Saturday I hosted the Hebrew National “Picnic with a Purpose” for Atlanta, truly a perfect and memorable afternoon celebrated with family and friends, both old and new. All of the Picnics with a Purpose incorporate good food, games, a craft, and a service project.

Our menu featured Hebrew National hot dogs, chips, baked beans, fresh fruit, and brownie sundaes for dessert. For games, we had a big inflatable castle; sidewalk chalk; bubbles; mini-trampolines; tug-o-war; soccer balls (there was a big soccer field and goals at our park) and hula hoops. We also had face painting.

Our service project centered around Abba House, a local organization that provides a safe place and a fresh start for addicted, abused or otherwise broken women and their children. Picnic attendees donated computer paper, napkins, paper plates, tin foil, and gift cards to Abba House, and our children painted a 30″ x 40″ canvas as a gift to the children there. Several of the women and children were able to attend the picnic.

The goal of a service project is to bless the recipient, but I truly think we were as blessed by the presence of our Abba House guests as they were by our gifts.

Since our picnic was held the day before Mother’s Day, the children made gifts for their moms. We had flats of zinnias, peat pots, and potting soil so that each child could give their mom a flower to plant at home.

Other bloggers in attendance were Jennafer from Land of Lovings, Stacie from The Divine Miss Mommy, and Mishelle from Secret Agent Mama. Cooper Munroe from The MotherHood was there with us, too!

Our family embraced the “Picnic with a Purpose” theme, and actually did the same thing the next afternoon at our house! We set up the inflatable castle in the front yard and served hot dogs and ice cream sundaes to our neighbors. An act of service can be large or small. I think hanging out for some adult conversation while the kids played; grilled dogs and ice cream; and not having to make supper were a blessing to our neighbors. My 12- and 9-year-old girls love to play hostess, and they handed out flowers and Hebrew National grill sets that remained from our picnic Saturday.

The following images were taken by me, Secret Agent Mama, and Cooper from The MotherHood. See the Flickr sets here: Secret Agent Mama’s, mine, Hebrew National set (mine and Cooper’s all lumped in together). View The MotherHood’s Picnic with a Purpose circle here.