WellCommons

Day of Caring 2012 by rogerhillvolunteercenter

As part of National Volunteer Week, The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center will once again host Day of Caring on Saturday, April 21st. Day of Caring is an annual event that brings together hundreds of volunteers to spend time serving dozens of community organizations and local schools in Douglas County.

We have over 20 projects available, with more than 330 volunteer spots to fill. Volunteers can register for projects now at our website, www.volunteerdouglascounty.org, or by contacting our office directly.

Start gathering your family, friends, coworkers, congregants or anyone else you like and come out to volunteer for the 2012 Day of Caring! A Kickoff Breakfast will be held at a Lawrence landmark this year, The Castle Tea Room, from 8:30-9:30am. If you sign up to volunteer for a project, plan to drop by beforehand for some light breakfast fare, a t-shirt, and even a tour of The Castle (weather permitting).

Some examples of projects include:

-Trail maintenance at the Wakarusa Wetlands and Haskell Medicine Wheel.

-Spring cleaning at various agencies, including Family Promise, Community Living Opportunities, Safe Kids Douglas County, and more.

-Painting projects at The Willow Domestic Violence Center’s administrative offices and The Villages, Inc. group homes.

-Shelving books at the Lawrence Public Library.

-Grounds cleanup and garden work at local elementary schools like Pinckney, Broken Arrow, Deerfield, New York, and Prairie Park.

…and so much more!

We look forward to seeing you on April 21st!

Please contact Shannon Reid, Volunteer Coordinator, at The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center with any questions: volunteer@rhvc.org or 785-865-5030.

Make a Difference Day by rogerhillvolunteercenter

The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center will be participating USA WEEKEND’S Make a Difference Day national day of service by coordinating volunteer projects throughout Lawrence and Douglas County on Saturday, October 22nd. Several agencies and local schools will be hosting groups of volunteers – up to 270 volunteers are needed – in outdoor clean-ups, recycling at the KU vs. K-State football game, wetlands restoration, and so much more.

USA WEEKEND's Make a Difference Day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of October. Created by the magazine in 1992, it soon grew into the largest community service effort in the nation, rallying corporations, government leaders, charitable organizations and everyday Americans into action on one day. Each year, 3 million people participate worldwide, helping millions more.

Volunteers are invited to sign up as individuals, families, or groups. In the past, area businesses have joined the effort as a way of building teamwork, and promoting community involvement within the workplace. Other participants have included KU clubs, civic organizations, and church groups. It's a perfect way to spend a few hours on an autumn Saturday.

Volunteers can check out the details for over 15 projects and self-register for their project of choice by visiting www.volunteerdouglascounty.org.

“Our online registration service makes it fast and easy for volunteers to pick the projects that interest them most, then register themselves or their group immediately,” said Lori Johns, Director of The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center. “The system will also send them a confirmation and reminder.”

Volunteers may also register for projects by contacting The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center at volunteer@rhvc.org or 785-865-5030.

Some examples of projects include:

• Winterizing the Operation WildLife water garden.

• Outdoor clean-ups at local elementary schools, including Quail Run, Schwegler, and Woodlawn.

• Working on a sensory trail for Midnight Farm’s therapeutic horseback riding program.

• Tree/brush trimming, raking out flower beds, and more for The Villages, Inc.

• Collecting cans at the KU vs. K-State football game for Cans for the Community, who will donate the money earned from recycling the aluminum to a local non-profit agency.

…and so much more!

2010 Participants at the ECM Garden by rogerhillvolunteercenter

The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center is hosting a “Summer of Service” for Douglas County youth, ages 11-18, as part of the Center’s Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) program. Projects are Monday-Thursday, 9am-2pm. Youth may sign up for one or two projects, or join us for the whole summer!

This is the second year for the program. In 2010, 25 youth participated, and of those, 10 youth completed 100 hours of service and earned a $500 college scholarship. Due to recent federal budget cuts, the scholarship program will not be available this year; however, the program will still be offered. We encourage youth to take advantage of the opportunity to serve at the organizations that do so much for our community. The feedback from youth, parents, and agencies last year was overwhelmingly positive. As one youth said in their final evaluation last summer, “I’ve never felt better about how I spent a summer. Thank you!”

Below is a description of the projects that we have planned. There is no fee to participate. Applications are available by calling, emailing, or visiting the Volunteer Center office - please find contact information at the end of the project descriptions.

Week 1 (June 6th – 9th)

Lawrence Hidden Valley Camp: Get campsites and trails ready for The Lawrence Hidden Valley’s Girl Scout camp! Hidden Valley is a wilderness camp in the middle of Lawrence that has shelters, trails, cabins and plenty of flora and fauna.

Week 2 (June 13th -16th)

Prairie Park Nature Center: Help beautify the enclosures for the owls, hawks, falcons and eagles! We will also help with other projects as needed around the Center. Prairie Park Nature Center is an 80-acre nature reserve in Lawrence that features a lake, trails, and wildlife and houses various ecosystems, including wetlands, prairie and woodlands.

