Giving Back
We were knee-deep in getting all the small details together for Night of Wonder. It was the week before the events, and we were preparing for the Volunteer Training on Thursday night. It was a hectic Thursday full of phone calls and emails, putting all the pieces in place and final touches together for the 19 Night of Wonder parties. As the room began to fill for Volunteer Training, you were able to see all the different volunteers–some new, some returning, from all different parts of our community, school district, teachers, city officials, church members, parents, business men and women–who were excited to hear the specifics for Night of Wonder. As the meeting came to an end and I was answering all the lingering questions from volunteers, I noticed one couple waiting patiently across the room.
As the room cleared out, I finally had the opportunity to approach the hesitant couple. I asked if there was anything I could help them with and they responded, “Well, it might be a conflict of interest, but we had to ask to make sure.” The couple explained how they signed up to volunteer at a Night of Wonder party, but they were also a family in need who will be receiving assistance at a different Night of Wonder party. They began to share with me more: “6 Stones has helped us a lot. We are so thankful to be receiving food and gifts for Christmas. The least we can do is volunteer at a party. Next year we hope to be able to sponsor other families like ours to have a better Christmas.”
This is what Night of Wonder is all about: a community coming together, people from all walks of life, pulling together their resources and whatever they can to love on and share the joy of Christmas with families who need a little bit of hope. As I was making my rounds through the Night of Wonder parties I ran in to this sweet couple. The man was outside passing out turkeys and gifts to the parents while the woman was inside with the kids helping them make the craft.
If you were able to participate in Night of Wonder in any way, I want to thank you. Whether you gave your time, money or resources, it made a huge impact to over 3,500 of the individuals who participated in the parties. We hope that you will be able to join 6 Stones this year in being a catalyst of hope!
– Kameryn L'Ecuyer, Director of External Compassion, 6 Stones