Volunteer Connection Service Bulletin: February 4, 2005
A bi-weekly newsletter of local service opportunities (also see the bulletin
archives)
February 4, 2005 ~ Spring #2
This bulletin lists information about one-time and on-going service opportunities, special events, and nonprofit agencies to help you get involved in the community! If you're a SCSU student, staff, or faculty member interested in volunteering but aren't sure which agency might be a good fit, contact the Volunteer Connection staff. Please drop by Atwood 139, call, or email us (contact info and instructions for [un]subscribing are listed at the end of the bulletin.)
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer Connection's Winter Volunteer Fair
Volunteering is a proven way to become engaged in your community. It is an opportunity to gain leadership skills, become educated about social justice issues, have fun, and make a difference! The Volunteer Connection at St. Cloud State University will host a Winter Volunteer Fair on Wednesday, February 9 from 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM in the Atwood Main Lounge. This event is open to the public and is a great way to get involved in service! 30 diverse non-profit organizations will attend the fair and offer a variety of volunteer opportunities.
To learn more, contact Laura Merrill at lcmerrill@stcloudstate.edu or 308-5693.
Alternative Spring Break
Volunteer Connection's Alternative Spring Break trips will take place March 5-13. We have extended the deadline for participant applications until February 11, 2005-apply now! Trips cost between $170-$250, which covers all lodging, food, and transportation. ASB is open to currently enrolled SCSU students. It is a fun and affordable way to visit a new place and participate in diverse service experiences!
Alternative Spring Break has three trip locations: Northern Cheyenne Nation (Lame Deer, MT), New Orleans, and El Paso. These trips offer important opportunities for students to learn about leadership, volunteerism, and social justice throughout the United States and sovereign nations within its borders.
Pick up an application in the Volunteer Connection office or online at http://www.stcloudstate.edu/volunteer. Please contact Maren Greathouse at 320-308-3058 or greatm01@stcloudstate.edu if you have any questions.
Rich Murray Volunteer Service Scholarship
The Rich Murray Volunteer Service Scholarship recognizes a St. Cloud State University student who has demonstrated a commitment of giving through volunteerism while a student at St. Cloud State University. This may be service with an established organization or individual acts of service over a significant period of time.
The scholarship is available to any St. Cloud State University student, undergraduate or graduate. The scholarship will recognize service activities a student has accomplished while enrolled at St. Cloud State University. This $500 scholarship is made possible by a generous gift from Richard E. Murray, former director of SCSU Career Services.
Pick up an application at the Volunteer Connection office, Atwood Memorial Center 139, or online at http://www.stcloudstate.edu/volunteer/scholarships.asp. Completed applications are due to Volunteer Connection by Friday, February 11. If you have questions, please contact Laura Merrill at 308-5693 or lcmerrill@stcloudstate.edu
St. Benedict's Senior Community
St. Benedict's Senior Community is holding a Valentine Couple's Dinner on Tuesday, February 15, 2005, for those residents who have a significant other in their life. This is a special event for residents: quiet dinner, flowers, live music and a photographer. They would like volunteers to help with set up, serving, hospitality and clean-up. This is a more formal event, so they ask volunteers to wear dress shirts/blouse and dress slacks. Start time for set up is 3 PM and clean-up ends at 8 PM.
For more information, contact Jo Ellen Johnson at 252-0010 ext. 580 or johsonjo@centracare.com.
Rockville Festival (Rock-Fest) 2005
The 2005 Rockville Festival, themed "Granite", is coming July 8-10th. It will be three days of exciting fun for all ages!!! They need talented individuals who can help with graphic design, advertising (print & radio), public relations, creating and coordinating events (games, tours, attractions, shows, music, and competitive events)...plus much more!!!
The Festival Committee meets the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM on the 2nd floor of the Rockville City Hall. For more information, contact Kathleen at 685-4031 or 309-0316.
Catholic Charities
The 23rd Annual Catholic Charities' Mardi Gras Benefit for Emergency Services is taking shape and will unfold the evening of Saturday, February 5, at the St. Cloud Civic Center from 5 PM until midnight. This year, they need many more volunteers because of a venue change from the St. Cloud Holiday Inn to the St. Cloud Civic Center. Event set up and dismantling, which usually take place over a three- to four-day period will be consolidated to a single day: Saturday, February 5. They especially need volunteers both the morning of the event as well as midnight closing.
Anyone interested in volunteering may call Jennifer at 650-1641.
RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program)
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), along with Benton and Stearns County Emergency Management, are forming Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). CERT is a program to improve homeland security in local communities. CERT members will receive training in disaster preparedness, fire suppression, medical triage and first aid, search and rescue, team psychology, and terrorism. CERT volunteers must be 18 years of age or better and a resident of either Stearns or Benton County. Volunteers will receive 20 hours of training in exchange for offering services to assist neighbors and community members in the event of a natural or manmade disaster. There will be eight 2½-hour training sessions. The next CERT classes will be offered on Tuesday evenings, February 8-March 29 at the Melrose City Hall. Additionally, CERT is seeking police, fire, emergency medical personnel and emergency managers to assist with CERT volunteer trainings.