GaDuGi SafeCenter: GaDuGi needs your help to create media outreach for awareness about sexual violence in our community! GaDuGi SafeCenter provides comprehensive services for those affected by sexual violence in Douglas and Jefferson Counties. Ages 14 and up only for this project please.

Week 3 (June 20th – 23rd)

School Gardens Week: Help at four local elementary schools grow food, nourish flowers and other foliage and keep weeds at bay in their gardens. Spend one day each at Deerfield, Pinckney, Sunflower and Kennedy Elementary Schools.

Senior Focus Week: Young and old work together on various activities, such as creating living histories, helping out with yard work, and more. Spend one day each at Brandon Woods, Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging, Project LIVELY and Meals on Wheels.

Week 4 (June 27th – 30th)

Douglas County Child Development Association (DCCDA): Support the local food movement! Assist with a garden at a local childcare center all week. DCCDA is working to make locally grown foods more available to young children and their families.

Hunger Focus Week: Try out your cooking and serving skills! We will help prepare and serve food to those who need it throughout Douglas County. Spend one day each at Salvation Army, Ballard Community Services, Just Food, and LINK.

Week 5 (July 11th – July 14th )

Eco Week: Have you been to all of Douglas County’s ecosystems? Visit them, learn about them and help clean and preserve them! We will spend one day each at the Wakarusa Wetlands, the Baker Wetlands, the Kansas River and Clinton Lake.

Operation WildLife (OWL) : Work with injured animals, from birds and bobcats to minks and muskrats! We will be helping with animal rehabilitation and other projects as needed. Operation WildLife provides rehabilitation and veterinary services to injured and orphaned wild animals. Must be 14 or older for this project.

Week 6 (July 18th – July 21st)

Midnight Farm (Community Living Opportunities): We will help create a sensory trail for Midnight Farm’s therapeutic horseback riding program. CLO operates Midnight Farm, where children and adults with developmental disabilities can explore and enjoy nature.

Boys and Girls Club: Do you like hanging out with kids? At Boys and Girls Club we will help with various activities for younger children throughout the week. Boys and Girls Club provides after-school and summer programming for youth throughout Lawrence.

Make Your Summer Matter!

Contact us to sign up: Youth Volunteer Corps; (785) 865-5030; youth@rhvc.org. And find us on Facebook: Youth Volunteer Corps of Lawrence, KS

182 Volunteers Still Needed for Day of Caring by rogerhillvolunteercenter

The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center is putting out a call for more volunteers to sign up for Day of Caring. There are over twenty projects at various agencies that need volunteer help on Saturday, April 16. To date, 182 of volunteers are still needed to fill all of the agency requests.

Groups from local businesses, civic and student organizations, and churches have already come together and registered for projects such as gardening, painting, and spring cleaning, but many projects remain unfilled. Up to 20 volunteers have been requested to help spruce up Kennedy Elementary School, a group of 5-10 people can help plant trees at the Baker Wetlands, master gardeners are needed to help The Willow Domestic Violence Center and Community Connections Center get their gardens going, and so much more.

Volunteers may read detailed project descriptions, including any age restrictions, by going to www.volunteerdouglascounty.org and can register for a project directly through the website or by contacting the United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center at (785) 865-5030 or volunteer@rhvc.org.

“People in Douglas County have such big hearts and are very generous with their time, so I am sure they will rise up to fill every one of these open projects,” said Shannon Reid, AmeriCorps Member for The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center. “When we all work together, even if just for a few hours on a Saturday morning, we can accomplish so much for the agencies that make our community a better place to live.”

The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center will host a Kickoff Breakfast from 9-9:30am at Lawrence High School for registered Day of Caring volunteers.

Volunteers Needed for Day of Caring, April 16th by rogerhillvolunteercenter

As part of National Volunteer Week, The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center will once again host a communitywide day of service, Day of Caring, on Saturday, April 16th. Day of Caring is an annual event that brings together hundreds of volunteers to spend time serving on behalf of dozens of community organizations in Douglas County.

We have over 30 projects available, and volunteers can register for projects now at our website, www.volunteerdouglascounty.org, or by contacting our office. So get together with your family, friends, and coworkers and come out to volunteer for the 2011 Day of Caring! A Kickoff Breakfast will be held at Lawrence High School from 9-9:30am to energize and inspire registered Day of Caring volunteers before the projects begin.

Volunteers may also register for projects by contacting Shannon Reid, AmeriCorps Member at The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center at volunteer@rhvc.org or 785-865-5030.

Some examples of projects include:

-Planting trees for habitat restoration at the Baker Wetlands.

-Spring cleaning at various agencies, including Family Promise, Douglas County Citizen Review Board, Stepping Stones, and Birthright of Lawrence.

-Helping with various community gardens at Sunshine Acres Montessori School, Broken Arrow Elementary School, and Community Connections Center.

-Painting and general outdoor cleanup projects for Tenants to Homeowners, Inc., Pinckney Elementary School, and Community Connections Center.

-Tree/brush trimming and power washing/window cleaning for The Villages, Inc.

-Valet Bike Parking at Lawrence’s Earth Day Celebration.

…and so much more!

We look forward to seeing you on April 16th!