Inasmuch United Planned

A recent online article in Blount Life, The Daily Times of Maryville, TN, describes plans for the March 24 Inasmuch United in Blount County, TN.

The article includes project descriptions. Find some ideas for your Inasmuch events!

Operation Inasmuch: Churches and school unite in community-wide effort

By Melanie Tucker | (melt@thedailytimes.com)

“Inasmuch as you did it for the least of these, you did it for me.” Matthew 25:4 Spring fever is definitely in the air around Blount County, but so, too, is volunteer fever.

It has nothing to do with sports, however.

This spirit of volunteerism has Baptist, Methodist and Catholic churches coming together with a local Christian school to fan out across the community doing what needs done.

There are the yards of some elderly residents that require some cleaning up. Some in Blount County need handicap ramps built or porches repaired.

Car repairs can get expensive, too, and are unaffordable to those affected by this economy.

On March 24, a week from today, teams from Fairview United Methodist, First Baptist Church of Maryville, Little River Baptist, Monte Vista Baptist, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church and Maryville Christian School will be joining hands for Operation Inasmuch, a community service project that has gone global. This local group, calling itself [Inasmuch United Blount County], first started talking about joining in, back in September, said Carol Lucas, [Inasmuch] planning team coordinator. The real work began in January, and so far 200 members from these churches and school have signed on.

Ways to serve

“There are so many different projects to work on,” Lucas explained. “Things for first-graders, teens and up.”

She said there is certainly room for more volunteers. In addition to the home repair and yard cleanup projects, volunteers will be painting at Eagleton Elementary, packing birthing kits to be distributed in Haiti, collecting food at four grocery stores to replenish the shelves at area food pantries, and helping with filing and painting at Trinity Dental Clinic. There’s also a laundry mat ministry where Operation Inasmuch workers will be paying for people’s laundry and socializing with families. Others will be roofing a pavilion at Camp Tipton, installing a hot water heater at Chilhowee Baptist Center and making scrapbooks for foster children in the Department of Children’s Services foster care program.

Lucas said those interested in signing up as volunteers should come by First Baptist Church of Maryville, located at 202 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway, and fill out the required form or go to the church’s website at http://www.fbcmaryville.org and download the form. It can then be faxed to 982-5533. Project leaders will be contacting those who sign up with further instructions.

The four food collection sites include the Maryville Kroger, the Alcoa Walmart and the Food Citys on West and East Broadway. The food collected will go to help Community Food Connection, Jehovah Jireh food pantry, Chilhowee Baptist Center and Church of the Cove.

Hooked on volunteerism

There are about 50 places where this volunteer spirit will be demonstrated next Saturday, Lucas said. And for many, giving of their time to help others is a long-term commitment.

“Once you do it, you are hooked,” she said. “You do this one time and it’s like ‘how can I do this again?’ It’s a wonderful experience personally and for the people benefitting.”

The ideas for the projects came from members of the participating churches and school. There will be block parties for residents of Eastpark, Parkside and McGhee Terrace neighborhoods managed under Maryville Housing Authority. Volunteers will also be assisting residents with cleaning their apartments at Maryville and Broadway Towers. Writing letters to soldiers and making lap blankets for nursing home residents are all on the jobs list for March 24.

This group of churches has worked together on projects in the past, but this is the first Operation Inasmuch they have collaborated on, Lucas said. She said they hope this becomes an annual event here.

One of the neatest projects, Lucas said, is where volunteers will be taking family photographs for residents and then presenting them frames as well. This will take place at the MHA neighborhoods.

Volunteers are still needed, Lucas said, to pair up with Keep Blount Beautiful to pick up trash, and those who can work on friendship bags for women living on the streets of Atlanta and the birthing kits for Haiti. Anyone who wants to be a volunteer is welcome to sign up.

Get up and go

That morning, check in will be at 7:30, followed by a kickoff ceremony, before heading out to the various work sites. Some projects might last a few hours, while others will go all day. Lunch will be provided to those who work past noon.

Lucas wants to add to the list of those wanting to help, and she said those with ideas for next year can certainly contact her. It will be held rain or shine.

The more volunteers there are, the more work gets done. And if someone can’t volunteer that day, there are donations of children’s books, scrapbooking paper, picture frames, sample size shampoos, lotions, toothpaste and toothbrushes that are needed. Any of it can be dropped off at the participating churches and MCS.

“It’s a ministry worth growing,” Lucas said.