Servathon 15

400 servants.

25 non-profits.

1 amazing school showing love to 1 great city.

Every year, my school takes a break from academics for one day to show the love of Christ to Cincinnati.  Every student from every grade (PreK-12) takes part in some sort of service project either in our neighborhood or around the city.  

This year's theme was "Do Something" which is very fitting for a Christian school.  We spend so much time filling their heads with knowledge but sometimes we need to give them an avenue to do something with it.  The Christian life isn't always about gaining new Bible knowledge but also applying it to life around us. 

For the third year running, my job was to drive around and take pictures and video for our social media outlets.  Unlike previous years, I traveled by myself for the day, which gave me the chance to move at  a quicker pace.  I was able to stop at 11 locations, from a lush green park 3 minutes from our school in the suburbs to the streets of Over the Rhine, and I was deeply moved by all that I saw.

• Our second graders gathered at a local park to clean things up -- weeding, picking up sticks, and cleaning the playground -- showing love to our local community.
• We had high school students making lunch for the Ronald McDonald House. After taking my pictures, I couldn't help but stand in the atrium and take it all in.  A lot of good work happens there.
• Our students stood on the sidewalk in one of the most notorious neighborhoods in Cincinnati and made burgers and dogs to hand out for anyone walking by.
• I couldn't find parking at another location, but was able to pull up alongside two (legally) parked cars and take one picture.  Two high school students were shoveling dirt into a wheel barrow for a peace garden next to a church in Over the Rhine. 
• A group of students were cleaning and painting an art studio dedicated to giving special needs adults the chance to be true artists.  It wasn't just cleaning and painting. The interaction between our students and the artists was amazing to watch!
• Fifth graders sorted and folded clothes at a ministry designed to bring relief to disaster victims around the world -- and were having a fun time doing it.
• High school students cleaned and sorted products at a ministry aimed to give furniture to people who are getting their first apartment after being on the streets.

It was a day to be proud of my school and proud of these students who willingly helped their neighbors, their city, and the least of these around the world.  

  

There are too many pictures to share here, but you can certainly look at our photo album on Facebook or the hashtag #serv15 on Twitter and Instagram if you want to see more.