2021 Community Service Day Another Step Toward “Normal”

The return to Community Service Day after a spring 2020 hiatus was another recent return to nearly normal activity in a pandemic-adjusted world for EMHS students on May 21, 2021. The full day of service in the surrounding area for high school students is a long-held tradition that was missed by hosts and students last spring.

A short devotional video by seniors Karla Hostetter and Hailie Mast “kicked off” the event on Thursday afternoon, followed by individual frozen fruit bars and ice cream as students left the building; this replaced the typical shared morning launch in the auditorium and end-of-day ice cream party. A few other COVID adjustments included students driving themselves or being dropped off by parents, and smaller group sizes almost entirely outside. Work sites included:

• Blacks Run clean-up
• Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
• Brethren and Mennonite Heritage Center
• Brethren Woods Camp and Retreat Center
• Community Mennonite Preschool
• Harrisonburg Mennonite Church
• Highland Retreat Center
• Lindale Child Care Center
• Massanetta Springs
• Park View Mennonite Church
• Project GROWS in Verona
• Virginia Mennonite Missions
• Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community
• Weavers Mennonite Church
• Eastern Mennonite University Special Collections (historical library)
• Projects  in the school library and classrooms for girls varsity soccer team who needed to leave early for competition.

Eighth grade students helped with the elementary annual field day as their service to the school.

Sixth grade enjoyed a visit to the Tide Spring in Linville and a traditional trip to teacher Larry Martin’s cabin for a cook out. Seventh graders explored downtown Harrisonburg on foot.