Sharing Warmth and Tradition: Volunteers Celebrated Chuseok Across Incheon, Daejeon, and Seoul

Shincheonji Volunteer Group Celebrated the Korean Thanksgiving Season with Public Traditional Games, 13-Year Fruit Donation Drives, and Intergenerational Songpyeon Making

💬 "Making Songpyeon after all these years brought back sweet memories of my parents and childhood Chuseok holidays."

— Lee Hae-yeon (91, pseudonym), Senior Resident in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul

With Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) approaching, the Shincheonji Volunteer Group launched vibrant holiday outreach campaigns across South Korea.

From park cleanup drives featuring traditional folk games in Incheon to 13-year fruit sharing traditions in Daejeon and heartwarming rice-cake making in Seoul, volunteers brought holiday cheer, nostalgia, and companionship to local communities and elderly residents.

Incheon Yeonsu Branch: Traditional Games Meet Green Park Cleanups

On September 13, volunteers from the Yeonsu Branch gathered at Cheongryong Park in Okryeon-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, combining environmental cleanup with festive cultural engagement:

• "Make Nature Green" Cleanup: Volunteers swept and collected litter along Cheongryong Park and surrounding residential streets, leaving the neighborhood spotless for holiday visitors.

• Folk Game Experience: Public boards were set up detailing the origins and rules of traditional Korean games. Citizens placed voting stickers on games they played during childhood and joined hands-on rounds of Yutnori and Gonggi.

• Intergenerational Bonding: Couples and families paused their walks to reminisce about past holiday memories, celebrating how clean and lively the park had become.

Daejeon Church: A 13-Year Tradition of Fresh Fruit Donations

On September 15, the Shincheonji Daejeon Church (Matthias Tribe) hosted a Chuseok delivery ceremony alongside Chun Young-doo, President of the Yongmun-dong branch of the Senior Citizens Association (West District, Daejeon):

• 22 Senior Centers Reached: Following the ceremony, volunteers personally visited 22 senior welfare centers across the West District of Daejeon, delivering boxes of fresh Chuseok pears and checking on the health of elderly residents.

• 13th Annual Holiday Outreach: This annual fruit donation drive began in 2014, marking its 13th consecutive year of practicing neighborly love during major holidays.

• Community Appreciation: President Chun Young-doo expressed heartfelt gratitude, noting: "Holding our hands every year warms our hearts and ensures our senior members enjoy a bountiful holiday."

Seoul Dongdaemun Branch: Making Songpyeon and Preserving Memories

On September 10, volunteers from the Dongdaemun Branch visited the senior center at Anamgol Byeoksan Apartments in Jegi-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, for a special culinary activity:

• Handmade Songpyeon: Volunteers prepared fresh dough, fillings, trays, and plates. Seniors and young volunteers sat together in a circle to shape traditional half-moon rice cakes (Songpyeon).

• Emotional Reflection: For 91-year-old resident Lee Hae-yeon, shaping rice cakes reawakened cherished memories of her late parents, while 87-year-old Song Mi-ja praised volunteers for bringing authentic holiday atmosphere into their daily lives.

• Dementia Prevention & Emotional Support: Building on this activity, the Dongdaemun Branch plans to continue offering cognitive physical exercises and emotional vitality programs tailored for senior centers.

📋 Chuseok Holiday Outreach Summary

Branch / Location	Core Outreach Activity	Tangible Impact & Facts
Yeonsu Branch (Incheon)	Cheongryong Park cleanup + Yutnori & Gonggi game booths.	Restored park cleanliness & offered interactive holiday cultural experiences for residents.
Daejeon Church (Daejeon)	Delivered Chuseok pears to 22 senior centers in West District.	Celebrated 13th consecutive year (since 2014) of senior fruit sharing.
Dongdaemun Branch (Seoul)	Intergenerational Songpyeon making at Anamgol Byeoksan Senior Center.	Engaged 90+ year-old residents, combining emotional care with cognitive stimulation.

Bringing Light to Every Neighborhood

Whether through clean park pathways, fresh seasonal fruit, or warm rice cakes made side by side, these joint initiatives highlight a shared goal: ensuring no neighbor feels lonely during South Korea’s most treasured holiday.

As Moon Yong-wook, Vice Manager of the Yeonsu Branch, summarized:

"We designed our campaign so citizens could enjoy traditional culture while caring for their local environment before Chuseok. We will continue organizing tailored, participatory outreach programs that bring real warmth to our neighborhoods."

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