Written by Mimi McKinnis
“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 2:3-5
Turning Pointe’s mission is two-fold. Not only do we strive to fully develop our student’s talents, we encourage them to use their gifts to bless others in the community and beyond. Over the years, Turning Pointe students, families, performance and training divisions have performed in dozens of community events, for senior citizens, residents of rehabilitation and medical facilities around the city, and for low-income students and struggling members of the Colorado Springs community. In addition to dance, we’ve also come together as a studio to volunteer, raise money for charitable causes through Compassion International, Pulpit Rock Church’s Love Your Neighbor Team, and All Things Possible Ministries, and collect donations for local organizations like Springs Rescue Mission, Care and Share Food Bank and Twain Elementary.
And then came COVID-19.
Last February, students of Turning Pointe’s Training Division performed for families at the Ronald McDonald House of Southern Colorado’s Valentine’s Day party — as the House Manager recently described it, “our last real big hurrah.” Similarly, Turning Pointe’s outreach efforts began to encounter challenges, beginning with the cancellation of March’s Saint Patrick’s Day outreach performance. As the pandemic began to grow, options for service throughout the city began to shrink. Events were cancelled, dance classes moved online, and the lobby remained closed, making donation drop-offs a thing of the past — which was just as well, since organizations were just beginning to navigate how to safely accept items that can’t be sanitized from outside groups.
But as with all things over the last year, we just had to get creative. Afterall, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have the works?” (James 2:14)
This year, members of Turning Pointe’s Training Division will once again worship with the families currently residing at the Ronald McDonald House for Valentine’s Day, this time digitally, through taped performances and recorded words of encouragement played on TVs as children cycle through at mealtimes. And for Saint Patrick’s Day? Students from Turning Pointe’s Irish 4/5 class will perform for the Gleneagle Sertoma Club over Zoom.
Beginning last April, Turning Pointe took its first steps in contact-free outreach, encouraging students to write letters and draw pictures to be attached to the 125 deliveries made to isolated seniors by Meals on Wheels each week. Students of Fidele Youth Dance Company followed suit during its 2020 season, delivering a digital production and writing letters of encouragement that were delivered to the Healthcare Resort of Colorado Springs.
When in-person classes resumed, Turning Pointe collected more than 160 lbs of food for Care and Share Food Bank, and the Training Division took their winter outreach to the screen, delivering recorded Christmas wishes and performances to local nursing homes via flash drive.
While times are certainly changing, our commitment to keeping a servant’s heart beating within the studio is unchanged. Read your Weekly Wednesday emails for upcoming service opportunities, and feel free to pass along any ideas of your own. Like 1 John 4:9 says:
“Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us.”