Volunteer Connection Service Bulletin: April 29, 2005
A bi-weekly newsletter of local service opportunities (also see the bulletin
archives)
April 29, 2005 ~ #8
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.)
The next Service Bulletin, published on April 29, will be the final bulletin of the 2004-2005 school year!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Take Back the Night
Take Back the Night is an annual rally held to protest violence against women. This year's celebration is Friday, April 29th from 7-10 in Barden Park. This is always a powerful event featuring music, speeches, the clothesline project and a march through downtown. The Women's Center is in need of volunteers to act as peacekeepers (women only), to intervene in any situations that may come up. There is a brief training provided the day of the event.
If you are interested, please contact Dani Linder at the SCSU Women's Center, 308-2231.
Don't Ditch, Donate!
The Newman Center, in collaboration with Volunteer Connection and Residence Life, will sponsor Don't Ditch, Donate! May 5-14th. All donations will go to St. Mary's Mission on the Red Lake Reservation. Drop off locations are located in the residence halls, Atwood Memorial Center and the Newman Center. All large items need to be dropped at the Newman Center, so please contact Brenda at 251-3260 to make arrangements. Acceptable donations include the following items:
- any food you'd find in a food shelf
- dry food, canned food, soups
- food that's opened but still usable- juices, soft drinks, pop corn, sugar, flour
- baby clothes and any other baby supplies
- furniture, phones, lamps, pots & pans, kitchen utensils, dishes, silverware, cups
- towels, washcloths
- wall hangings, plastic flowers, etc.
No used adult clothing please (only need baby items, shorts, swimming apparel and t-shirts).
Volunteer Connection urges you do participate. Do that spring cleaning and donate your items to a community in need! If you have any questions, please contact Maren Greathouse at 308-3058.
Youth Soccer
Are you interested in helping coach a youth soccer team this summer (May-July 2005) in the St. Cloud area? Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota is starting a soccer league and kids are extremely excited to get started. BBBS needs coaches to make this happen. There will be games Tuesdays from 4-5pm and practices Thursday from 4-5pm. Coaches don't have to know how to play soccer to coach; they'll have some coaches to teach others how the game is run. If you already know and love soccer, even better!
If you're interested or would like more information please contact Jody or Crystal at Big Brothers Big Sisters: 320-253-1616.
Good Will/Easter Seals
Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota needs your help! They are looking for volunteers to assist them in conducting customer surveys in their St. Cloud Goodwill Store over the last two weeks of April. This is the perfect opportunity for a student needing service-learning hours or a business student wanting some practical marketing research experience.
Two-hour shifts are available at all locations at all times of the day. Morning, afternoon, evening and weekend opportunities are available and full instructions will be provided. Information collected will be analyzed and used to improve their customer service. Revenue from Goodwill Stores support their employment and training programs for individuals with disabilities and other vocational barriers.
Just a few hours of your service would be greatly appreciated! For more information or to schedule a shift please contact Deanna at 651-379-5940.
New Beginnings
New Beginnings is a home for expectant mothers and their babies where they are provided a safe secure residence while developing self-esteem, educational growth, and parenting and decision making skills. As a volunteer, you will be called 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 everything will be provided. The volunteer will fill out an application form and a criminal background check will be done. Volunteers must be females 18 years or older.
For further information, contact Jessica Gosser at (320) 255-1252
Sartell Garden Club
The purpose of the Sartell Volunteer Garden Club is to bring people together that share a mission of beautifying the community through gardening. Volunteers either in groups or individually can adopt small gardens throughout the city to maintain. At the end of May, volunteers will plant annual flowers and maintain the gardens during the summer. No training is required and experienced gardeners are available to help. The gift you give through gardening reaches the hearts of many.
To learn more, contact Karen Browning at (320) 259-5599.
Elder Network
Elder Network, a program of Senior Helping Hands, is looking for peer volunteer counselors to give emotional support to seniors. Volunteers provide emotional support in the form of active listening and goal setting by meeting with a client weekly. Volunteers must complete a 42-hour training course that begins in September 2005. Volunteers should be older adults and will be reimbursed for mileage.
For more information, contact Nancy Fandel at (320) 229-3760 ext. 23783.
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities owns and maintains a house that serves as a retreat and training center for employees and clients of various programs. This May, Catholic Charities will spend a week working on various projects to maintain the house. These will include pressure washing and staining the siding, refinishing the deck, and painting the trim around the windows. Volunteers are needed to assist with these projects. The projects will be completed during one week Monday through Friday in May. Volunteers are needed for several hours at a time. This would be a great all-day project for a small group.
To find out more, contact Diane Swenson at (320) 650-1559.
