Agency: Big Brothers Big Sisters

Address: 211 E. Eighth, Suite D

Contact Person: any staff member, 843-5030

Big Brothers Big Sisters is looking for families with children of their own who would like to spend time with a youth three or four hours a week. The program has 20 eligible boys on a waiting list for the program. All families, including nontraditional families, are accepted. Families make a commitment to their youth for a year and spend time with him doing traditional family activities like cooking meals, shopping or attending athletic events. Families may pick times and activities that fit best with their schedule.

Children in the program are between 5 and 17 years old. To volunteer, adults in the family must go through an application process that includes a background check and references. Orientation sessions are available at 5:15 p.m. Tuesdays or noon Wednesdays at the office. If these times don’t work, individual sessions can be scheduled.

Last week’s results

The Youth Volunteer Center collected almost 400 items, including more than 150 coats, in its winter clothing drive on Oct. 27. The clothes went to the Community Drop-In Center, Social Service League, Ballard Center and Penn House.

Deborah Hamlin from ECKAN said two people had inquired into volunteering, but no one had committed to hand out or deliver food one day a month to low-income seniors and children. Those interested can call Hamlin at 841-3357.

Immediate volunteer needs

Headquarters Counseling Center provides counseling and information services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. Headquarters needs people with previous mental health training to serve as temporary volunteer counselors during December and January. To help, please contact Marcia Epstein or Chad Sublet at 841-2345, 594-6490 from Baldwin, or e-mail at me@hqcc.lawrence.ks.us.

Citizen Review Board is looking for a volunteer to assist as a receptionist from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. four afternoons a month. The volunteer will be responsible for receiving court clients and directing them to the appropriate waiting area until staff and board members can receive them. Duties also may include answering the telephone and editing internal documents. The volunteer will have the opportunity to be trained on Child in Need of Care and Juvenile Offender matters as well as observe many different types of court hearings. Contact Heather Krase-Minnick, 7th Judicial District Citizen Review Board, at 832-5215.

The Lawrence Humane Society needs volunteers to take dogs or puppies to nursing homes and visit with residents on weekday afternoons. Call the society at 843-6835 to learn more.

Therapeutic Horseback Riding Instruction of Lawrence is looking for a retired Douglas County businessman or woman to be a board member. For more information, please contact Leann Williams at 841-9740.

The Community Drop-In Center is having its second annual “Chocolate and Tea” fund-raiser at 3 p.m. Sunday at Springhill Suites by Marriott in Riverfront Plaza. Tickets cost $25, which includes gourmet chocolate, tea, coffee and a silent auction. Money from this event will fund services to homeless people in Lawrence. To help, call Tami Clark 832-8864.

For more volunteer opportunities, contact the Roger Hill Volunteer Center, a service of the United Way of Douglas County, at 865-5030 or online at www.rhvc.org