[Volunteers] OVP Volunteer Listserve 4/4/06

Tue Apr 4 13:20:26 CDT 2006

Tuesday, April 4, 2006
OFFICE OF VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS WEEKLY LISTSERVE
Brought to you by CUVolunteer.org, the most comprehensive list of volunteer opportunities in Champaign county.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. National Volunteer Week
2. Illini Union Community Connection Site Leaders
3. OVP Outstanding Service Awards
4. Unity West Elementary School Fun Night
5. YMCA Healthy Kids Day
6. Boneyard Creek Community Day
7. Champaign Public Library Internet Computer Monitors
8. Boneyard Arts Festival
9. Girl Scout Kiwanis Camp Work Day
10. Dominican Summer Public Service Project
11. Perfect Prom Project Donations

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1.  NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK
National Volunteer Week is April 23 to April 29!  The Office of Volunteer Programs will be arranging a week full of great opportunities to help out in the community.  If you or your organization would like to get involved, please fill out the National Volunteer Week Registration form at http://snipurl.com/omjf and either e-mail it to ovp at uiuc.edu or drop it off at 277 Illini Union by Friday, April 14 at 5 PM.  Once we have your registration form, we will contact you to match you and/or your group up with a service project that fits with your interests and your availability.

2.  ILLINI UNION COMMUNITY CONNECTION SITE LEADERS
The goal of the Illini Union Community Connection is to provide members of the campus community with opportunities to get involved in service projects, as well as an opportunity to connect to a community of interest.  During the Fall 2006 Orientation, the IUCC will be organizing a series of service projects for first year and transfer students at various sites in the local community.  We need dedicated members of our service community on campus to serve as Site Leaders for these projects.  These site leaders will need to attend at least two service projects during the week and will have to attend an orientation session on either Monday, April 17 at 5 PM or Tuesday, April 18 at 7 PM.

Why should you be a Site Leader?  You will be introducing first year and transfer students to something you love -- service!  Also, this is a great way to build relationships with community agencies.  Finally, these students will be interested in the organizations you are a part of -- think of it as small scale recruiting!

For more information and an application, please e-mail ovp at uiuc.edu.  Applications are due in Room 284 Illini Union by 5 PM on Tuesday, April 11.

3.  OVP OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDS
The Office of Volunteer Programs will be honoring two outstanding student organizations and three outstanding individual students that are actively engaged in service.  If you would like to nominate an organization or a student for an 2006 Outstanding Service Award, fill out an application at http://www.union.uiuc.edu/ovp/2006awards.doc
The deadline to submit nominations is Wednesday, April 12 at 5 PM.

4.  UNITY WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FUN NIGHT
Unity West Elementary School is in need of 20 volunteers for its fun night.  The fun night is this Friday, April 7, from 7 PM to 9 PM at Unity West Elementary School.  If you are interested, please e-mail Josh Didier at didierj at unity.k12.il.us or call him at 485-3918.

5.  YMCA HEALTHY KIDS DAY
The YMCA is in need of 10-15 volunteers for YMCA Healthy Kids Day on Saturday, April 8.  Volunteers need to be at the YMCA at 707 N. Country Fair Drive at 2:30 PM, but the actual event takes place from 3 PM to 6 PM.  Volunteers will help with games, directing the crowd, distributing snacks and helping conduct a 1 mile walk/run.  If you are interested in helping out, please e-mail Libby Tirado at LIBBY at ccymca.net.

6.  BONEYARD CREEK COMMUNITY DAY
Saturday, April 22, is the first Boneyard Creek Community Day.  Volunteers are needed for street clean-up in both Champaign and Urbana as well as for storm drain stenciling in both cities and on campus.  Registration begins at Scott Park at 9:15 AM and all volunteers will be done by 11:45 AM.  Entertainment will follow in Scott Park.  This Earth Day project is the first event of its kind, so don't miss out!  Please contact OVP Director Amy Sponsler at sponsler at uiuc.edu if you are interested.

