MONROE — Helping out shoemakers in Uganda, folding a proper pocket flag to be sent to troops overseas and sewing and filling a weighted blanket are just a few good deeds the third annual Generosity Day will offer from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 14 on the Square.
Thrivent Financial sponsors the event, and Nikki Matley, financial associate and Generosity Day project manager said this year is the biggest yet, with more than 50 booths to add to the Monroe Farmers Market in partnership with Main Street Monroe. The event is meant to bring awareness to the many organizations helping others.
“I think it’s important to give people a way to learn about needs and filling them,” Matley said. “It’s an event where people can come out and be a part of something bigger.”
Generosity Day started when Thrivent’s member network encouraged action teams as part of a statewide initiative to create a day of community generosity. Matley felt the best place for those teams — which are provided as a member benefit – would be centralized in Monroe.
The action teams are granted seed money for organizations to purchase supplies in order to make their idea come to life. Their mission must involve at least one of three things: fundraising, educating and serving.
The booths serve a cause or charity and all are meant to engage the community with the intent to make people leave feeling like they’ve made a difference and their heart is left full, Matley said.
Matley is looking forward to watching people take time to enjoy this year’s booths. For example, the Monroe American Legion Auxiliary is planning a booth to teach how to properly fold a military pocket flag and will then send them to troops overseas. Another booth will have helpers fill and sew strips for weighted blankets. Family Promise will have a hands-on booth to help pack hygiene kits.
“It starts a conversation,” Matley said. “It’s meant to give people ways to engage. These booths can touch the lives of people all over the world.”
Matley said one of the biggest purposes of Generosity Day is to help more people see and become aware of the needs of organizations and learn how to help fill them.
This year’s event will once again be provided entertainment by local Christian music group Vigilant Soul that will play for the duration.
New this year will be a punch card system where people who have visited at least 20 of the more than 50 booths can go to the Thrivent tent for a voucher, which is a thank you from Thrivent for attending. Children will be able to cash in the voucher for a mystery bag of candy from Rainbow Confections or a treat from the Knights of Columbus booth. Adults can receive a voucher for food either at the farmers market, Garden Deli or Frank’s Franks.
“This event truly is from little to big,” Matley said, noting that all ages are welcome. She said Dotty the Clown and a bounce house would also be there for some additional entertainment. This year there train rides around the courthouse will also be new.
The hope for the event in Matley’s eyes is that people realize they don’t need wealth to give back and everyone can make a difference. She loves the thought that people helping may even be those who receive some of the services later on.
Generosity Day continues to grow. Its first year brought 23 booths, and last year brought 44 booths. Matley is looking forward to an even bigger year this year and said she has had people reach out to her to get involved after seeing the inspiration it brings to the community.
“It’s created a life of its own,” Matley said.
