[Volunteers] OVP Volunteer Listserve 4/11/06

Tue Apr 11 13:19:48 CDT 2006

Tuesday, April 11, 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. OVP Graduate Assistantship
3. OVP Outstanding Service Awards
4. Perfect Prom Project Donations
5. Council for Volunteerism Awards
6. Champaign Public Library Internet Computer Monitors
7. Boneyard Arts Festival
8. Girl Scout Kiwanis Camp Work Day
9. Dominican Summer Public Service Project

AD: Join the Office of Volunteer Programs group on facebook!

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 this 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.  OVP GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP
The Office of Volunteer Programs is looking for a graduate assistant to assist the Director with day to day operations.  This is an opportunity for a self-directed graduate student with a commitment to learning about volunteerism, student programs, and the non-profit sector.  This person will help monitor other staff, share in development and marketing of programs, advise walk-in students, and perform the shared office maintenance duties.  This is a 50% Graduate Assistantship, lasting 9 months.

Experience in volunteerism and working with diverse communities is needed to apply for this position.  Candidates must be responsible, trustworthy, possess self-directed motivation, have a positive attitude, and flexibility in a fast-paced dynamic student setting.  To be eligible for this assistantship, applicants must be enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Illinois, either in Higher Education Administration (EOL) or Social Work.  No other programs are eligible.

For consideration, please send letter of interest and resume by April 21 to 

Amy Sponsler
Director, Office of Volunteer Programs
277 Illini Union
1401 West Green Street
Urbana, IL 61801
sponsler at uiuc.edu

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 this Wednesday, April 12 at 5 PM.

4.  PERFECT PROM PROJECT DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS
The Perfect Prom Project's Boutique for High School Girls is this Saturday, April 15, from 10 AM to 3 PM in Illini Union rooms 314A and 314B.  Volunteers are still needed to work the boutique!  If you can help out, please e-mail Autumn Griffin at adgriffn at uiuc.edu as soon as possible.

Through Saturday and after, the Perfect Prom Project will be accepting 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.  Visit http://www.ucprom.com/ or the Perfect Prom Project group on facebook for more information on how you can help with this cause.

5.  COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTEERISM AWARDS
The Champaign-Urbana Council for Volunteerism is accepting applications for three awards:

* The Deloris Evans Award for leaders in our community who are involved in a variety of capacities, such as direct service, non-profit boards, or community outreach
* The Student Service Award
* The Volunteer Management Award

Nominations are due this Friday, April 14.  If you would like a nomination form, please e-mail ovp at uiuc.edu.

6.  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.

7.  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.

8.  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. 

9.  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.

Have a spring-y 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/