Kiwi 'Mormon Helping Hands' Volunteers Out and About

Latter-day Saints around New Zealand are pulling weeds, mulching, picking up rubbish, packing furniture for shipping to Pacific Islands schools, giving blood, cleaning public spaces and lending a helping hand in other ways today.  

Many of the volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can be identified by their bright yellow "Mormon Helping Hands" shirts.

Latter-day Saint congregations regularly work in their communities, often along side other churches and community groups, for the betterment of our society and environment.

Many of these community efforts are planned for February each year, taking advantage of warmer, sunnier days.

One project took place this morning at Rangitoto College on Auckland's North Shore.

Members of the Albany Ward (congregation) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cleaned and loaded onto a shipping container desks and chairs bound for a school in the Pacific. They also packed children's books into the container.

The furniture and books will be shipped in the coming weeks to a school in one of the Pacific Islands.

14-year-old volunteer, Elise, said she was grateful for the chance to help children who will benefit from the desks, chairs and books.

James, 17, said, "It feels good to help others."

Another participant, 17-year-old Phaer, said she hoped the students receiving the donation would do better at school as a result of the equipment and books.   

Volunteers in Upper Hutt spent several hours today in Harcourt Park, focusing on some maintenance work, guided by Council’s Parks and Reserves Team.

Today's jobs included painting the vehicle barrier along Harcourt Park frontage on Akatarawa Rd; adding gravel to the path below the Rhododendron gardens; widening and adding gravel to the Hutt River Trail; and reforming the stone edging to the Harcourt Park bush walks.

“It’s fantastic that the Mormons are helping us out and investing in their community,” said Upper Hutt Mayor, Wayne Guppy.

“There is never a shortage of help communities can use in the form of volunteer work, and Council is very happy to be on the receiving end of it.

“Harcourt Park is one of our city’s key destinations and the help we get from the Mormons will maintain its character and beauty, as well as enhance this section of the Hutt River Trail.”

Watch a short video featuring volunteers helping at De Paul House in Auckland:

"We do these projects," says the Church's Pacific Area director of public affairs, Richard Hunter, "because we want to follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ by doing good, wherever and whenever we can.

"We love our neighbours, neighbourhoods, parks, rivers and beaches. And if we can make lives and places better, we will keep on doing so."

Read more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' "Mormon Helping Hands" community service efforts.