SEELEY LAKE – “After this summer, I was exhausted. I needed help,” said Mountain Lakes Presbyterian Church Reverend Carrie Benton who talked to many others who felt the same way. “Then it dawned on me that we all need help. It has become so clear to me how much we need each other.”
This was the impetus behind the Seeley Lake Community Exchange and Giftaway set for Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Community Hall. Organizers encourage everyone to come with a skill, ability or non-monetary goods that they can offer in exchange for something they need. By the end of the two-hour event the goal is to have built relationships with new and old neighbors and connected people with the skills that they can offer while fulfilling their need as well. Attendees can also bring good, usable items to give away.
While Benton had the idea in October, she set it aside until recently when another member of the congregation shared the same idea during a church leadership meeting.
“I took that as a sign that this needs to happen,” said Benton. “God’s purposes are for a healthy, thriving, loving community that helps to build the mutual humanity of one another.”
One of the main goals of the event is to facilitate relationship building. Mountain Lakes recognizes that there has been a lot of pain, discord and a lot of arrows flying at one another in the community.
“Because of a lot of stuff that has happened, we need to help each other learn how to be neighbors,” said Benton. “Because we don’t know each other, we are afraid of each other and assume negative things about one another.”
Benton believes that once people take the time to get to know each other, they realize that they are a broken person just like themselves and they have the same need for love and compassion.
Another goal is to “punch through” the power dynamics in relationships that develop when there is someone in need and someone who needs something.
Benton explained power dynamics develop when someone is always the giver and someone else is always the receiver. A sense of pride can creep into the giver that keeps them isolated and unable to ask for help when they need it. For someone who is always the receiver it creates a sense of entitlement, forming relationships around what can someone give them. There are also feelings of unworthiness.
“We want to create a space where people realize that they actually need one another and that they are also needed,” said Benton.
Mountain Lakes decided on the exchange because people don’t often like to admit that they need help and there is a strong sense of independence.
“It’s not receiving something for nothing. You get to provide something too,” said Benton.
At the event, participants will put their name and the skills or gifts that they can offer on an index card with their contact information. On a separate index card, they will write their needs.
“There is no skill or gift that can’t help a neighbor in need,” said Benton adding that there is no need too small or too big. “Sometimes we overlook our gifts and don’t think we have something to offer. Everyone has something to offer.”
After filling out the cards, everyone can visit while enjoying Christmas music, hot drinks and goodies while the skills and needs are matched.
“My hope for the people who come, is by the end of the event they have met at least one person that they didn’t know before,” said Benton. “Hopefully by the end everyone will leave knowing that they are set up with someone that they are going to help and someone that is going to help them.”
There will also be a space for people to bring things that they want to give away. It has to be good quality, something that someone in the community could actually use and if no one takes it, the owner must take it back home again.
For more information visit the Seeley Lake Community Exchange Facebook page or call Benton at 677-3575.
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