7.  CHAMPAIGN PUBLIC LIBRARY INTERNET COMPUTER MONITORS
The Champaign Public Library is looking for volunteers to help their customers at the public Internet computers in the Adult Services Department by handling sign-ups, performing basic troubleshooting, creating free e-mail accounts, etc.  The volunteers are needed on Mondays and Tuesdays between 2:30 PM and 5:30 PM.  If you are interested in helping out, please e-mail Chiawen Liu at cliu at champaign.org or call her at 403-2070.

8.  BONEYARD ARTS FESTIVAL
The Boneyard Arts Festival, an event produced by 40 North | 88 West, takes place annually in April.  Sculptors, weavers, photographers, painters and other visual artists join musicians, dancers, actors, and poets as Champaign-Urbana and its surrounding communities come alive. More than a traditional arts walk, Boneyard is a unique countywide event showcasing both the area's wealth of talent and the vitality of partnerships between its arts and entertainment community and local businesses. 

Beginning Friday evening and extending through Sunday afternoon, Boneyard spotlights a vast range of artists and arts venues in communities throughout East-Central Illinois. Each venue features different art forms and artists, and displays even flow out onto sidewalks and streets!

Volunteers are needed to staff the information tables in two-and-a-half hour shifts between 4 PM and 1 AM as well as the late-night event between 9 PM and 1 AM on Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22.  On Sunday, April 23, volunteers are needed to help clean up.  Please contact OVP Director Amy Sponsler at sponsler at uiuc.edu if you are interested in helping out.

9.  GIRL SCOUT KIWANIS CAMP WORK DAY
On Saturday, April 29, as part of National Volunteer Week, the Girl Scouts - Green Meadows Council will be having a Kiwanis Camp Work Day.  They are looking for about 200 volunteers to help perform maintenance and cleanup work at the camp in Mahomet.  Team leaders will be responsible for leading volunteers and providing on the job training.  There are many jobs for all skill levels and abilities, so anyone can help out. If you are interested, please call Deborah at 328-5112 or e-mail her at Deborah at gsgmc.org. 

10.  DOMINICAN SUMMER PUBLIC SERVICE PROJECT
It's impossible for most Americans not to take for granted simple amenities that help to keep us safe from illness.  But there are areas even as near as the Caribbean Islands, where a lack of basic sanitation and clean water are just as commonplace as their presence is here.  The result is frequent, preventable illness and malnutrition for hundreds of children. If even a modest system of sanitation could be implemented, the quality of life for entire neighborhoods of families could be significantly improved.

Project CURE is looking for highly motivated, open-minded and personable student volunteers to aid in the development and completion of a public service project in the area surrounding La Romana, Dominican Republic. The trip would take place in July and likely last between six to nine days (exact dates and duration are to be determined).  Volunteers would aid in fund-raising for and the construction of low-maintenance, sturdy latrines to help give families a lasting means of disease prevention.  In addition, Project CURE aims to teach interested families to produce, package and sell soap, so that they may provide themselves with a readily accessible means of maintaining adequate hygiene and a source of supplementary income.

If you've been looking for a way to make a lasting and profoundly positive contribution, this would be a very promising opportunity for you.  Join the movement and help these families to build a community they can be safe in, and be proud of.

Please contact David Klein at daklein at life.uiuc.edu for more information.

11.  PERFECT PROM PROJECT DONATIONS
The Perfect Prom Project is ready to accept your donations of formal dresses, shoes, purses, and accessories.  These donations will be provided for free to Champaign-Urbana high school girls who may not be able to otherwise afford them.  There is a donation box at the Office of Volunteer Programs.  Other drop-off locations will be added as the school year progresses.  Visit http://www.uiuc.edu/ro/prom/ or the Perfect Prom Project group on facebook for more information on how you can help with this cause.

Have a wonderful week!

Stu Schaff
Williams Intern

Illini Union Office of Volunteer Programs
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
277 Illini Union (in the Student Organizations Complex)
Phone: 217-333-7424
E-mail: ovp at uiuc.edu
Web: http://www.union.uiuc.edu/ovp/