Week 8: Bench Give Back

"Sit down and rest awhile" was the inspiration for last week's Kindness Countdown activity. 

I served on the board of Ozaukee Food Alliance for five years and recently took a step back to focus on this little happy project of mine. I began my time there when it went by a different name: The Saukville Community Food Pantry and was located in the basement of a local church. 

The pantry and it's needs grew a lot while I was with them, so much so we needed a new, designated location and updated branding/name to communicate we had become more than a food pantry. The process was a privilege to be a part!

I dreamed of us moving into the location long before it seemed feasible, and after the fundraising became successful and it was becoming reality, I began dreaming of the food gardens to be planted and relaxing seating for our patrons.

That was the inspiration for last week's activity: a donation of a cast iron bench to be placed in a place of rest. 

One of my daughters worked with me to put it together; my other daughter and I borrowed my parent's minivan, and we drove it to the pantry. It was lovely to catch up with the director on the latest happenings and take my daughter to see some of what I had had a small part in building. 

I hope the pantry and activity participants enjoy the bench, take a moment to rest, and feel ready to put their best foot forward as they depart.