Agency: Perry Lake Project Office

Address: 10419 Perry Park Drive

Contact: Bunnie Watkins (785) 597-5144

The Perry Lake Park is always looking for individuals, groups or families who are interested in volunteering to maintain the Perry Trail, a 30-mile hiking trail. Volunteer duties can be anything from litter pick-up, painting blue trail blazes on trees, pruning with lopping shears, picking up downed branches, mowing, placing signs, bridge building, trail-crossing construction, and chain-sawing of larger downed trees. Individuals can volunteer a few hours a year or many days each month, based on their interest and availability.

Immediate volunteer needs

• The annual Clinton Lake Cleanup will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 16. Volunteers will be assigned to an area around the lake for litter and trash pickup. Upon returning to the Overlook Park, they can enter into a “Weird Trash” contest, visit some educational environmental booths and enjoy a free hot dog lunch. Volunteers can pre-register or show up at 9 a.m. at Shelter 1 in the Overlook Park and register on the day of the event. For more information, contact Kipp Walters, park ranger, at 843-7665 or e-mail kipp.j.walters@nwk02.usace.army.mil.
• Brandon Woods Retirement Community has two new opportunities for volunteering with the residents. Volunteer poker players are needed any day of the week in the afternoons or early evenings to play the game with small groups of residents for approximately one hour. Only a basic knowledge of the game and a willingness to learn are necessary. A volunteer manicurist is sought to spend a little time doing nails with the lady residents. Monday mornings are an existing time slot for manicures, but other times may be flexibly arranged. The volunteer does not need to be a professional manicurist. For more information about these volunteer opportunities, contact volunteer coordinator Tami Clark at 550-5380.
• The Douglas County Infant-Toddler Coordinating Council will have a kid-themed garage sale May 7 and seeks donations and volunteers from the community. The sale is to raise money for infants and toddlers with special needs served by the council in Douglas County. Gently used children’s books, toys, furniture and clothing are especially wanted, among other items for kids. Car seats will not be accepted. Donation receipts are available upon request. Volunteers will pick up donations, and additional volunteers are needed to help with the sale. For more information, contact Dena Bracciano at 843-3059.
• The Roger Hill Volunteer Center and Lawrence Public Library are having a free Community Volunteer Fair from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 19 at the library, 707 Vt. Volunteer coordinators from dozens of local nonprofit agencies will be on hand to speak about their programs’ needs and how people can get involved as volunteers. Retirees and youths will find this to be a great introduction to volunteer opportunities. For more information, contact the Roger Hill Volunteer Center, 865-5030.