Soda helps open the Giving Machine in SE Idaho

Light the World is an international campaign of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

On Saturday, the ICCU Campus in Chubbuck officially welcomed the Light the World Giving Machine to town.  The “Machine” is really a concept, which is why the individual units are not referred to as “giving machines” plural, according to volunteer Kris Mullen.  

“All the money that is collected here will go straight to the charity you choose,” she explained.  “No transaction fees—the church is covering that.”  The church and many volunteers, are also covering the overhead involved in transportation, staffing, and other costs so that the donations are unencumbered.  

That spirit of giving was widespread on the Giving Machine’s opening day, with volunteers everywhere you looked, ready to help.  For a number of music students, the event was a way to give back with music.  

“Music is about coming together and giving to the world and so this is a perfect opportunity for us to come together as a team and help make someone else’s life more enjoyable,” Soda Springs Performing Arts director Kimberly Mumford said.  The SSPA was one of the acts that performed for the crowd on the machine’s very first day—just over an hour after the official opening.    

Hope Hansen, mother of Jude (drums) and Noah (trumpet)  said, “It was so good!  They did a great job, brought the Christmas spirit, and they were so excited to go check out the Giving Machine and give back!”  

In many locations, the space is rented for the event; however, the ICCU campus donated the location for the Giving Machine, and added its own special extras to it.  “If you come at night, it’s so beautiful!” volunteer Mullen added.

This year, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has expanded the Giving Machine to 126 cities in 21 countries, and hopes to continue to expand in the future.  

Matthew S. Holland, General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Church Communication Department said in this week’s “Church News” that “Like the wise men of old made significant sacrifices to bring and offer gifts to the Savior, Jesus Christ, we are grateful for people all around the world who sacrifice and offer donations to bring joy and light to others…When we focus our Christmas activities on Him and give gifts of love and service as He did, we fill the world with more light.  As we share abundantly with others, we experience an abundance of light and joy in our hearts and homes.  This is the true Christmas experience.”

The Giving Machine essentially makes providing help and resources for those in need an active and engaged process.  The sights, sounds, and human involvement with the process make it all more “real” than donating to a phone app while partly paying attention to something else!

If the process seems like it may be confusing, once you enter the campus the whole concept makes a lot more sense.  Essentially, you choose a specific project to donate toward, benefiting a number of local organizations.  For Southeast Idaho, those organizations include: Aid For Friends, the United Way, Bright Tomorrows, Bannock House, SEICAA, CARE, and Right to Play.  There is information about what each organization’s specific needs and projects are, and a chance to have a picture taken with an oversized card explaining the project.  Donations of course can be made on behalf of others, which is one of the extra dimensions to the perpetuation of the Giving Machine. 

And really, no matter how confused one got, the very helpful army of volunteers would gladly answer any questions that came up.

The landing page for the SE Idaho Giving Machine, where information about how it works, is https://givingmachineeastidaho.org.  In addition to an overall explanation, the site provides a schedule of upcoming performances at the outdoor venue from now until the 30th when the Machine will be packed up for the year.  

The Giving Machine will be in Chubbuck/Pocatello for 15 days before it moves onto Rexburg.  It will also be in Ogden and Logan as part of this year’s Giving Machine event.

During each of the fifteen days it is in place, there is a full schedule of performers from around the area.  There is literally so much regional involvement that the chances of not knowing at least some of the scheduled performers are remote.  The acts primarily involved singing and instrumental music, but juggling and other acts are listed on the event pages as well.

Some other acts of interest, Carrie Yost will be performing on November 22 at 2:20 to 3:20 p.m., and on Monday, November 24 from 12:20 to 12:40 p.m. Cory and Jill Webster—cowboy poets and musicians from Downey—will be performing. Check the website for a daily list of performers.