J-W Staff Reports

Agency: Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocate program

Address: 1100 Mass.

Contact: Kerry Gaines, 832-5172

The Douglas County Court Appointed Special Advocate program (CASA) is looking for volunteers to participate in a summer training session beginning Sept. 6. Volunteers advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children who are under the protection of the court. Volunteers must be 21 years of age and willing to commit to a case for a minimum of one year. Volunteers will undergo a background check. For more information or to volunteer, contact Executive Director Kerry Gaines at 832-5172 or e-mail casa@douglas-county.com, or go online at www.orgsites.com/ks/douglascountycasa.

Immediate volunteer needs

¢ The Douglas County Visiting Nurses Assn. is looking for a volunteer to assist with the organization of medical supplies. The position entails 10 to 16 hours each week of supply inventory, organization, data entry and working with the staff and billing department of the Visiting Nurses Assn. The ideal volunteer will have good computer and organizational skills. For more information, contact Janice Johnson at the Visiting Nurses Assn., 843-3738.

¢ Headquarters Counseling Center needs additional volunteers who can be available to talk to children and adults about any concern 24 hours a day. Two hour-long informational sessions will be offered for potential counselors: 10 a.m. Saturday at The Merc, 901 Iowa, or 7 p.m. Aug. 24 at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vt. For more information, call Headquarters at 841-2345.

¢ Brandon Woods Retirement Community needs volunteers to fill the following positions: computer assistant, piano player and bingo caller. The computer assistant position only requires basic computer skills and excellent people skills. Volunteers must be willing to commit two to three hours a week to helping residents maneuver the Internet and provide basic computer assistance in the assisted living and independent living neighborhoods. Additionally, Brandon Woods is looking for a piano player who is able to play old-time music either just before lunch at 11 a.m. or just before supper at 4 p.m., one to two times weekly. A bingo caller is also needed to set up and call games at 2:30 p.m. every other Saturday. Individuals interested in volunteering for Brandon Woods should contact Tami Clark at 838-8000.

¢ Volunteers are needed for the second annual Lake Challenge at 9 a.m. Saturday, hosted by the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce at the Clinton Lake Marina. There will be live music at the marina, ticketed activities for children and a parade of participating cardboard boats. The boat races will begin at 11:15 a.m. and continue for about two hours, with an awards ceremony to follow. Volunteers are needed to assist in each of the following activities or events: registration tables, boat holders, snow cone machines and other children’s activities. The event will benefit the Chamber of Commerce and the Leadership Lawrence program. For more information, contact Scott McMichael at 830-1701.