Operation: Welcome Home - All-Woman Volunteer Team Project

October 20, 2018 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM

MOUNT SAINT VINCENT

4159 Lowell Blvd
Denver, CO 80211

On Oct. 20, 8:30am-12:30pm, an all-women volunteer team will tackle one of our most exciting service projects yet - a refresh of the Mount Saint Vincent Home in Denver! This is a very special day as we hope to get out and meet other service-minded women from organizations like Team Rubicon and Team RWB.

This day is special for a few reasons: First, it's intended to celebrate the special role that women have played in our armed forces. Since our nation's straining start, from the Revolutionary War until today, women have served as nurses, spies, gunners, code breakers, front line fighters, and so much more. Despite these achievements and sacrifices, and although more women are serving in the military than any other time in history, women tend to be the last ones recognized for their service. Our upcoming all-women service day celebrates the very many contributions women have made to this country, and reminds us of the power and unique contributions you continue to bring to military culture and our civilian community.

The second reason this day is special is that our all-women service team will tackle an amazing project. The Mount Saint Vincent Home is a behavioral health treatment center (or - as we used to call it - an orphanage). About 40 children aged 5-12 live there full time. In order to be accepted to MSVH, most of children have been to NINE other places first! NINE! That means these kids have been bounced around often, on top of the abuse and or neglect that propelled them away from their homes to begin with. Many of them carry anger, sadness, uncertainty, or and trauma related difficulties, and are like some of our veterans in that regard. I was both inspired and heartbroken over what I saw and learned there.

MSVH owns 16 acres of land and an old, tired building. However, they only have three maintenance people. The home survives by community fundraising and practical assistance in the form of mowing the grass, painting, cleaning, and repairing the grounds.

Our service day will be about providing some very practical assistance in the form of painting, heavy lifting and cleaning out and organizing storage and work areas. It will also celebrate the unique contributions women have made at home and abroad as part of our armed forces.

With this project falling within breast cancer awareness month you can expect a couple of our platoon member taking part that are actual breast cancer survivors.

Currently we have right around 200 female volunteers in the Denver service platoon, and an ideal service day with our sister organizations would look like gathering together 75+ volunteers. Spread the word and lets roll!

Any questions can be directed to the Project leader Kylie May the Denver Platoon - Operations Manager, her email is kileemay@yahoo.com

What to Wear: Dress for a late Oct project. Rock your TMC shirt if you got one. Gear you don't mind getting dirty.

Parking Information: When you get here please drive just slightly north of the main circle driveway to what looks like a service driveway, in between the community garden and the Safeway plaza. Pull all the way down that driveway and you will reach a car security gate- please do not pull inside the gate until I am there for security purposes. Even if the gate opens please have all cars wait outside until 8:30am.

What to Bring: Water bottle, work gloves, and jacket

What you can do before the project: Be sure to invite any friends you think would love to take part in this event.