[Volunteers] OVP Digest for 4/7/2008 to 4/14/08

Mon Apr 7 16:35:32 CDT 2008

Monday, April 7, 2008
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. Service Quad Day! (4/14)
2.  National Volunteer Week (4/14-4/18)
3.  Apply for the Outstanding Service Awards! (Deadline: 4/11)
4.  National Day of Interfaith Youth Service (4/13)
5.  “Race the Roof” with Habitat for Humanity (4/13)
6.  Relay For Life (4/18)
7.  Alpha Phi Omega’s Food Drive (4/19)
8.  Volunteer at the Boneyard Arts Festival (4/18 – 4/20)
9.  Stratton Elementary School Carnival (4/25)
10.  Cycling to Empower Homeless Families (5/4)
11.  Massachusetts Promise Fellowship with AmeriCorps

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If the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it.
~Lucy Larcom (1824 – 1893, American poet)
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1. SERVICE QUAD DAY!

Come out to the main quad next Monday (Apr 14) between 11 and 3 and visit U of I’s various service organizations!  Learn how you can get even more involved, and sign up for National Volunteer Week service projects.  (If you’re a representative from a service org. and you’d like to get your group involved, email ovp at uiuc.edu and we’ll reserve your spot!)

2.  NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK

During National Volunteer Week you can:
-  Attend our kick-off event on Monday, April 14.  There will be speakers, a service t-shirt display, service RSOs, and you can stop by and make a craft to be donated to a local agency.
-  Participate in a service project.
-  Organize a collection drive (collect pop tabs, school supplies, cell phones, and toiletries).
-  Nominate an individual or group for the 2008 Outstanding Service Awards. (See #6 in this email!)

To download a flier to distribute, please visit http://www.union.uiuc.edu/ovp/nvw/
For more information, please email ovp at uiuc.edu.

3.  APPLY FOR THE OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARDS

*Two (2) awards will be given for outstanding *student organizations* engaged in service during the 2007-2008 academic year.
*Three (3) awards will be given for outstanding *individual students* actively involved in service during the 2007-2008 school year.

A nomination letter can be completed personally by the individual or group nominated or by another party on their behalf.  Each application requires two references and one must be related to service.  A nominator can also serve as a reference for a student or an organization.  Nomination forms are available online at http://www.union.uiuc.edu/ovp/nvw/

Award recipients will be honored with plaques commemorating their dedication to service.

**The deadline to submit nominations is Friday April 11th at 12pm!**

Nominations can be mailed or walked in to:
Office of Volunteer Programs
288 Illini Union, 1401 W. Green St., Urbana, IL 61801

Nominations can also be emailed as an attachment to ovp at uiuc.edu with the subject: Service Award Nomination.

4.  NATIONAL DAY OF INTERFAITH YOUTH SERVICE

Sunday April 13th, 12:30-5:30

Spend the day volunteering with students from a diversity of faith traditions.  There are multiple volunteer sites from which to choose.  Plus, participate in an exciting dialogue afterword about how the world’s religions call us to serve others.

For more information or to register online: http://www.interfaithinaction.org
Or email us with questions: uiucinterfaith at gmail.com
FREE t-shirt and FREE food at the event!

5.   “RACE THE ROOF” WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

What: Annual 5K Run/Walk
When: Sunday, April 13th at 11:00am  (Check in will begin at 9:00am).
Where: Crystal Lake Park in Urbana
Who: Anyone and everyone!
Why: To raise money for Habitat for Humanity and help put an end to substandard housing situations here in Champaign County.

Registration is available online at
http://habitat.union.uiuc.edu/H4H/events/5krace/default.aspx , or on the day of the race.
**If you would like a t-shirt, you must register and pay online by April 6th!**

There will be free food for all participants, and prizes for the top three runners in every age category.
If you have any questions, please Marli at marlibar at gmail.com.

