Showing Care for the Environment and Appreciating Our Neighbors
Taylor Joy: Oh hey INC Giving friends! Sorry. I was just trying to figure out if there was some way I could log some frequent flyer miles from all these recaps, because—you guessed it! We’re zig-zagging across the globe again to see the fantastic INC Giving projects. Ready? Let the recapping begin!
Taylor Joy: Acts of kindness to start your day? Where can I sign up?
Taylor Joy: At Freedom Park in General Santos City, the community was greeted with an early morning treat of pandesal, a delicious bread roll, and coffee.
Taylor Joy: Oh my—did you just hear my stomach growl? I guess I could use some pandesal and coffee right about now.
Taylor Joy: Do you see this? I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before! INC Giving volunteers on little boats cleaning the river? How amazing is that?
Taylor Joy: This small group of volunteers from Sumalig in Pagadian City, Zamboanga Del Sur showed their concern for the environment by cleaning a portion of their local river.
Taylor Joy: Rivers connect our ecosystems. And in areas where rivers are the source of fresh water, it’s vital to keep our rivers clean. Bravo to these volunteers!
Taylor Joy: Also on the island of Mindanao, but over an 11 hour drive east, was another coastal cleanup conducted in Tandag City, Surigao Del Sur.
Taylor Joy: Overcast skies and a little rain didn’t dampen the giving spirit of these volunteers as they cleaned along the beach.
Taylor Joy: We’re continuing with the clean ups, but this time on the lovely island of Malta, where INC Giving volunteers cleaned the Garden of Serenity and the jogging track.
Taylor Joy: The Santa Luċija Council shared, “We should take an example from them
to help keep our locality and country tidy. The Santa Luċija Local Council would like to thank you for your voluntary work.”
Taylor Joy: Free blood sugar tests and health maintenance services were offered by these volunteers in Quiapo, Metro Manila. These free services are great to help everyone stay on top of any health concerns that need to be addressed.
Taylor Joy: What’s next? A great way to spend quality time with family is at the beach, of course. But this little family joined other INC Giving volunteers in Maui. And together they worked to clean up this gorgeous beach.
INC Giving Volunteer 1: What are you doing today?
INC Giving Volunteer 2: Cleaning up trash!
INC Giving Volunteer 1: Clean up? Where’s your trash?
INC Giving Volunteer 2: Picking up trash, mom.
Taylor Joy: You wouldn’t have to twist my arm very hard to join this coastal cleanup under the beaming sun and beautiful blue skies.
Taylor Joy: I can feel the warmth of the sun rays now.
Taylor Joy: Oops. Where were we? Right.
Taylor Joy: We’re heading back to Manila, this time in San Nicolas, Binondo area, where commuters, workers and passersby were provided with free bottled water.
Taylor Joy: It’s always important to stay hydrated, so good job INC Giving volunteers! Cheers!
Taylor Joy: This next activity is one of my favorites. It’s a neighborhood appreciation day in North Shields, England.
Taylor Joy: Volunteers wanted to connect with their community. So they set up various booths. One booth provided free assistance with CV, which is ‘curriculum vitae,’
otherwise known as a résumé.
Taylor Joy: Honestly, just being able to say ‘curriculum vitae’ is an accomplishment.
Taylor Joy: In addition, there were free health checks, free haircuts, some musical entertainment, and fun games. What a fantastic way to bring a community together.
Taylor Joy: Next up, armed with their trusty brooms. Yes, I see a walis ting ting there.
Taylor Joy: And trash bags.
Taylor Joy: The grounds of Mabini Central School were beautified. Thank you for providing a clean learning environment for these students in Pangasinan.
Taylor Joy: Heading back to Canada to an eastern suburb of Toronto, volunteers in Rouge Park held a coastal cleanup at the mouth of the Rouge River on Lake Ontario.
Taylor Joy: Rouge beach is part of Rouge National Urban Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America.
Taylor Joy: It looked like a beautiful day to beautify the community. And did you know that in the 1970s, Ontario license plates displayed the slogan, “Keep It Beautiful.”
Taylor Joy: How many of you beautiful Ontarians remember that?
Taylor Joy: In Zamboanga Del Sur, this little group held a tree planting activity.
Taylor Joy: Jetting back to Canada, but to Manitoba. Another neighborhood
appreciation day was held in Winnipeg in an area called, ‘The Forks.’
Taylor Joy: Nice, nice. It looks like there were free haircuts and free coffee! Ooh, and even some fun activities for the kids.
Taylor Joy: This is definitely a great community activity to have during the warm summer months. You know, before the cold Canadian winter sets in again. *shivers*
Taylor Joy: Ooh, free toys? These volunteers in Cork, Ireland, prepared a bunch of free toys and coloring and activity items for some lucky children.
Taylor Joy: I’m sure this act of kindness put big smiles on those children’s faces.
Taylor Joy: Wow! What an incredible school supply donation! These lucky kids were able to benefit from a school supply drive at the Santa Maria Elementary School in Nabunturan.
Taylor Joy: The school even shared a message of thanks for these donations.
Taylor Joy: We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) Ecclesiastical District of Davao de Oro Local Congregation of Nabunturan for your generous selection of Santa Maria Elementary School as the beneficiary of your wonderful school supplies drive for our kindergarten and Grade 2 Baltazar pupils. A special thank you to Ma’am May Anne Benagin for being the vital link that brought this kindness to our doorstep. Your generosity and support light up our hearts and inspire our community.
Taylor Joy: Finally, we’re zooming back to Canada, to Edmonton, Alberta, where volunteers in Meadowlark shared some free plants and seedlings!
Taylor Joy: This was a unique INC Giving activity to share the love of gardening and plants with fellow neighbors and the community. And hopefully, the seed of curiosity was planted too as to why INC Giving volunteers continue to do good and share their faith through acts of kindness.
Taylor Joy: Hi five to anyone with a green thumb because mine are not green.
Taylor Joy: How many miles across the world do you think that was? Well, what I do know for sure is that was a lot of kindness that was spread, and a lot of communities that benefited.
Taylor Joy: Remember to check out incgiving.org for tools and tips for your next INC Giving project. And while you’re there, make sure to watch our INC Giving Special if you haven’t already.
Taylor Joy: Until next time, remember to do good to those who need it. Bye!
