By Kathy Platnick
SSP Board Member from Rolling Hills United Methodist Church
In Galatians, Paul tells us that the fruit of the spirit is, among others, love, joy, peace and kindness. While we can see the fruit of the spirit around us, the fruit of our labors – our legacy – is often not evident during our own lifetime. Through my work with Sierra Service Project, I have been blessed to witness the fruit of my labors in multiple ways.
The first was in my work as a counselor. SSP changed my own life when I first went as a counselor in 1996. Then, 14 years later I was fortunate to accompany a group of 16 junior high youth on their own first journey to SSP and watch them mature over the next 6 years of SSP trips. During that time, I witnessed the antics and attitude of tweens converting to respect and maturity. Now many of these young people are friends. They hail me when they see me – even across a large parking lot. They all talk about the impact SSP had on their life and a couple of them even shared with me that I made a lasting impression on them. Being a counselor truly blessed my life and showed me how I could have a positive effect on young people.
Another way I saw my labors manifest was through the SSP summer staff. Did you know that the college age youth who staff our summer sites attend 10 days of training before heading to site? I’ve had the joy of attending a part of staff training for each of the last five years. Each time, I challenged myself to learn each person’s name; to demonstrate how much SSP appreciates their service. And each time, I departed with buoyed spirits and gratefulness for the chance to watch their maturity in action.
Lastly, I have enjoyed my six years on the SSP Board. I’ve reached the limit of two consecutive terms and thus must rotate off. My time on the Board – and especially my three years as Board President and one year as President-Elect – were times of great change for the Board. We transformed into a strong working board with a focus on fund-raising and strategic thinking. Watching the Board move to the next level of sophistication has been enormously satisfying.
SSP has truly impacted my life. I’m grateful I had multiple opportunities to give back.
Editor’s Note: We truly thank Kathy for her service on the Board. Her contributions are too many to name. Applications for 2017 Youth Board Members are available now until August 28. Encourage a high school sophomore, junior, or senior to apply today!