Enrichment Activity Ideas
by Bobbie Poppleton
 

Our ward has evolved to this:

We (Relief Society Presidency/Enrichment leader) find someone in the ward with a skill and ask that person if they will head up a group. Once they agree, we announce the group and send sign-ups around to find who is interested. Once that has gone around the ward for a few weeks (also emailed announcements sent), then we turn the names over to the group leader and she arranges the time & place and then contacts those who signed up to let them know and give a list of supplies if required. The group leader pretty much takes over and the group decides how often and for how long they want to meet. So far, this has worked the best of all of the things that we have tried.

We have a scrap booking group ongoing, have had a knitting group of beginners that lasted for a couple of months and then when everyone had the basic skills down it just kind of disbanded. Today I attended a pie making group---this was broken up into a morning group and an afternoon group and will probably last about 3 sessions until the leader feels that we all have a good feel for making a great crust. We have a bargain shopping group, that is mostly sharing ideas via an email exchange right now---but a couple of classes are planned. We are just now organizing a Yoga group, have a monthly Mommy and Me group, A "Grandma's Lunch Bunch" (monthly) A singing group-weekly, An empty nester's FHE group--once a month, a book club-once a month.

We also have a monthly Senior Enrichment meeting for the sisters who have a hard time getting out for evening enrichment. One younger sister, mid-50's and former Relief Society President, organizes it.  The Relief Society Presidency goes around and picks up all the sisters who have a hard time driving.

We also have a "birthday lunch" about every other month to honor all sisters who have had a birthday in the designated months, but all sisters are welcome to come.

Once the group gets going, it pretty much is self-sufficient. As you can see, some last just a few weeks--others ongoing for years--started even before it became the official Relief Society program. So far, we haven't had many complaints, and all new comers are welcome.