If interested, call Erin Hausauer at (320) 650-3116 or Bob Bellamy at (320) 650-3118.
Sauk Rapids-Rice School District
Sauk Rapids-Rice schools' Artist in Residence programs, taking place in February and March, need volunteers. Fifth grade students at Mississippi Heights and Pleasantview Elementary will make African drums with local artist Fred Yiran. They prefer volunteers who can work the full day, from 9 AM - 2 PM, with a lunch break from 12-1. Work one day or many on this exciting project!
For further information, contact Kia Lindholm at (320) 393-3227 or Bobbi Murphy at (320) 258-1733.
St. Cloud Hospital
St. Cloud Hospital needs volunteers to greet and assist guests and support other staff in various departments. They need volunteers who are friendly and personable. Come with a smile and welcome others to the hospital. They also need volunteers at the Divine Café, a coffee shop that provides refreshments for people who have limited time to eat. Volunteers will assist with tray and menu selections and help keep this fast paced environment running. If you enjoy working with people, these are perfect opportunities for you!
For more information, please contact Alison Bossen at (320) 251-2700 ext. 54577.
New Beginnings
New Beginnings is a home that provides expectant mothers and their babies a safe, secure residence while fostering self-esteem, educational growth, and parenting and decision making skills. As a volunteer, New Beginnings will call you at least 24 hours in advance to provide care for an infant while the mother is in class, at appointments, or doing programming. The care will be at New Beginnings and they will provide everything you will need. Volunteers will fill out an application form and agree to a criminal background check. Volunteers must be 18 years or older. New Beginnings also needs someone to donate a small carpet shampooer.
For further information, please contact Jessica Gosser at (320) 255-1252.
Kids Against Hunger
Volunteers are needed February 11-13th, 2005 to help with a packaging marathon being held by the armory. They need volunteers, high school age or older, to work in "Staff" volunteer positions. They are looking for people who would be willing to work doing registration, greeting, being packaging supervisors, serving refreshments, and doing set-up and clean up.
Please contact Janet McConkey at kidsagainsthunger@yahoo.com or (320) 203-1799.
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood is looking for volunteers to fill a few positions at their clinic. They are looking for a medical secretary intern and a clinic nurse volunteer. The Medical Secretary Intern will perform a variety of tasks within the clinic essential to efficient, customer-focused service delivery. The position includes interaction with patients, in-clinic triage, patient education and referral, appointment scheduling, and assisting staff with efficient management of clinic flow process. As a volunteer RN/LPN, your duties will include recording patients' blood pressures and weights, recording information in charts, educating patients about reproductive health and contraceptives, reviewing patient histories and doing other tasks related to patient examinations and interaction. Volunteer Nurses must have a current RN or LPN license and strong communication skills.
To inquire about these volunteer opportunities at Planned Parenthood, please contact Carol at 320-252-9504 or email clarsen@ppmns.org.
St. Benedict's Monastery
St. Benedict's Monastery needs help to prepare the bedrooms for those making retreat and guests of the Spirituality Center. This is an opportunity to absorb the quiet and peace of the Spirituality Center while completing hospitality details necessary for the arrival of the next person making retreat. Specific tasks include preparing beds, replenishing bedroom and bathroom supplies, dusting, and being alert to other needs, doing repairs, etc. They are seeking volunteers that are dependable, have good observational skills, pay attention to details, are physically able to walk stairs, and are able to respect the quiet environment.
To learn more, contact Sister Patrice Reed at (320) 363-7105.
For more information, contact Kelly at (952) 841-0533.
The Service Bulletin is brought to you by Volunteer Connection, located in 139 Atwood Memorial Center on the St. Cloud State University campus.
2004-2005 Volunteer Connection Staff:
Laura Merrill, Interim Coordinator, 308-5693
lcmerrill@stcloudstate.edu
Maren Greathouse, Graduate Assistant, 308-3058
greatm01@stcloudstate.edu
Eveily Freeman, AmeriCorps member, Service-Learning Coordinator,
308-3898
elfreeman@stcloudstate.edu
Additional volunteer information is available from:
- Volunteer Central MN is a service of the United Way of Central Minnesota that instantly links you to volunteer opportunities that match your interest, skills, and schedule, visit www.unitedwayhelps.org.
- Z-Club, a SCSU student organization that promotes service opportunities, has weekly meetings Wednesday’s at 4:00pm in the Lady’s Slipper Room in Atwood. For more information look at their web site www.geocities.com/zclubscsu/home.html or email zclubscsu@hotmail.com.
- Volunteer Connection website has info about special events, non-profit agencies, and archives of all past Service Bulletins: www.stcloudstate.edu/volunteer.
Bulletin Information
Please note that recipients of this newsletter may not post messages to the entire group. If you have comments or an item you'd like included in future newsletters, please email the information to the moderator at volunteer@stcloudstate.edu.
Feel free to forward this newsletter to others at St. Cloud State University and encourage them to sign up to receive the newsletter directly.
Anyone can SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE online by following the instructions on the Volunteer Connection website at http://www.stcloudstate.edu/volunteer/bulletins/archives.asp.
