Party with a Purpose

A few Sundays ago I was invited to a new friend's house for an afternoon of community and doing something. I've gotten to know Jennie through church and loved having her as part of the Water Party team this year. She's an incredible photographer, a great mom, and a smart, delightful person. She also has a huge heart and, from what I can tell, a no-nonsense sensibility. In fact, this heart and style is what prompted her party. She saw a need and acted. "It's just so easy," she said, "It's something we can do."

What we did was gather together at Jennie's home for a Shoe Cutting Party. Apparently, jiggers are a problem in some parts of the developing world. Jiggers burrow into feet, lay eggs, and cause infection and great pain. The organization Sole Hope works to treat and prevent jiggers from crippling children in Uganda. Sole Hope relies heavily on people like Jennie to host parties and prepare materials that will be used to create jobs for local Ugandan tailors and shoe makers, and ultimately save children an abundance of pain and deformation.

Jennie asked her guests to bring old jeans (I gladly cleaned out the kids' drawers for jeans that were too small or had too many holes), scissors, and a donation of money and medical supplies. For each pair of shoes you provide the material for, Sole Hope asks for a $10 donation in order to pay a Ugandan craftsman a fair-trade wage to produce each shoe. Ten dollars to help an adult earn a fair wage in humane conditions? Ten dollars to save a mom the stress of worrying about her child's infected feet? I agree with Jennie, "It's too easy."

We watched a video (part of of the Sole Hope Party Kit that Jennie ordered) about the problem and the organization. Then we ate snacks and drank punch and chatted while our hands kept busy tracing and cutting material for shoes. It felt like a party. A party with a purpose.

In two hours we fitted the basic materials for two dozen pairs of shoes. And it was delightful! I got to spend time with a fabulous group of women, make new friends, and strengthen existing ties. The fact that we accomplished something beyond ourselves was simply a bonus.

Jennie's initiative to do something inspired me and got me thinking about my community of women. A party with a purpose is an idea that I absolutely love. It's a beautiful opportunity to use your good time for something larger than yourself. Everyone wins!

• Longtime readers of this blog know that we gather each year before the Water Party to craft and prepare. This year Emily also threw a dinner party to kick it all off. We party with a purpose. 
• I once threw a "Healthy Home" party for an article I wrote. (Similar set-up: we watched a video about the environment and enjoyed free samples that came with the party kit. Our party had purpose.) 
• My friend Beth threw a beautiful baby shower for a women's shelter in our community. We all brought gifts just like we would at any other shower, only they were then donated to new moms who needed a little love and generosity in their life. Beth is an incredible hostess and we had a delightful time. 
• I know of dinner clubs that meet once a month and focus on raising awareness and money for different issues. 
• I've heard of people throwing dinner parties and asking guests to donate to a specific cause. 

So let's talk about this. Have you ever partied with a purpose? Have you been to such an event? People are so creative! I'd love to hear about what it looked like for you!

(Thanks for the photos—and the party—Jennie!)