Imagine a world where neighbors get together to pool their combined strength and talents to fill others’ needs with no thought of reward. That’s exactly the kind of scenario a relatively new local initiative called My Hometown facilitates. Whether it’s painting picnic tables, pulling weeds, or offering free piano lessons, My Hometown provides a way for community members to share their time, labor, and talents to improve the lives of their fellow friends and neighbors.
Many members of tight-knit communities boast elevated levels of happiness and safety. There are also those who report feeling isolated and disconnected from their communities.
A 2026 survey by Digital Third Coast reveals that approximately one in three Americans try to avoid their neighbors, and 74% of those surveyed reported that they don’t feel a strong sense of community.
The trend toward increasing social loneliness may have something to do with the modern-day shift away from in-person conversations as digital communications become more prevalent. Ironically, as the world grows ever more connected online, the ability to foster genuine relationships with others tends to dwindle.
My Hometown in Santaquin seeks to combat the ever-widening social distance between neighbors and community members through the power of service. It’s a collaboration between local governments, church service missionaries, and community member volunteers. The initiative first started in West Valley City and has since expanded to include eight different cities in Utah. There are two separate branches in My Hometown: “Days of Service” (centered around local service projects) and the Community Resource Center (CRC), which offers free classes to community members.
Natalie and Calvin Davis are the Executive Directors of My Hometown in Santaquin, with Kurt and Kathie Stringham serving as their Assistant Executive Directors. Ralph and Marinnan Castillo are over the Santaquin CRC, focusing their efforts on providing free community classes on everything from piano lessons to English as a Second Language.
Val Butler, who handles marketing for My Hometown in Santaquin, says, “The Castillos and their committee are so dedicated to making (the CRC) a joyful place. … There are lots of smiles from those attending, especially as they learn a new language, a new skill, or make a new friend.”
At the Santaquin CRC, volunteers teach free community classes on sewing, painting, Spanish, and other subjects. Classes are free and available to students of all ages (though anyone under 14 must come with an adult). Childcare is available every Thursday night at the CRC for the children of adults who are attending classes.
“We have the sweetest teachers and they do some awesome activities,” Butler said. “The kids really look forward to coming.”
For this year’s Days of Service, volunteers with My Hometown in Santaquin took on a wide variety of local projects, including painting homes, tree removal, cement work, yard work, and installing a fence at another city park. They also painted picnic tables up Santaquin Canyon and installed horseshoe pits in one of the city parks.
Anyone and everyone is welcome to participate in Days of Service, including youth groups, families, and children. Service projects are held on Saturdays and typically run from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.. Residents meet at the Community Resource Center at 345 West, 100 North in Santaquin. Afterward, volunteers head back to one of the local parks for a light lunch to enjoy good food and great company.
My Hometown is currently looking for more service opportunities to finish out the current service year and plan out the next year. Butler said she welcomes community members, city leaders, and church groups to provide suggestions and ideas for how and where My Hometown should serve next. She said that service projects must be outdoors because volunteers cannot go inside homes or do service for rental units.
To submit service project recommendations, please visit www.myhometownut.com/utah/santaquin. The 2026 Days of Service season is almost over, but the organization is accepting recommendations for next year’s service season (May through September, 2027).
There are still September CRC openings for English, Spanish, cooking without electricity, and AI classes. Community members in Santaquin, Goshen, Genola, and Eureka who are interested in joining a class or volunteering to teach a class can also sign up by using the same link.
“I think that we, as volunteers, gain as much as those whom we serve,” Butler said. “We walk away feeling that we received just as much as we gave. We see friendships forming and hopefully we are building a stronger community.”