6.  RELAY FOR LIFE

Relay for Life is the American Cancer Societies signature fundraiser.  Relay for Life is U of I's largest fundraiser, as we raised over $250,000 last year to fight cancer. Teams of 8-15 walk the U of I's Track from 7 pm - 7 am on April 18 to show that as cancer doesn't sleep, neither do we.  All are welcome for this fun night filled with entertainment, games and ways to fight back!  If you are interesting in participating or helping out, e-mail cacuofi at gmail.com or visit our website at www.relayforlifeuofi.com.   Thanks!

7.  ALPHA PHI OMEGA’S FOOD DRIVE

Alpha Phi Omega: National Service Organization’s
National Youth Service Day Food Drive
Saturday, April 19

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Did you know?
--According to the Illinois Hunger Coalition, there are nearly 400,000 people in Illinois who are hungry and more than 1.4 million without regular access to enough food to feed their families.
--The Eastern Illinois Foodbank puts about 5 million pounds of food and grocery product into over 180 food pantries and other agencies and programs throughout a 14-county area in Eastern Illinois – just over 8000 square miles.
--The Foodbank feeds around 34,000 people each month.
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To help relieve hunger in your community donate canned foods and other non-perishable goods!! (Monetary donations will also be accepted) All donations will be given to Eastern Illinois Foodbank!

On Saturday, April 19 please leave any food donations in a bag in front of your door before 10 A.M & student volunteers will come and collect it! THANK YOU!
Please contact Kevin Hong at (847)217-4175 or khong4 at uiuc.edu.  In your email, please include your name, whether you can drive, and your phone number so groups can be made to go out and collect items in the community!

8.  VOLUNTEER AT THE BONEYARD ARTS FESTIVAL

Be a Bone-Head!
Volunteer at the 2008 Boneyard Arts Festival! Join in the fun of the Boneyard Arts Festival, April 18, 19 & 20! Get in on the ground floor of event planning by helping with information stations, festival set up, tear down and marketing! Volunteers are needed for festival preparation April 1 through April 20.

Bone-Heads grooves are complimentary! To express our appreciation, all volunteers (Boney-Heads) receive free admission to Late Night spACE - an "underground" experience of world music, rock, jazz, sculpture and video installation - April 18 & 19, 119 East University, Champaign at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Be a Bone-Head and support the Art that Lives HERE!

To sign up contact Megan Wolf at 217-351-9841 or MWolf at champaigncounty.org.

9.  STRATTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CARNIVAL

If there are any groups out there who would like to help out with the school carnival at Stratton Elementary on April 25th, please contact Amy Sponsler (sponsler at uiuc.edu)

10.  CYCLING TO EMPOWER HOMELESS FAMILIES

We are in need of volunteers and/or sponsors for our fundraising event “Pedal Power”, Cycling to Empower Homeless Families which will be held on Sunday, May 4th at Hessel Park in Champaign.  We need volunteers to assist with registration, pass out information, greeters, rest stop volunteers, set-up and clean-up.  We also invite the students to participate in the event individually or as teams of four.   For more
information about times and registration fees and volunteering or sponsorships contact Gail Elkins at 217-352-7151 or e-mail me at gail at cwt-cu.org.

11.  MASSACHUSETTS PROMISE FELLOWSHIP WITH AMERICORPS

I’m writing to tell you about an excellent opportunity for graduating students! The Massachusetts Promise Fellowship is a statewide, youth development AmeriCorps program dedicated to providing a better future for children and youth in Massachusetts. Our 30 Fellows serve at non-profit organizations, schools, and city agencies across the state leading a variety of initiatives related to youth, including youth leadership development, mentoring, after-school enrichment, youth outreach and education, and volunteer recruitment and coordination.

During their year of service, our Fellows are highly supported and receive numerous trainings to enhance their personal and professional development. Through our partnership with Northeastern University, Fellows also have the opportunity to take FREE graduate-level courses with the University’s School for Professional & Continuing Studies.

You can also learn more at www.masspromisefellows.org.

Have a sun-filled week!

Illini Union Office of Volunteer Programs
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
288 Illini Union
Phone: 217-333-7424
E-mail: ovp at uiuc.edu
Web: http://www.union.uiuc.edu/ovp/