and sisters 1 or 2 nights a month without charge, so your parents can have a night out.
11. Volunteer to organize your family photographs and put them into albums
12. Sit down with the grandparents and label their old photos for them
13. Sit down with grandparents and listen to their stories and experiences. Write their stories down.
14. Paint or repaint the lines on a school playground
15. Clean up a cemetery, plant flowers

16. Take a sandwich or treat over to the Branch Pres. on a Sunday afternoon or an evening when he has been working at the church.
17. Volunteer to work as a community playground helper
18. Collect one timesaver recipe or idea from each mother in the ward and compile a booklet to be given out on Mother’s Day
19. Volunteer to take a store inventory.
20. Volunteer for a community beach or park cleanup.

21. Volunteer to organize the Branch bulletin board
22. Organize a ward book swap
23. Organize an ongoing aluminum can drive
24. Adopt a rest home, school for the blind, etc. Commit to give a program 3 -4 times during the year. Commit to visit, read, write letters, or record their life stories on a regular basis.
25. Have a "Mother Appreciation Day" Each girl writes a note to her mother, bakes a cake, gives a flower
26. Have a "Father Appreciation Day"
27. Write a letter of appreciation to your legislator, Prime Minister, an old teacher, school superintendent, Branch Pres.
28. Instigate a ward clothing exchange, swap used or outgrown clothes
29. Organize a ward dinner with an activity
30. Organize a sister event to foster unity and sisterhood between two branches; the host branch plans the events for the day: picnic, talent exchange, sporting events etc)
31. Start a "love basket" by putting a treat in the bucket with a note and leaving it anonymously on the doorstep of a family; note attached could say: " This little love bucket is meant to express love from a neighbor who you'll never guess. Replace the goodie with a treat from you and pass it on to someone you love too"
32. Help your family keep the Sabbath day holy by planning activities that are appropriate for Sunday. 

33. Volunteer to work in a hospital
34. Volunteer to work in a school
35. Landscape and renovate a local historical monument
36. Provide a Christmas tree and decorations, for one or two families
37. Repair and repaint bleachers at a local ballpark
38. Help with a political campaign. Encourage your parents to vote.

39. Organize a party or picnic for handicapped youth
40. Organize a book drive for your local library
41. Plan a community safety fair.
42. Build ramps for wheelchairs for your ward or public buildings
43. Clean the banks of a nearby river or highway or beach.
44. Make quiet books for children and give to the missionaries to use with their investigators' children

45. Plant trees as part of a local conservation or beautification project
46. Clean up a highway, road or unsightly vacant lot in your community
47. Build a toy box or bookshelf for the branch nursery
48. Canvass unregistered voters and urge them to register
49. Map out and make a chart of graves in a local cemetery
50. Build a flagpole for your ward or community
51. Help the local historical society with a project
52. Find out if there is a habitat for humanity project you can help with
53. Hold a poison awareness seminar, with tips from experts on making homes safe

54. Hold a book drive for the children's ward at the hospital
55. Have a quilting bee and donate the quilts to local nursing homes or crisis centers
56. Make table easels for your branch
57. Organize a community "jog-a-thon" to raise money for the needy
58. Make a point of interest sign for local historical sites and monuments
59. Conduct an anti-litter campaign in your neighborhood or school
60. Make a family first-aid kit.61. Refurbish the toys in the nursery, make some new ones.
61. Bake a birthday cake for widows or widowers who don't have children nearby.
62. Select a family and volunteer "I've got 30 min - what can I do for you?" This could be arranged ahead of time.
63. Plant two or three tomato plants in a tub and give to an elderly person or couple to grow on their porch or patio.
64. Take some tomato plants in a tub or some marigolds, etc, to a neighbor
65. Volunteer to help someone moving into or out of our neighborhood. Help tend children, carry boxes, help load or unload the truck or van.
66. Select a woman or women whom the girls admire and arrange for them to have a visit with her in her home, hearing her tell about her family's treasures, traditions, etc
67. Volunteer to clean the Sacrament trays, or launder the Sacrament cloths
68. Volunteer to string popcorn and dip the strings in wax for the Ward Christmas tree
69. Volunteer to help houseclean the ward, under the direction of the Branch Pres.
70. Volunteer for a playground equipment repair project.

