[Volunteers] OVP Weekly Volunteer Opportunity E-mail (3/29/04)

[Brian Stephen Dubina]

Good Morning!

Table of Contents:

1.  Make Champaign-Urbana smoke free – CU Smokefree Alliance
2.  How do YOU want to volunteer? –  Operation Helping Hand
3.  Volunteer and Get Class Credit at the same time – LINC  
4.  Eggstravaganza - Champaign Park District
5.  Childcare Voluneer - Center for Woment in Transition
6.  Social Services Volunteer – The Salvation Army
7.  Street SMART – Don Moyer Boys & Girls Club
8.  Looking for a service job after graduation? – Public Interest Research 
Group 
9.  Egg Hunt with a Splash - Urbana Park District
10. Revisit The Carnival And Be A Part of the Magic – Westview School
11. Carnival – Carrie Busey Elementary School
12. Ebertfest – Champaign Park District

***

1.  Do you hate going to the bars and sucking in 3 packs of cigarette smoke 
without ever lighting up?  Want to enjoy a dinner without tasting the Newports 
being smoked from the table next to you?  CU Smokefree Alliance is a group of 
local volunteers who are looking to make public places in Champaign Urbana 
healthier for its residents.  If you are interested in supporting this 
organization, there are a few things you can do.  You can sign the online 
petition hosted by CU Smokefree.  Visit their website (listed below) and click 
on the link for the petition.  You e-mail will NOT be used in any way unless 
you desire further information updates.  Second, you can attend the monthly 
meeting of CU Smokefree on April 6th at 7pm.  The meeting will be held at 
Carle Hospital in the Fritz Room of the Carle Forum (lower level) at 611 W 
Park St in Urbana.  (Parking is free!).  Finally, CU Smokefree is looking for 
a treasurer to manage and distribute the finances of the organization.  If you 
are interested in helping out as treasurer and will be in the area for the 
summer, contact Scott Hays at 778-2645.  For more information about CU 
Smokefree and to sign the petition, visit http://cu-smokefree.chambana.net/ or 
contact Scott at 778-2645 or at sphays at chambana.net.


2.  Operation Helping Hand is a weeklong service event taking place the week 
of April 17th.  Students all across campus and throughout town will be 
volunteering to make Champaign-Urbana a better place to live.  If you or a 
group of people are looking to change the town we call home while in college, 
visit http://www.union.uiuc.edu/ovp/asp/2004ohhvolops.htm to browse through 
the opportunities currently available.  If you have any question, contact 
Laura Brayton in the OVP office at 333-7424 or at ovp at uiuc.edu.


3.  Work with non-profit agencies on projects and earn academic credit.  
LINC, a 3-hr course, is open to undergraduates in ALL colleges, ALL majors, 
and ALL years.  If you are the type of person that wants to make a difference 
in someone's life and are willing to do something about it, then this course 
is for you.  Work with TIMES Center or Cunningham Children's Home or the Swann 
School for children with disabilities or any one of 9 other partnering 
agencies.  LINC: Learning in Community listed as ENG 199 (that's 
Engineering:)), LAS 199.  The class is scheduled for Tuesdays 3-4 pm & 
Thursdays 3-5 pm (Satisfies "Other SS/H" for COEng students)
See www.linc.uiuc.edu for more information or Contact Ann Finnegan with 
questions (244-3833; abfinngn at uiuc.edu).  Note: When adding this class, select 
the Discussion section by choosing Community Agency you want to work with.


