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Day of Action events include soup kitchen, children

An organization that gives people a lift every day received a lift of its own Monday during United Way's Day of Action.

"It means a lot," Leann Johnson, director of Feed My Sheep Soup Kitchen, said about the landscaping work done by volunteers that morning.

The work, that put new rocks and sod in front of the building and added splashes of color from flowers, makes the building cleaner, neater and morehomelike for the dozens of people served daily, she said.

The landscaping is not the only thing Feed My Sheep has received from United Way of Hill County.

"They help us wonderfully throughout the year," Johnson said.

As a funded partner, the organization, with 20 or so regular volunteers, receives funding from United Way to supplement other donations received from Havre residents and others along the Hi-Line.

Volunteers from area businesses, United Way and other funded partners worked on the organization's face lift, and materials for the landscaping were donated by area businesses.

The same afternoon, children also participated in the day's events by making instruments out of every day items like shoe boxes, rubber bands and old coffee containers.

They learned songs from Kirt Miller of the Other Brothers Band to perform during Kicks @ 6! Wednesday.

"It creates new connections in their brains," said Norton Pease, past president of Havre United Way.

"But for us, it's about getting the children involved," he added, saying that the children are learning about music, but are also learning about sharing, creating and social skills.

"Helping the little kids," was 10-year-old Laiken Harris' favorite part of the afternoon.

She didn't make an instrument herself, but enjoyed helping a younger girl glue glitter on a guitar.

Nick Turner also enjoyed "working with the kids, making them happy with guitars."

He was volunteering on behalf of Kitty Keepers.

"It's definitely worth it," Audrey Sprinkle, who was a first-time volunteer for the day and also volunteering for Kitty Keepers, said.

The project at Feed My Sheep is immediately visible, Pease said, and it is symbolic of other United Way work completed throughout the year that's not as visible.

"It's people coming together, but more importantly, we help those organizations that help the community itself," he said.

"Every day should be a United Way day in our community," Pease said.

 

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