71. Make a banner, wall hanging, collage, or framed photographs to present to the Bishop for his office or foyer
72. Make fabric covers for own hymnbooks
73. Repair old and worn hymnbooks
74. Volunteer to help in your branch library - ASK THE LIBRARIAN!!!
75. Donate a fruit tree to the ward, plant it in a location approved by the bishop. Take baskets of fresh fruit to families in the ward. Include a note: "Picked for you with love"
76. Volunteer as a class or individual to care for the baptismal clothes after each baptism
77. Volunteer to sing or give a program at a baptism
78. Volunteer to walk thru the chapel and pick up papers after the meetings
79. Collect favorite recipes for special occasions from branch members. Compile into a small booklet to be given to mothers on Mother’s day or a book of families favorite recipes or Holiday recipes
80. Have a neighborhood Olympics
81. Organize a neighborhood, branch or area cultural night.
82. Volunteer to refurbish trash containers in a local park
83. Write letters to senators, representatives, asking for their help to stamp out pornography, immoral movies etc. Compliment and patronize stores who do not carry pornographic books and magazines.
84. Write your testimony in the front copies of Book of Mormons and give them to the missionaries in your area
85. Adopt a missionary who does not have a family supporting him or her.
write letters of support.
86. Organize a blood drive in your branch
87. Compile info from local law enforcement agencies on preventing home burglary, present it to your neighborhood
88. Clear off, build up, and maintain a park trail
89. Paint loading zones near schools or buses

90. Volunteer to plan a Sacrament Meeting with talks, musical numbers, prayers by youth
91. Research and hold an evening on the history of the Young Women. Invite mothers and have them share an experience
92. Research and investigate the beginning of the church in your area; write it into a talk or presentation to be given at an appropriate time.
93. Spend a day tracting with the missionaries
94. Have the missionaries come and discuss how they prepared for their missions and some positive experiences they have had
95. Write a story of your conversion or your parents, and present it to your parents.
96. Make a Jubilee box or time capsule to be opened in 10 years. Each YW can write a letter expressing her feelings, goals, etc. Include parent’s names and phone numbers in a list taped to the outside of the box so the leader in 10 years can contact each girl and arrange an anniversary
celebration. Be sure to include a class photo.
97. Landscape the grounds and renovate the parking lot of your branch or another church in your community.
98. Conduct a series of CPR classes for your community
99. Identify one whom you feel has wronged you, make a project of forgiving that person and understanding the person and dismissing all ill feelings, make him or her your friend.
100. Fast as a class or group for specific purpose, an inactive member, a problem in the class, an afflicted member in the branch.
101. Instigate self-reliance workshops- learn simple home repairs and maintenance, electrical cords, leaky plumbing, etc.
102. Have a community night- invite a group from another church to share in an activity or a workshop to consider young women issues and concerns.
103. Write a letter to your parents on your birthday thanking them for the life they have given you and all your blessings through them.
104. Have a project to interest your younger brothers and sisters in the scriptures. Read them a scripture you especially like and which has helped you in your life. Read the scriptures with them for a few minutes several times a week.
105. Write a letter to someone in the branch who has influenced you in gaining a testimony. Express appreciation for their influence in your life.
106. Write letters to the Branch Presidency and their families and express appreciation for all they do for you. Send a treat along that you have made in class.
107. Write a letter to your father expressing appreciation for him as head of the home and for the Priesthood he bears. This will encourage him to improve his performance as a Priesthood bearer.
107. Serve a delicious meal to everyone in your ward over 65. As part of your entertainment spotlight events or experiences in their lives which are inspirational and interesting.
108. Older people need to be wanted. Ask older women in your ward to teach the skills like knitting, needle-point, quilting, etc. 
109. Hold a Teacher Appreciation Night for school teachers. Have a nice dinner in the cultural hall and ask the Branch Pres to speak, thanking them for their good influence. Give out certificates.

110. Platte children’s hair in the hospital!

111. Paint a room at the hospital or school

YSA Conference

We had an amazing experience at the YSA conference August 16th and 17th in Port of Spain!  The theme of the conference was, "DESIGNING AND BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE," somehow the t-shirts got messed up, so the theme on the shirts read, "designing and building a secure future.  Oh well, that works too.  If it is a successful future, it should be secure too! Brother and Sister Suepaul conducted the entire event.

As the YSA's arrived, they checked in and then went to the computer station to fill out online a personality profile.  You can find it at 41Q.com  It provided information that was part of the deciding input from which we matched compatibility later on.  Elder and Sister Smith assisted at this station.

 The next station was the written questionnaire.  They each filled this out with the help of Elder and Sister Ray

 Some one on one coaching was helpful.  When all had taken the online quiz and filled out the questionnaire, Bishop Hooker was the speaker at the devotional.

He has a great rapport with the YSA's

 His  message was, "find your spouse here, go on dates, and get married!" That is a shortened version!

After the devotional, John Luke Villaroel and Mary Jagroop (YSA reps on the stake committee) led the group in ice-breakers to get everybody comfortable quickly.  They did a great job!  The Rays and the Smiths and the Monsons were the back-up senior missionaries!

Clothespins– divide into teams of 10.  10 clothespins are set in front of the team standing in a line.  They begin at the first and must go through all members of their team with a successful catch to win.    Each participant takes a turn picking up successive and increasing numbers of clothespins with their left hand and placing them on the top of their right hand, then lift them straight up with the top, or back of the hand, and catch them with the palm of the same hand without dropping any.   On the team you start with the first person, as in a relay, picking up one clothespin, next person two, then pass to the next person, they do 3, then next person 4, next person 5.  Then begin again with person number six picking up one and go to five again successfully for the team to win.  If any are dropped the person must keep doing their number over and over until they succeed.  First team to get to complete all the catches through the entire team wins.  The senior missionary stands at the end and acts as a referee.  When they succeed, Senior missionary, raise your arm high and yell booyah! 

