[Volunteers] OVP Volunteer Listserve 3/14/2006

Tue Mar 14 13:44:22 CST 2006

Tuesday, March 14, 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. Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors
3. YMCA Healthy Kids Day
4. Spring Break at Allerton
5. Pull for Access
6. Dominican Summer Public Service Project
7. Perfect Prom Project Donations

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, contact OVP.

2.  HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Habitat for Humanity is recruiting for positions on their Board of Directors for the 2006-2007 school year.  Apply for an amazing opportunity to be a leader in a large student-run organization.  Gain valuable learning experiences working with a large budget, coordinating numerous volunteers, putting on high-quality events, and constructing lasting change in the community.  There are a variety of positions to fit your interests in which you can make a rewarding commitment to service and contributing to a life-changing experience for a deserving family.  Applications are available at the Habitat Office in Room 266 Illini Union.  They are due Monday, April 3 at noon. Applicants are required to sign up for a 20-minute interview.  If you have any questions please contact Emily at weyers at uiuc.edu.

3.  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.

4.  SPRING BREAK AT ALLERTON
Spend spring break at Allerton Park!  Students from all areas of study may apply to spend spring break at the historic Allerton mansion and earn service/volunteer hours working on restoration projects, gardening, and preparing the park for another season of activity.  Room and board will be provided for the week but space is limited.  For more information and for an application please visit the Allerton web site at http://www.allerton.uiuc.edu

5.  PULL FOR ACCESS
Please collect pop tabs to support PACE, Inc., a local nonprofit organization whose mission is to offer services to assist persons with disabilities in achieving and maintaining independence.  Drop off pop tabs all year round at the Office of Volunteer Programs in Room 277 Illini Union.  For more information, including how to get your organization involved, contact OVP by phone at 333-7424 or by e-mail at ovp at uiuc.edu.

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.  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.

No listserve next week.  Have an awesome Spring Break!

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/