Girl Scouts donate cookies to SPIRE
Published 9:10 am Saturday, June 23, 2012
In the front row are Brownie Girl Scouts Macy, Madison, Malana, Gretta and Daisy Girl Scout Madeline. In the back is SPIRE participant Rosemary, Girl Scout leader Kristin Larson, SPIRE volunteer Libby Seiffer, SPIRE participant Marvin and Girl Scout leader Annabelle Wagner. -- Submitted
On May 23, Girl Scout Troop No. 44025 presented the donation of Girl Scout cookies to SPIRE.
SPIRE stands for Special People in Religious Education. SPIRE provides ministry through songs and Bible stories to approximately 80 mentally and physically challenged residents of Freeborn County. SPIRE began in 1969 and holds Bible classes in various locations on a regular basis. They also have special events throughout the year. SPIRE operates solely on donations from area churches, individuals and other organizations and is offered by the volunteers.
Libby Seiffert has been a volunteer with SPIRE for more than 40 years. Seiffert, along with SPIRE participants Rosemary and Marvin, posed with the Girl Scouts for a picture prior to the Bible class. When asked, Seiffert said the most rewarding part of SPIRE is the smiles and her wish, hope and dream for the SPIRE program is to have new helpers and for it to continue forever.
The Girl Scouts and their leaders, Kristin Larson and Annabelle Wagner, participated and helped during the Bible class. Together they sang songs, learned some new songs, listened to a Bible story about disciple friends John and Peter while fishing meet Jesus and then the girls taught the participants their Girl Scout song, “Make New Friends.” They all sang it together and then the girls recited The Girl Scout Promise and closed with The Lord’s Prayer.
After the class Larson said, “It was a very heart-happy experience for me and my hope is that it was for the girls, too. I told the girls that what we do is not about us, it’s about making someone else happy. But in this case, from what I saw and heard tonight, it made all of us happy. Volunteering can be a great experience.” Wagner agreed that it was a great experience for the group and that she was grateful for the opportunity.
There are many ways anyone can help SPIRE and some are by volunteering, giving a personal gift, encouraging people with mental and physical handicaps to participate, including SPIRE in a church budget, offering church space for special events and last but certainly not least praying for people with handicaps and their families.
For more information, please contact Seiffert at 373-6876 or call 373-2795.
