One Day of Service
 

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What is One Day of Service?

Information for Sections
› Goals for Each Section
› Getting Started
› Section One Day Coordinator
› Promoting One Day of Service
› Your Section's Closing Report

Information for Lodges
› Goals for Each Lodge
› Getting Started
› Lodge One Day Coordinator
› Selecting Your Project
› Promoting Your Project
› Your Lodge's Closing Report

Resources
› Program Overview
› Community Service Guide
› Community Service Ideas
› Media Support
› Service Award
› Clip Art
› Organization Contact List

Information and Goals for Lodges

Each lodge throughout the Central Region is being challenged to meet the following goals while putting together their One Day of Service programs. It is highly recommended that lodges use the Community Service Guide as well as the information from this website as a basis for implementing their own program to ensure success:

    Community Service Project Backdater
    Task Timeline Date
    Come up with a service project idea 6 Months
    Contact organization(s) to help out 6 Months
    Second contact of organization(s) 3 ½ Months
    Organize your project 3 Months
    Get materials and donations for the project 3 Months
    Publicize the service project 2 Months
    Find helpers and workers for the project 2 Months
    Final contact and recruitment of volunteers 2 Weeks
    Contact organization before project begins 1 ½ - 2 Weeks
    Hold Service Project 0
    Send thank you notes to sponsoring organization(s) as well as key leaders and volunteers + 1 Week
    Complete the Lodge Project Report Form and Send the report to your Section One Day of Service Coordinator + 1 Week November 1 at the lateset
Lodges that meet or exceed these deadlines should have no problem committing to and following through with a service project that meets the criteria for the Central Region’s One Day of Service. Be sure to use this backdater and the Community Service Guide when putting together your One Day of Service Program.
Getting Started
There are often a number of steps that are required to make any sort of project take flight, and the Central Region’s One Day of Service is no different. However, with the help of this website, Community Service Guide, and your Section One Day of Service Coordinator, every lodge in the region should be able to put together and successfully run a One Day of Service project with minimal difficulty.
The Lodge One Day of Service Coordinator
By far, the most important individual involved in the One Day of Service, your Lodge’s One Day of Service Coordinator will be responsible for spearheading your Lodge’s efforts at putting together a successful One Day of Service project.

Lodge Chiefs should appoint a Lodge One Day of Service Coordinator as soon as possible to help get the ball rolling on the project selection and promotion process. Your Lodge One Day of Service Coordinator may be a Lodge Officer or any other responsible youth Arrowmen. After a Lodge One Day of Service Coordinator has been selected, his name and contact information should be submitted to your Section One Day of Service Coordinator. This will ensure an open link of communication between the Section and Lodge – allowing your Lodge to get the latest updates concerning One Day of Service as they become available.
Selecting Your Project
There are literally thousands of service projects available for Lodges to complete. It’s best to choose one that is appropriate to the Lodge and offers an opportunity for meaningful and worthwhile service. Below is a list of some project ideas that your Lodge could use as a basis for finding projects within your local area. Your only true limitation for finding an appropriate project for your Lodge is your imagination!
  • Eradicate graffiti on school property
  • Clean up litter on school grounds
  • Plan and implement a conservation project for a public park
  • Clean up litter in camps, parks, and along roadways
  • Repair playground equipment
  • Landscape camps, parks, and along roadways
  • Repair school interiors and exteriors
  • Conduct major recycling effort if your area does not already recycle
  • Conduct a fundraiser to benefit a local charity
  • Place trash and recycling containers in camps and parks
  • Clean and resurface desks
  • Conduct a water/energy conservation education project
  • Landscape school grounds
  • Build or improve trails in camps and parks to concentrate human impact
  • Host a bike rodeo
  • Install trail signs
  • Build picnic tables
  • Stencil warnings on storm drains that run directly into a creek so that people don’t dump hazardous waste in them
  • Install a flag pole
  • Conduct service at a state or national park
  • Build playground equipment in neighborhood park
  • Paint houses for the elderly or disabled
  • Work at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter
  • Assist with an established program like Toys for Tots
  • Collect blankets for a homeless shelter
  • Conduct service at a Ronald McDonald House, battered women’s shelter, museum, or VA hospital.
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • National/State Department of Fish and Game
  • Local Historical Societies
  • City Governments
  • Religious and Interfaith Organizations
  • Goodwill
  • Public Universities and Colleges
  • Child Resource Centers
  • YMCA or YWCA
  • American Red Cross
  • Humane Society
  • Any others you can think of!
There are numerous non-profit organizations that need your Lodge’s help. Many of them already have the materials for the project donated – they just need the manpower to complete it.

Although any sort of service project may be chosen for your One Day of Service project, there are a few guidelines set by the Central Region for selecting your project:
  • Your project should be geared towards community service
  • All projects must be completed by November 1
  • Projects may not be done for local scout camps and councils
Your Lodge’s One Day of Service Project should not replace any regularly planned Council or Lodge service project, but should be completed in addition to any existing planned service projects – maximizing community service provided by your Lodge!

For any questions concerning the selection of an appropriate project for your Lodge, you should contact your Section One Day of Service Coordinator.
Promoting Your Project
After committing to a service project, your next most important task is to promote the One Day of Service throughout your Lodge. The easiest way to accomplish this is to excite members of your Lodge about your Lodge’s One Day of Service Project. Through careful promotion at both Lodge events and through your Lodge’s publications you should be able to generate some genuine excitement from the Arrowmen in your Lodge. Be sure to inform your Lodge Executive Committee about the latest happenings with your project as they will also serve to help promote your One Day of Service project to other Arrowmen in your Lodge.

When promoting your One Day of Service project, be sure to fill everyone in on all the details of your project as well as the purpose behind the Central Region One Day of Service: “to offer cheerful service beyond our own Lodges and out to the communities in which we live.”

However, don’t forget about the other venues of promoting your project! Getting information about your service project published in council newsletters can help spread the word to everyone in the council – offering a fair amount of promotion throughout your Lodge. Also check with local newspapers and/or various mediums for other methods of promoting your project to both scouts and members of your community.

Don’t forget to save any articles/media published concerning your One Day of Service project – you’ll want those to share for your Lodge Project Report!
Your Lodge’s Project Report
After all projects for the year are completed, it is very important to completely fill out the remaining paperwork and file a copy of it with your Section One Day of Service Coordinator. One Lodge Project Report should be filled out for every One Day of Service project completed by your lodge.

Be sure to complete these promptly and send these forms to your Section One Day of Service Coordinator no later than November 1!
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Site Last Revised: April 14, 2005