Kent Community Time Bank Lands Its First Organization

The Kent Community Time Bank has landed its first major community organization as a member: the of Kent.

Abby Greer, time bank program director and co-coordinator, welcomed the 200-member congregation by donating 100 of her own hard-earned time dollars to the church. She is hopeful other Kent religious and service organizations follow suit.

“My hope is that the UU church – which is known as a very community-oriented group of people – is just the first of many to join,” said Greer. “After all, congregations in general lead time-banking lives. Church members always help each other out, so this is a natural fit.”

One church member is already stirring up publicity for the time bank. Well-known musician Hal Walker is offering a community benefit concert from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the church, located at 228 Gougler Ave. Suggested donation is $5, with all proceeds to help defray the time bank’s operational costs.

“I like to team up with active organizations in our community to create a musical event. Every once in a while, the timing seems just right to do a benefit concert. I have great respect for the work that the KCTB is doing, so I chose them to receive the proceeds,” said Walker, who is the church’s music director.

Walker will be playing original music on unique instruments from around the world, along with performing songs he’s written during the past 20 years. Greer is looking forward to concertgoers hearing one song in particular, which will be performed with Maurice Drake.

“Right about the time we were founding the time bank, Hal wrote a song called Widening Your Circles. If you listen to the words, it’s as if it was written about time banking. I always joke it’s the time bank’s theme song,” said Greer.

. Since then, Greer has added 48 new members to the organization’s roster – with many more interested citizens who have yet to complete their paperwork.

Greer said there are many benefits to organizations joining the time bank. In the case of the Unitarian Universalist church, “being a member can save money. If they need snow plowing, gardening, computer help, they don’t have to spend their church dollars getting those services. They can spend time dollars instead,” she explained.

The benefit for individual time bank members is that the church “can offer things to us that we might not normally have. For example, they’ve got a kitchen and a great space for gathering. You can now pay them time dollars to use their space,” said Greer.

“Or say you wanted to hold a car wash fundraiser. The church could send a group of UU members to help out. And you can get married there for time dollars,” she added with a laugh.

Greer said those interested in learning more about the time bank should attend Saturday’s concert, where they can meet organization members and see a skit about time banking. There will be free refreshments made by time bankers and, as an added bonus, attendees will each earn one time dollar.

Other opportunities to learn more include communitywide informational meetings set for 7:30 p.m. March 31 and April 20 at the Unitarian Universalist Church, and the time bank’s next monthly potluck dinner, to be held at 6:30 p.m. April 1 at the .