Last month, we just had our activity where we made 72-hour (food) kits AND had a SWAP meet going on at the same time. We had tables on the outer part of the gym with different sections like women's clothing, men's clothing, baby items, little boy's clothing, kitchen, home goods, miscellaneous, ect. You brought your stuff you were wanting to get rid of, and placed it at the corresponding table. You were then able to walk around and snag anything anyone else brought that caught your eye! Whatever was left over at the end of the night, if the original owners did not want to bring it back home, was picked up the next day to be taken to a thrift store.
For the 72-hour kits, we had the women order in advance how many kits (if any) they wanted, and we had them pay us in advance as well. Our kits came to approximately $12.50 per kit, and they were completely filled with good food, gum, water flavoring packets, sanitizer, and cutlery. I personally think it was a great deal after doing it on my own and our kits were not nearly as full and yummy. A fabulous sister came up with our kit list and then went out and bought everything in bulk. *I can get a copy of her kit menu and put it up on here.* We had an assembly line where they grabbed a mylar bag and a kit list, then grabbed the assigned number (written on a post-it next to the item) of each thing and placed it in the bag. As soon as they were done filling, they went over to get the bag sealed. We are planning on doing the 72-hour kit activity twice a year, around General Conference time (scrumptious conference snack for the kiddos! : ). That way we are able to keep the food in the kits constantly fresh. **Water was not provided for the kits, so you would need to provide your own water per person. Some people have large purified water jugs that they plan to use for their kits, but it also is convenient to have individual water bottles for each 72-hour kit backpack.
Going along with the SWAP meet/garage sale kind of feel, we had a faux "bake sale/lemonade stand" for refreshments. It was fun to get that ready! I had just a few sisters bring something, so we ended up with cookies, ice cream cake (not pictured), and rice crispy treats. I made cupcakes, cookies, and then picked up two boxes of pastries from our local store to slice up into bite-size pieces. I bought Countrytime lemonade mix, got some bagged ice, and sliced fresh lemons for the lemonade. Easy peasy.
Some early pictures of the "bake sale" before we got all of the other yummies.
The beginning of the assembly line looking down...
Our awesome bag sealers!! : )
It was a fun and very productive activity! I was definitely thankful for all of the help that was given in preparing for it! I know I feel more prepared and at ease having these ready for short-term emergencies. I placed each of the 5 kits I made (one for each member of my family) in a backpack and I have them stored in a hallway closet at my house. I am still in the process of purchasing water bottles and then gathering all of the extra goodies that belong in a 72-hour kit (spare clothes, first aid, flash lights, ect.). Slowly but surely I'll get there! We might have to wear dirty clothes, light a fire by rubbing my unshaven legs together, and use tree sap and grass for bandages, but at least we got food ya'll!!!!
**But seriously, being prepared brings peace! Especially when you have a family to think about.
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