MN AIDS Walk
The Minnesota AIDS Walk is the oldest and largest HIV fund-raising event in the state. Over 500 volunteers come together to help make the Minnesota AIDS Walk happen. The event will be Sunday, May 15. At the walk, volunteers are needed in Minnehaha Park to help set up tents, welcome walkers, decorate and answer questions. Volunteers are needed along the route to cheer walkers and keep them safe. Registration volunteers are needed to collect and process pledges. All volunteers must attend a brief training in Minneapolis prior to the day of the walk. Minnesota AIDS Walk volunteers must be at least 16 years old. Youth between the ages of 12 and 16 may volunteer with adult supervision. More information can be found at www.minnesotaaidswalk.org.
For more information, contact Jessica Franken at (612) 373-9160 or email walkvolunteers@mnaidsproject.org.
Mother of Mercy Campus
Mother of Mercy Campus of Care in Albany is a community of concerned professionals working together to provide the best quality of life for residents. They are in need of a volunteer to play the organ at Sunday mass from 9:30 - 10:00 AM. If you enjoy playing the organ, this is the volunteer opportunity for you.
For more information, contact Doris Vos at (320) 845-2195 ext. 19.
St. Cloud Hospital
The St. Cloud Hospital needs volunteers to fill a number of positions:
- Specialty Clinic at CentraCare Health Plaza
They are looking for volunteers to assist in the Child and Adolescent Specialty Clinic. The position involves using items from an 'art/activity cart' to play with children who are waiting for siblings or physicians. - Information
Desk at St. Cloud Hospital
Do you know your way around the hospital? Help patients, family members and visitors find their way to their destination(s). Customer Service and computer skills are preferred. - DeVine Café
Are you friendly and like to organize? They have an opportunity for you! Volunteers are needed to assist the DeVine Café staff with stocking and other various tasks. Assisting the many customers who utilize the Café is vital because they have a limited time to eat. An outgoing personality and strong desire to help are essential. - Tour Guides
Gain professional experience with public speaking. They need your assistance giving tours to new employees and volunteers and help make the new employees/students/volunteers feel welcomed at the St. Cloud Hospital. Tours are generally given on Mondays. - Temporary Position
They are looking for a Patient Library Volunteer for the summer. Check in and deliver reading materials to patients and other areas throughout the St. Cloud Hospital. If you love to read and/or want some more physical activity in your life, this position is for you!
In addition to the above departments, the hospital has a variety of other volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in any of these opportunities, please contact Alison Bossen at the St. Cloud Hospital Volunteer Office: 251-2700 ext. 54577 or email bossena@centracare.com.
Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts, Land of Lakes Council strives to serve all girls to help them develop into caring, competent, and confident women. They are looking for young women in grades 9-12 to help with their Teen Outreach Program. Volunteers would lead dynamic, age-appropriate activities to make learning fun and exciting for younger children. A Teen Outreach member is required to attend a fun training and monthly group meetings to get additional training and have fun!
To find out more, contact Amy Mosack at (320) 252-2952 ext 239.
Independent Lifestyles
Independent Lifestyles mission is to promote independence and choices for people with disabilities. They are looking for volunteers to help with office work, such as answering phones, filing paperwork and working on special projects. They are also in need of volunteers to be an assistant for people with disabilities. Volunteers would spend time socializing and becoming friends with a client.
For further information, contact Lydia White at (320) 529-9000.
St. Cloud City Parks
The St. Cloud City Parks Department is looking for volunteers to help at the Munsinger/Clemens Gardens with a variety of tasks. Volunteers are needed to rake out the garden beds this spring in preparation for planting. Volunteers can also sprinkle fertilizer around the rose gardens and work it in with a shorthand rake. During the summer, volunteers are needed to help with weeding, deadheading, and watering the gardens. Help is needed seven days a week to fit most people's schedules. Volunteers need to come from 7 AM - 3:30 PM for training and then can come anytime evenings or weekends.
For more information, please contact Julie Dierkhising at (320) 529-6555.
Bridging, Inc.
Bridging Inc, formally Share-A-Chair, now serves 13 counties surrounding the St. Cloud Area. This volunteer driven organization will extend community resources by distributing free beds, furniture, and household goods to people in transition. Volunteers are needed to provide client and administrative support, perform warehouse duties, assist shoppers and sort products. Bridging Inc. also needs furniture donations. Help others get furniture into their homes by either volunteering or making a donation.
To get involved or make a donation, contact Diana Dalsin at (952) 888-0746 or email diana@bridging.org.
Good Shepard Community
The Good Shepherd Community provides a ministry of health care and housing services for young and older adults in Central Minnesota. They are sponsoring their 2nd Annual Join Hands volunteer events on May 7th and 21st. Volunteers will help with decorating and stuffing new resident/tenant kits on May 7 and will help plant the campus grounds with flowers on May 21. If you are looking to get involved or are searching for project ideas, this is the place!
To find out more, contact Beth at (320) 252-6525 ext. 2124 or e-mail bethchapin@ecumen.org.
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.
