AJ Cannon inserts some toiletries into a blessing bag, while Aspen Lushbough and Emily Helgeson look on, at the Cornerstone Mission in Rapid City, SD. Nov. 9, 2017
They sat and shared not only ice cream, but humbling stories of gratitude.
For these Southwest Middle School students, many of whom had never been to Rapid City’s Cornerstone Mission for the homeless and needy, Thursday was eye-opening.
“I had no idea,” said AJ Cannon, Anna’s teammate from the U12 Rockers travel softball team.
Middle school students – including AJ, Anna Mueller, Aspen Lushbough, Emily Helgeson, Emily Hubbert, Ben Lust, Mitchell Brekhus and Hayden Leighty – delivered a couple hundred blessing bags to the mission on Thursday afternoon. The bags had been assembled by Southwest Middle School Helping Hawks students and contained warm clothing, toiletries, snacks, toys, and books.
Anna Mueller delivers blessing bags to the guests in the Cornerstone Mission lunchroom.
The Mission’s dining area was filled with the homeless or those simply looking for a warm meal, and guests continued to stream into the building Thursday to escape the cold wind outside. It became so packed, that guests were standing in the stairwell, waiting to line up for food. No worries. The middle school students walked up and down the stairwell, handing out the blessing bags to everyone in line. Men, women, and children all received individualized bags put together for them by the Helping Hawks and their teacher Suzy Gab.
It was a wonderful surprise for the Cornerstone guests, who were exceptionally thankful not only for the items, but just for being remembered by someone. As a result, the children received heartfelt thanks and, in some cases, tears.
Michelle Mueller, the coordinator for the volunteer project, recalled the woman who was so happy just to finally have a hairbrush and another man who loved receiving a comb. One guest opened up their bag and put the socks, hat, and gloves immediately on their baby.
Michelle’s daughter, Anna, the goalkeeper for Anna LeFort’s soccer team, was touched by one young girl who was so proud of receiving her own blessing bag, especially of the travel size shampoo that was inside.
“And even when we started running out (of items), they were like just happy with whatever they got,” said Anna.
The students also traveled to the women’s/children’s mission center, which provides small individual rooms for their transitioning residents. And so, while the women and their families were out, the children delivered blessing bags in Santa stealth mode to each room, setting it on the mother’s and child’s bed as a surprise for when they returned.
And if the men’s mission wasn’t eye-opening enough, these families’ living quarters struck a chord with the students. A mother and all of her children – in one case seven children – lived in a single room that was smaller than some children’s bedrooms. And each room was pretty bare except for the beds and dressers.
“I thought they’d have more stuff than they did,” said Mitchell.
The students finished their day at The Silver Lining Creamery, which had graciously offered to celebrate the children’s good works. And while the kids sat and ate their ice cream and reflected on their special afternoon of kindness Thursday, it was clear from their discussion that they had received a very special gift from the residents in return: Much deeper understanding and compassion for the less fortunate.
A special gift almost as good as travel size shampoo.
Anna Mueller, Aspen Lushbough, Emily Hubbert, Emily Helgeson, and Mitch Brekhus pack the van full of donations for the homeless.
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