December Service Day Was A BLAST & A BLESSING!

Shannon Forest students in all grades recently came together to BLAST the Greenville community with Christian love and service. Students in Kindergarten through 12th Grades donated needed items to make 175 BLAST bags to distribute to Greenville adults and children in need. Hygiene bags for adults included wash cloths, soap, shampoo, combs and socks. Goodie bags were distributed to area children that included toys, coloring books, crayons, pencils, toothpaste, toothbrushes and more. The BLAST bags were sent to SFCS on-going partners: Project Host Soup Kitchen, Greer Soup Kitchen, and Greer Relief Ministries, and Safe Harbor.

"The event of putting together the BLAST bags was AWESOME," remarked L.I.F.E. Coordinator D'Anne Weaver. "It was very loud, but extremely unifying!" SFCS 3rd Grade teacher Annette Boehm commented that, "It is really special to see the older and younger students together - sharing in an act of service - hand in hand." "It is not something I have seen much of before," Boehm added. "The division of the road was down that day!" Each IMPACT student partnered with 1st and 2nd Grade CONNECT students to shop for their adult or child and then the teams worked together to create a Christmas card for their BLAST recipient.

The Wednesday, December 1, Service Day started with students in 7th – 12th Grades going out into the Greenville community to serve those in need. While one group was raking leaves for a GAIHN (Greenville Area Interfaith Hospitality Network) family, they and experienced an added blessing. The family, currently in transition, consisted of a single mother who had five children under the age of seven. While the older children were at school, the younger ones were watching the SFCS team work outside. One of the children saw a lady across the street putting up a Christmas tree and decorations. He said, "my mom said we can't have a Christmas tree this year." The SFCS leader of that group put their equipment down, went to the store and bought the family a tree, decorations and a wreath. The family had tears in their eyes from that simple gesture of love.