[Volunteers] OVP Volunteer Listserve 4/18/06

Tue Apr 18 13:23:49 CDT 2006

Tuesday, April 18, 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. Boneyard Arts Festival This Weekend
4. Girl Scout Kiwanis Camp Work Day
5. CFV Volunteer Recognition Event
6. Dominican Summer Public Service Project
7. Champaign Public Library Home Delivery

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 as soon as possible.  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.

Come to the kick-off event on the Quad on Monday, April 24.  There will be speakers, a service t-shirt display, service RSOs, local agency representatives, and a craft project that will be donated to a local agency.

And don't forget about our Volunteer Recognition Event on Friday, April 28!  If you wear the button that you received when you volunteered during the week, you will get free pizza and bowling in the Illini Union Rec Room from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM.  The 2006 Outstanding Service Award recipients will be honored at this event.  Don't miss it!

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 this Friday, 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.  BONEYARD ARTS FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND
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.

4.  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. 

5.  CFV VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION EVENT
The Council for Volunteerism is hosting a volunteer recognition event on Sunday, April 30 at 3 PM at Urbana High School.  They will be showing of the movie "Pay It Forward" with free popcorn and drinks.  All volunteers are welcome!

6.  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.

7.  CHAMPAIGN PUBLIC LIBRARY HOME DELIVERY
The Champaign Public Library is looking for volunteers to deliver library materials to customers who cannot get to the library due to age or physical condition.  Volunteers need a valid driver's license and their own vehicles.  Also, they should be familiar with how to get around Champaign.  The volunteers are needed on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9 AM and 9 PM.  If you are interested in helping out, please e-mail Chiawen Liu at cliu at champaign.org or call at 403-2070.

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/