Getting into the swing of things...............

Peanut Relay – The participants stand in one long line from the mark on the floor.  They should be guy, girl, guy, etc.  If it is not even, that is fine.  Then they clasp hands, entwining fingers.  There are ten peanuts on a chair at one end of the line and an empty chair at the other end.   The people at the end and beginning only have one clasped hand to use, the other should be on their forearm, or just not used.  All hands down the line must stay clasped during the whole relay.  The first person must pick up the peanuts, one at a time using one of his fingers and one of her fingers to pick it up, then pass it to the next person, on down the line the same way.  If they drop it, they must together pick it up and pass it on.  At no time may they use two of their own fingers.  Missionaries must watch closely...(the peanuts are tiny!)  They have to communicate to each other to coordinate this movement.  When all the peanuts get to the other end, missionary, raise your arm and yell Booyah!

John and Mary explaining the rules of the next ice-breaker.

 Balloon Relay – Participants stand in a line straight back from the table.  The front person picks up the flat balloon when the whistle blows, blows it up and ties it and then twists to the right at their waist and passes it to the person behind them, the next person to left.  This continues until the last person runs to the front with the balloon and continues the serpentine movement all through the team until the person that started gets to the front again.  Missionaries, take note of when they get there, raise your arm and yell Booyah!

Cotton ball Relay – Participants divide in half.  One half goes to line up directly across from the other half of the team on the green square.  Each is given a plastic spoon.  The person in the front of one line, at the whistle blow, goes as quickly as possible across the floor carrying the cotton ball in the spoon (if the cotton ball drops, he/she must return to the place they started and begin again) When they arrive to their teammate across the floor they must pour the cotton ball into their spoon and go to the back of that line.  The person with the cotton ball does the same returning to the starting side, going to the back of the line after passing off the cotton ball.  They continue like this until the starting person has returned.  The team leader then raises their arm and calls, Booyah!  Make sure they do not touch the cotton ball with their hand.

Oreo Masters – Hand all members of your team a cookie.  DO NOT EAT THE COOKIE!!  At the whistle, everyone places the cookie at the top middle of their forehead and attempts by moving their facial muscles and wiggling their head (without any use of hands) to get the cookie down their face and into their mouth! If the cookie falls off or drops, pick it up and continue trying.   As soon as three members of your team have been successful, raise your arm and yell BOOYAH!

Honestly, we were all laughing so hard when we did this one that no one got any pictures!!

There was a casual dance on Friday night and a elegant casual dance on Saturday night.  Friday night we had dance cards with lines on one side and a picture on the other.  There was a wrapped gift for the YSA's that had the entire card filled out with different names.  They had to dance for the entire song and could not have any duplications.  It was great!  In the end, we put names of completed cards and picked a winner from them.  There was more dancing than we had ever seen at a YSA dance.  The prize was a date in a box of cereal: two tickets to a movie and to cold stone creamery afterward. 

Great participation!!!

While the dance was going on, we went upstairs to the airconditioned rooms and went through the questionnaires and online quiz results.  It was far from an exact science, but the idea was just to get them to consider someone they might want to get to know with whom they had something in common.

 We didn't complete the process until well after midnight.  Elder Monson got a little punchy toward the end!

Working hard to find some common interests!  The next morning started at 8:00 am with four workships:  Laws of Success: Elder Monson, Marriage Prep; President and Sister Danzell, Mission Prep; Collan Moore and Jason Byng, and Career Building; Sister Raphael and the Career bus, all of 

which were big hits!

Everyone got a conference shirt in the morning as they checked in and then began rotating through each workshop after breakfast.

The entire group was divided into four at check-in by putting either a 1-2-3or 4 on their name tags and then they rotated between each station.

After lunch, another YSA rep, Nicoda Pathay, divided the group into fours and they went to one of 14 locations in the building for speed dating.  They had five minutes in each location and then two minutes to rotate to the next location.  They had a list of topics to discuss and were able to safely "date" and get to know other YSA's from different areas.  Asking several of them at the end of this activity how they liked it, met with very positive answers!  One young man said, "I met someone I am very interested in getting to know better!"

 Dating................WOW what an idea!!
After the dating game, they went home to shower and change.  When they returned, there was a devotional where President Danzell spoke and then opened a forum to ask any questions of a panel of married couples: President and Sister Danzell, Brother and Sister Suepaul, and Elder and Sister Monson.  The devotional ended with a testimonies that were memorable and touching.   After the devotional, they were handed the compatability match cards, which many of them got a good laugh out of..............so much for computer match-making!  The YSA's all looked fabulous, enjoyed the dance, and were sad to see the conference end.  Many returned home having made  new friends.  They had a marvelous time.