Service is not a new distinction at Oak Grove Lutheran School. Part of the school’s mission statement directly addresses service:

“Our mission is to express God’s love by nurturing young men and women for academic achievement, lifelong Christian commitment and loving service throughout the world.”

For decades, the school, founded in 1906, has had annual service days. Those days are devoted to whatever needs doing. Cleaning, raking, painting and whatever physical things someone might not be able to do for themselves. The entire student body works on these projects together, with teams made up of grades 6-12.

For more than a decade seventh and eighth grade students have visited Eventide, a senior care facility. The religion class students have costumed Halloween parties, Christmas cookie decorating, Easter cantatas, letter writing, reading, tea parties, “electronic” games days when students bring in the new electronic gear to play with their friends, singing and time to simply visit. A duet between an eighth-grade girl and an Eventide resident at the Easter cantata a few years ago had everyone in the audience with at least a lump in the throat if not outright tears.

Bonnie Almond organized a sixth-grade student and senior high student “club” of sorts. Senior high students have to be the first to sign-up for alternate fun and work months with the sixth-graders. One month they do a fun event, the next a work project. They have gone fishing, had winter fun days, raked and washed cars. Together the teammates had a reading time with Head Start children.

The school’s Honor Society this year read to students at area pre-schools and daycares, gave them books and worked in the Salvation Army soup kitchen.

As representatives of the student body, the Student Council sponsored a shoe drive for a local Happy Feet group. They collect shoes to give to those who would otherwise not be able to participate in sports as well as shoes for everyday wear.

Students responded with boxes and boxes of shoes. Students also respond to other need requests. They brought in stuffed animals and raised funds to send to Lutheran schools in New York after Sept. 11. Ten boxes of stuffed animals helped brighten children’s lives.

Students also sent hymnals to a seminary in Africa, donated food to the YWCA Shelter and the Food Pantry, rang bells for the Salvation Army, collected funds for Afghan children, wrapped packages and help in community projects as needed. During the 1997 flood in the community, sleep was a scarce luxury. Sandbags were pillows as often as not.

Oak Grove hands are regularly extended, develop blisters and give hugs. Oak Grove students learn something about expanding their hearts and thoughts into the world through service opportunities

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