Sidney members front from left, Merri Knapp, Grant Knapp, Stephanie Tranquill and Lincoln Tranquill, back, Albert McKenna, William Tamaneluvu, Sharon Stevens, Bart Stevens, Jason Tranquill and Jared Daniels with a load of trash collected along Highway 201. (Submitted photo)
Watford City members Bishop JR Ewing, youth and missionaries, processing a cow for families in need. (Submitted photo)
Glasgow members from left, Nicole White, Jim Childress, Melissa Mickelson and Ashley White working at the Children's Museum. (Submitted photo)
Approximately 100 volunteers from congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout eastern Montana and Watford City, ND spent part of Saturday, Sept. 11, giving service during the Glendive Stake's 3rd Annual Day of Service. Since Sept. 11, 2001, 9/11 has been designated as Patriots Day and as a national day of service and remembrance in honor of those Americans and first responders who lost their lives. Serving in our local communities is one way to recognize and pay tribute to their sacrifice.
The Glendive Stake (similar to a Diocese or District) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has 11 congregations and covers eastern Montana from the Canadian border to the Wyoming border and from the North Dakota border east to Miles City, along with the Watford City area. About 40 church members from around Sidney cleaned up trash along Highway 201 for a mile on each side of the intersection near the landfill, the entrance to the Savage Household Garbage site, and areas around Highways 16 and 58. In Watford City, a local rancher donated a cow and a group of missionaries and youth were taught how to do the butchering. After being processed, the meat was then offered to local families in need. A cemetery in Broadus was the focus of service as local church members continue to register all the graves on Billion Graves website. The Children's Museum, Glasgow, was the beneficiary of 14 volunteers who came to clean and help with renovations. In Poplar, the rain canceled the outdoor cleanup of a vacant lot, but eight volunteers helped the local missionaries clean their apartment. In Miles City, 24 volunteers spent several hours at Custer County Cemetery cleaning gravestones and markers. One volunteer, Lisa Kraft, summed up her experience this way: "It was an awesome experience to do an outreach project for the community. The peacefulness and all coming together in unity was a huge touching moment. It was hard, but soothing to the soul."
The Day of Service for Glendive Stake and its members has become a yearly tradition as a way to improve our communities and honor those who fell on 9/11.
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