Granny’s Attic: A Hurst Stake Relief Society Service Project
Once a year the Hurst Stake Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosts a special service project known as Granny’s Attic. It’s an opportunity to give away free donated second-hand items and new school supplies. This project is geared to help church members and the community prepare for a new school year. It usually occurs a couple of weeks before school starts and lasts two days. This year, preparation for the event took place on August 3rd–4th and was held August 5th–6th at the Hurst Stake Center. Kim Smith from the River Trails 1st Ward (congregation) was in charge of organizing the event.
Tables full of gifted items the night before opening the doors. Image courtesy of Telolini Kioa.
Members of the Hurst Stake were encouraged to donate clean, gently used clothing, shoes, household items, and bedding. Volunteers helped set up the many tables needed to hold the donations on Wednesday night (3rd.) And representatives from each congregation (ward) were asked to help receive these donations on Thursday (4th) and place them on labeled tables.
On Friday night, August 5th, several families from the various congregations were invited to “shop early” for what they might need. Saturday, from 8:00–10:00 a.m. all members of the Stake were welcome to browse the donations. At 10:00 a.m., the doors were opened for members of the community that were invited, to come and look for items they could use.
This year was a success due to the many donations (tons of shoes and men’s suits!) and the diligence of a team of volunteers.
Wednesday night, the River Trails 2nd Ward Young Men were dynamic in setting up 20+ tables in the Cultural Hall, ready to accept donations. Thursday’s donation event went smoothly thanks to the River Trails 1st Ward Young Women with help from Logan Pardue, Jacey Pardue, Jenna Lyman and Amy Jenkins along with help from Ethan Pardue. They quickly and happily helped donors fold, sort by size and carry items out to the tables.
The ward representatives for Granny’s Attic worked tirelessly both Thursday night and Saturday morning to set up, keep neat and eventually close the wonderful project by bagging leftover items that were then taken to the Battered Women’s Shelter in North Richland Hills. The reps were: JT Skinner (Hurst), Sue Ingham (Hurst), Brandy Nunes (Watauga), Athena Reynolds (Euless 1st,) Anna Uaisike (Euless 3rd,) Anna Goble (Bedford 1st,) Candy Grisso (Bedford 2nd,) Kim Smith (RT1st,) and Joanne Smith (RT2nd.)
Thanks also to Jared Fults and Ralph Modore (River Trails 1st) for putting away tables, loading trucks and driving to the shelter. Finally a big thanks to David Davis and his sons (Euless 4th) for help with the clean-up and especially for putting the hanging racks away! (It is quite a puzzle to put all those racks into a small and oddly shaped closet.)
It is estimated that about 200 people’s lives were blessed by the opportunity to receive needed items for free, and of those, about 30 participants were members of the community.
As Granny’s Attic continues from year to year, there is hope for even more involvement—all are welcome to give with their heart as well as come and partake of the blessings of this free giveaway event.
As Kim Smith, the lead organizer of the event, reflects back on the weekend she says, “Being in charge of such a big event is daunting, and I seriously could not have done it without all the awesome volunteers and of course the Hurst Stake Relief Society support of President Telolini Kioa and First Counselor Sandra Donner…just the best!”
She also adds, “Volunteers who readily work helps lift your heart [and] seeing peoples eyes light up as they find items they can use and smiling as they leave, makes all the work worthwhile.”
Article by Kim Smith of the River Trails 1st Ward
Kim Smith is a retired chemistry/physics teacher and now spends her days helping members of her ward with visits, rides and meals. In her free time, she likes to workout, read and loves anything to do with water...swim, scuba, aquatic aerobics, etc.