4.  The Champaign Park District is looking for volunteers to help out with 
their Eggstravaganza on Apr 10, 2004 (9:00 - 10:30am).  Volunteers will help 
distribute eggs throughout the park, monitor the egg hunt, dress as cartoon 
characters, and assist with clean up.  If you are interested, contact Ladrina 
Robinson at (217) 398-2550


5.  The Center for Women in Transition (CWIT) is looking for volunteers to 
build healthy and meaningful relationships with children of all ages. The age 
range of children living at The Center for Women in Transition spans from new 
born to 13 years old for males and 18 years old for females.  The scheduled 
opportunities are Tuesday Morning - 9:00 am - 11:00 am . . . Tuesday Evening - 
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm . . . Thursday Morning - 9:30 am - 11:30 am . . . and 
Thursday Night - 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm.  If you are interested in any of these 
times or would like more information, contact John Phillips at (217) 352-7151


6.  Volunteers will be assisting individuals or families that are in need of 
food and other various assistance. Volunteers are needed to interview the 
clients to assess their needs and enter in their information into a computer 
program. Ability to bag and carry light-weight bags of groceries is not 
required but appreciated!  The Salvation Army is located near campus at 125 E. 
University Ave. and is open from 9am-4pm on the weekdays.  If interested, 
contact Linda Shin at (217) 373-5014


7.  Street SMART is a skills mastery and resistance training program that is 
designed to help 11-13 year olds effectively resist gangs and violence in 
their communities. Volunteers will serve as mentors to program participants. 
In doing so, they are expected to attend and assist with the program meetings. 
Volunteers will, also, have an opportunity to attend program related trips.  
If you are interested, contact Marc Mitchell at (217) 352-4229.


8. As a graduating senior you are no doubt trying to decide what you will do 
next year, or even for the next 5 years. I want to let you know more about 
opportunities in the service and social change field.  The state Public 
Interest Research Group (the state PIRGs) are a nation-wide network of 
state-based public interest advocacy groups. This year we are  hiring 150 
graduating college students to work on: solving our energy problems; 
protecting our national forests; reforming the campaign finance system; 
cleaning up our air; safeguarding individuals from identity theft; and many 
other public interest issues.  www.pirg.org/jobs  For more information I 
invite you to check out our website, or send me an email at: 
dankohler at pirg.org


9.  The Urbana Park District is hosting a rather unusual egg hunt . . . 
underwater.  Volunteers are needed to help with all aspects of this event, 
including registration, assisting the children with finding eggs, and anything 
else that is necessary.  This event takes place on Saturday April 10th in the 
morning.  Contact Ellen at 367-1536 or erkirsanoff at urbanaparks.org for more 
information.


10. Westview school is looking for volunteers to help run the school fair that 
is scheduled for Friday, April 2nd from 5-8pm.  Volunteers are needed from 4pm 
to help set up and a little bit afterwards to help take down the equipment.  
Volunteers will also help during the event to make it an entertaining 
experience for all those who attend. If you are interested, contact Deb 
Spaulding at 356-9319 or 621-1315.


11.  Carrie Busey Elementary School is in need of volunteers for our 
elementary school carnival.  It is a night of great fun for our students from 
Kindergarten to 5th
grade. Our greatest need is for volunteers to run the various games (collect 
tickets, explain game, paint faces, and distribute prizes).  We could really 
use 30 volunteers
if possible.  The carnival is on Friday, April 2 from 5-8 at Carrie Busey 
Elementary School 1605 W. Kirby Ave. Champaign For more information contact 
Lisa Akins
PTA Carnival Coordinator 359-6023 (home) or lisa at akins.ws (home email)


12.  Join us for the 6th annual "Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival", with 
Roger Ebert, himself! Volunteers are needed to take tickets, serve as ushers, 
and to help in concessions. All volunteers will receive one ticket to the film 
of their choice, for each shift they work.  Volunteers are needed for the 
following shifts. Apr 21, 2004 (Evening), Apr 22, 2004 (Afternoon and 
Evening), Apr 23, 2004 (Afternoon and Evening), Apr 24, 2004 (Afternoon and 
Evening), Apr 25, 2004 (Afternoon). If interested contact Kristi Bolton at  
(217) 398-2550


Thirsting for other volunteer opportunities? Check out www.cuvolunteer.org
for 250+ others.

Tell them the Office of Volunteer Programs sent you,

--Sascha Meinrath & Brian Dubina
Office of Volunteer Programs

Phone#: 333-7424
E-mail: ovp at uiuc.edu
Office: 277 Illini Union (in the RSO complex)
Website: www.union.uiuc.edu/ovp