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Fringe Benefits - When you volunteer with a chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, you’re not only helping others—you’re working side-by-side with future friends.
By Gretchen Roberts
 “You get more than you give when you volunteer.” Sure, we’ve all heard that phrase. It’s a nice sentiment, but it’s actually true that helping other people can be incredibly rewarding. Studies show that the social benefits of volunteering can boost physical, mental and emotional health. In a fast-paced world that’s becoming increasingly disconnected, volunteering does more than provide a warm glow from helping others.
Meet some Thrivent Financial for Lutherans members who set out to help others and along the way realized some unexpected personal perks of volunteering.
Fun and Games
When John and Karina Clark, Thrivent Financial members from Mission Viejo, California, learned that their neighbor, 3-year-old Karlie Kijima-Halsne, had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma (a form of cancer found in infants and young children), they wanted to do something to help. So they called a neighborhood meeting in March 2006 to gather support for an event they called Karnival for Karlie. They involved the local South Orange County Chapter of Thrivent Financial and set a goal to raise $5,000, which then would be supplemented with funds from the Thrivent Financial Care Abounds in Communities® program.
 After three weeks of organizing the event—requesting donations from area businesses and organizing the food and carnival games—the day arrived, and it was raining. Undeterred, more than 500 enthusiastic people showed up, John Clark says. And they came prepared to spend. The carnival alone raised nearly $17,000. With the $5,000 from the South Orange County Chapter and other donations, the Kijima-Halsne family was presented with a check for $37,725.
“It was incredible the way this thing ballooned,” Karina Clark says. “Our neighborhood distributed fliers and e-mailed friends and family, and people sent the message on and on. We even set up a P.O. box and people from all different states sent checks and cards for Karlie wishing her well and offering their prayers.”
As the word spread, the community got involved. “Everyone stepped up,” Karina says. “It was amazing to see so many people come forward to help this family, especially some who didn’t even know them. Even the kids pitched in, running the food booths and selling tickets all day.” So many people volunteered their time and talents for this event, including about 20 Thrivent Financial members, of which three families live on Karlie’s street.
The Kijima-Halsne family was overwhelmed with the outpouring of support. “I don’t know if it was even so much the money. Karlie’s parents were incredibly touched by the efforts made on their behalf,” Karina says.
She also notes that they would consider doing another fundraiser for Karlie or even another family in need. “We had a lot of fun,” Karina recalls.
After the carnival, the volunteers ordered pizzas, set up tables along the street and celebrated its success and surprising outcomes. “Strong bonds were strengthened and new friendships were made. After doing the carnival, we’re all more of a close-knit family,” Karina says.
Building on Faith
 As project director for Holy Hammers, an interfaith coalition of 22 churches in the metro Denver area that has constructed Habitat for Humanity homes since 1996, Kevin Dempsey spends time a couple of days each week coordinating schedules for volunteers and fund-raising events, a hefty responsibility on top of his full-time job.
In 2006, the Holy Hammers tripled its commitment to Habitat because of Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity. The four-year, $105 million alliance makes Thrivent Financial Habitat for Humanity’s largest ally in its mission to eliminate poverty housing and rebuild communities across the world.
“Holy Hammers builds a house every year,” says Al Horton, the Lutheran community services specialist for Thrivent Builds in the Rocky Mountain Region of Thrivent Financial. “Since the philosophy of Thrivent Builds is to increase capacity, we decided to do three houses this year.” Doubling their efforts would have been remarkable enough, but tripling their commitment took a great deal of additional organization, volunteers and resources. As Horton says, “Without that strong coalition of churches, we wouldn’t have had the clout and fundraising ability to do that third house.”
Even if volunteers don’t want to swing a hammer or get dirty at the build site, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved. With inter-congregational fundraisers each year, from pumpkin patches to talent shows and garage sales, anyone in any age group can participate.
Dempsey says the benefits of working with Holy Hammers are enormous. “I love what we do. A dedication or groundbreaking ceremony for a new home really brings what we’re doing home in a tangible way,” he says. “Our members really respond to that.”
Plus, he’s made good friends with other volunteers. “We’re a large congregation with about 1,200 families. Holy Hammers gives me an opportunity to connect with members at our church, not to mention across the congregations.”
Horton believes in the strong social and faith network Holy Hammers has forged. “It’s easy to become discouraged and almost overwhelmed by all the need out there, but volunteering helps us put our faith into action and regenerate, not just sit there and watch things happen around us. There’s a lot of fellowship when you get out there and do a hands-on activity instead of just writing a check,” he says.
“We all share a passion for what we’re doing,” Dempsey adds. “I’ve really grown to consider them all family and friends.”
A Military Salute
 In Mankato, Minnesota, a $4,000 grant, offered by financial representatives Ross Heilman, Lyle Hoverson and Daryl Snow on behalf of the Southern Minnesota Region of Thrivent Financial, mushroomed into a weekend event honoring and supporting the families of Minnesota military.
Excited about the grant, Heilman contacted Terry Kvitek, a Thrivent Financial member and longtime volunteer for the Mankato Chapter, for ideas on how to use the money. Among those Kvitek gathered together from her church to brainstorm ideas were Darlene Langevin, whose daughter is currently serving in Iraq, and Audrey Tolzmann, whose son is a veteran of the Iraq War.
“We had such a large deployment from Minnesota this last year,” says Kvitek. “When the troops first leave, there is a lot of attention, and when they come home there’s always a lot of attention. But in between, they sometimes get forgotten. This was a good way for us to reach out to their families.”
Their idea was small and manageable at first: provide school supplies for the children of deployed military. But as Kvitek and the other organizers put their plans in place, the small idea exploded into Camp Celebrate, Honor, Support (CHS)—an event with 200 volunteers and a budget four times the amount of the original grant. As word spread, the community outpouring of volunteers and donations was phenomenal.
For three days, community members, local businesses, clubs and veteran and community service organizations pulled together to celebrate, honor and support the families of deployed military personnel. There were games for the kids, musical performances, lectures and even a spa area where beauty and massage school students donated their much-needed, stress-relieving services. More than 400 military family members from 75 area towns attended Camp CHS.
“Any time we talk or write to our soldiers and people overseas, they say ‘take care of my loved ones at home,’ and that is indeed what we wanted to do,” says Kvitek. “It was an opportunity for families of the deployed to come together and meet other people who are in the same situation that they are.
"“Our troops can do a better job out there if we’re taking care of their loved ones at home. They want to know they aren’t forgotten, that their sacrifices aren’t taken for granted. I had people come up to me that day to say, ‘thank you, this is just what we needed, for us and our kids.’”
The benefits of Camp CHS reached beyond its recipients and touched those behind the scenes. “I definitely got more out of it than I put into it,” Kvitek recalls. “It’s very rewarding to see the smiling faces of the kids and the grateful tears of some of the parents.
“God uses us as His tools, if we allow Him,” she continues. “Half the fun of doing these things is the people we meet along the way and the friends we make. It doesn’t stop with Camp CHS. If we’ve shown even a few people how to give back, we’ve done our job.”
Thrivent Financial member Gretchen Roberts regularly covers volunteering and outreach for the magazine.
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