May 2025 - Issue 156 - Serve Daily

everyday acts of kindness community service

The Ripple Effect of Kindness: Simple Ways to Brighten Someone’s Day

October 23, 2026

Kindness is defined as doing good things, even when it is hard. It involves helping others without expecting anything in return. There is not a day that goes by when I don’t read or hear about people being rescued by others at the risk of their own lives from a burning house or flood, animals rescued from abuse, soldiers under enemy fire saving their comrades. These are extra ordinary acts of kindness. There are many things that go unnoticed like texting friends to let them know you care if they are sick or having a difficult time in life. I always carry many water bottles in my car to hand

Building Character and Community: Payson Family Shares Homeschool Co-op Journey

October 22, 2026

Traditional schools have been in session for over a month now in the 2026-2027 school year, and many families in the southern Utah County area have chosen alternative methods of education. Jen Stucker of Payson has been homeschooling her children since her oldest reached school age five years ago. For the past few years, she has supplemented that education through a faith-based co-op based out of her local church congregation. A homeschool co-op is a group of families who gather regularly to share teaching responsibilities, resources, and social activities. Co-ops vary widely in their time commitments and focus areas. “Some co-ops are focused on the outdoors; others meet every day

springville vip special needs sports league keri beardall

Building Community Through Play: The Story Behind Springville’s VIP Sports League

October 21, 2026

For Springville resident Keri Beardall, providing a place for individuals with special needs to thrive has been a life goal. And for the past 26 years, she has been doing just that with the VIP Special Needs Sports League that has helped hundreds feel included. “Our motto is everybody comes, everybody plays, every wins and everybody goes home with a smile,” she said. “That’s what we want this program to be.” Beardall has a 32-year-old son Austin who has lived with intractable epilepsy his whole life. This form of epilepsy, also known as drug-resistant or uncontrolled epilepsy, cannot be stopped with the use of standard anti-seizure medications. Raising a son

utah food bank america250 donation springville

Utah Food Bank Timpanogos Distribution Center Receives America 250 Donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

October 20, 2026

Utah Food Bank welcomed a special delivery from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sept. 24 at its Timpanogos Distribution Center in Springville. This donation was part of the nationwide America250 celebration, marking another milestone in a campaign designed to strengthen communities across the country. This delivery was particularly significant, representing the 251st truck distributed through the America250 initiative. Community leaders, faith representatives and local residents gathered to celebrate the donation, which comes at a critical time for Utah families facing food insecurity. The contribution will help Utah Food Bank continue its mission of providing food assistance throughout all 29 counties in the state. Additionally, the 32,000

national emotional wellness month ben wunderin

Have you Been Wondering? Thoughts on National Emotional Wellness Month

October 18, 2026

Hi! My name is Ben Wunderin and I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) here to answer your questions surrounding mental health. Ben isn’t my real name, but your questions are very much real. There were no submissions this month with requests for advice or mental health, so with October being National Emotional Wellness Month, I thought I’d focus on some general things surrounding mental health. One of the topics that often comes up when I work with clients is the idea that people wait on other’s validation to improve their mood or self worth. As human beings, we do need validation. We need to know that we are

lecksa joel payson high drill team scoliosis journey

Dancing Through the Pain: Payson High Student Finds Strength Amidst Scoliosis Journey

October 16, 2026

At just 16 years old, Lecksa Joel already knows the meaning of defying the odds life has placed upon her. Lecksa, a junior at Payson High School, has been dancing since the age of seven, starting with gymnastics before finding her passion for hip hop. “My family, we love music,” she said. “We’re always listening to music at full blast — and so me and my sister, we were always just dancing.” But while her love for dance grew, Lecksa began experiencing a physical challenge that could’ve derailed her pursuit of dancing. At a young age, she was diagnosed with scoliosis. “I found out I had scoliosis because I started

Serve Daily: May 2025 - Issue 156