Mitzvah Day 2012 Cherie Tolliver photo

Sedona AZ (October 8, 2013) – On Sunday, November 17, Sedona and surrounding communities will celebrate the Seventh Annual Mitzvah (Good Deed) Day. Leading into the Thanksgiving and holiday season of caring, the theme for this year’s Mitzvah Day is Gratitude in Action. About 350 volunteers of all ages are needed for this interfaith, inter-generational spirit-led day of service, which is held under the auspices of the Sedona Community Center, inform the event’s co-chairs Rabbi Alicia Magal and Barbara Litrell.

Since 2007, an average of 350 volunteers per year have donated over 8400 total volunteer hours and accomplished over 240 projects. Volunteers have helped seniors, veterans, other individuals in need, as well as worked on landscape, painting and cleaning projects, and prepared craft items to benefit Verde Valley Sanctuary residents, veterans in the VA hospital, Sedona Food Bank homeless clients, children in hospitals, and more.

Rabbi Alicia Magal of the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley reminds that, “Gratitude in Action encourages all of us to count our blessings and reach out to help our neighbors and the earth.”

Mitzvah Day 2012 Janise Witt photo

Volunteers check in at St. John Vianney RCC, 180 St John Vianney Drive, Sedona, at 11:30 in the morning while Cottonwood, Clarkdale and Cornville volunteers check in at Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, 330 Scenic Drive, Clarkdale. At Noon, faith community leaders will offer a blessing on the day’s work and volunteers will go to project sites from 12:30-3:30 in the afternoon. Everyone is invited to gather at St John Vianney at 4:00 p.m. for an hour of food, music and sharing stories of the day.

Mitzvah Day is funded by grants, donations and in-kind services from the City of Sedona, faith communities, businesses and individuals. If you have a project, want to volunteer or to donate money, contact Barbara Litrell at 928-649-0135 or blitrell@aol.com and visit www.mitzvahdaysedona.com.

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