Agency: United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center

Location: Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vt.

The United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center will be available to the community during evening hours at the Lawrence Public Library on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, beginning this Tuesday, from 6-8 p.m. Come chat with an RHVC staff member about how to get involved with local volunteerism, and learn about the most current and urgent volunteer needs in the Lawrence and Douglas County communities.

Immediate needs

• The Lawrence-Douglas County Housing Authority is in need of several volunteers for the New York Elementary Walking School Bus. A Walking School Bus (WSB) is a group of students, with adult supervision, walking along a set route between the school and their homes. It is a fun, healthy and simple alternative to motorized transportation. The New York WSB calls on parents and community members to be volunteer “drivers” and supervise children on their afternoon walk home from school. Volunteers are asked to commit to one day a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday) throughout the fall 2011 semester (Sept. 12-Dec. 16) and will need to be at New York School by 2:30 p.m. on their designated days. All volunteers will fill out an application, undergo a background check and be trained before starting. Additionally, there are two upcoming informational sessions that are open to the public: 6-7 p.m. Aug. 23 and 6-7 p.m. Sept. 13. Both meetings will take place at the Barbara Huppee Community Facility in Edgewood, 1600 Haskell Avenue, No. 149-150. For more information, contact Sarah Madden at 785-331-4418 or smadden@ldcha.org.

• Grassland Heritage Foundation (GHF) is seeking volunteers to help out at its second annual Purple Loosestrife Eradication Day on Saturday. Volunteers will help dig out invasive purple loosestrife plants growing near a trailhead at the Kanza Southwind Nature Preserve, 2900 Wildflower Drive. Purple loosestrife has been sold as an ornamental plant in area nurseries, but is very invasive and can easily overtake ponds, streams and other wetlands if it is allowed to become established. GHF needs help eradicating the problem at this Lawrence city park Saturday. Volunteers are asked to bring their own water bottle, shovels and gloves, and to wear sturdy shoes that can get wet and muddy. Water and other refreshments will be provided. This is a rain or shine event, and RSVPs are requested. Contact Kim Bellemere at grasslandheritage@gmail.com with questions or to RSVP.

• The Willow Domestic Violence Center is gearing up for an intensive 40-hour volunteer training next week from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 15 through Aug. 19. This will be an in-depth training for community members who wish to become long-term volunteers for The Willow Domestic Violence Center. If you have been wondering how to get involved with this agency, this is a great opportunity to do so. This training was planned with college students in mind, as it will be happening right before fall 2011 classes begin. If you’re available to attend this training or would like more details about becoming a Willow volunteer, contact Becca Burns at 785-331-2034, ext. 112, or bburns@willowdvcenter.org.

• Trinity In-Home Care is looking for volunteers to help with its upcoming Family Fun Night event Saturday. Volunteers are needed to help distribute fliers about the event to various locations around town by Thursday. Volunteers may deliver fliers to specific businesses based on a list provided by Trinity or to a broad area, such as downtown. If you are available to help in any way, contact Kelly Evans at 785-842-3159 or kelly@tihc.org for more information.

— For more volunteer opportunities, contact Shannon Reid at the United Way’s Roger Hill Volunteer Center, at 785-865-5030 or volunteer@rhvc.org, or go to volunteerdouglascounty.org.