Agency: Douglas County Senior Services

Contact: seniorwheels@dgcoseniorservices.org

Douglas County Senior Services Inc. is committed to promoting quality of life for older citizens of Douglas County. The Senior Wheels program is looking for volunteers to help seniors who no longer drive. Senior Wheels provides door-to-door transportation service to local destinations Monday through Friday. Shifts are 6:30 a.m. to noon and noon to 4 p.m. Volunteer drivers must be 21 years of age or older, have a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record and be able to pass a drug test and background check. A commitment of six months of service is required. Good communications skills, familiarity with Lawrence and Douglas County streets and highways is helpful. Training is provided. To apply, stop by the DCSS office at 745 Vermont St. or email seniorwheels@dgcoseniorservices.org.

Help kids explore careers

USD 497, in partnership with the United Way, the Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center, and Lawrence Schools Foundation, is holding a Career Exploration Fair for seventh graders on Nov. 10 and 11. Many volunteers are needed to fulfill two roles: to model and practice networking skills with small groups of students, and to share information about familiar career pathways while practicing networking skills. Morning shifts from 8 to 11:40 a.m. and afternoon shifts from 12:40 to 2:40 p.m. are available both days. Sign up to volunteer at volunteerdouglascounty.org or contact Shelly at volunteer@unitedwaydgco.org or at 865-5030, ext. 301.

Beautify land for seniors

Tenants to Homeowners, Inc. administers the Lawrence Community Housing Trust Program, which sells homes for $20,000 to $50,000 below market value to families with low and moderate incomes. Tenants to Homeowners is building an aging-in-place senior community of 13 town homes. Volunteers, either individual or groups, are needed to assist with landscaping the site. The Cedarwood Senior Cottages are located in the 2500 block of Cedarwood Ave. Please contact Tenants to Homeowners at 842-5494 or at askeentth@gmail.com for more information.

Cook for a purpose

The Sunrise Project helps to empower people to live healthy, self-determined lives through engagement with food and the environment to build a socially just community. The organization is seeking volunteers to serve as community cooks to share a food tradition or favorite recipe with kids in its Food Rocket program for children ages 5-12. Volunteers will share food knowledge and engage kids in hands-on cooking after school, on days off from school, and in classrooms during school time. The agency will create the curriculum and volunteers may contribute in a manner that works for you. For more information, please contact Melissa Freiburger at programs@sunriseprojectks.org.

Tidy up nature

The Friends of Hidden Valley help maintain and preserve the Hidden Valley camp at Kasold and Bob Billings Parkway. Volunteers are needed for the Fall workday 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 6 (rain date of Nov. 13). Tasks will include prairie and garden maintenance, campsite cleanup and renovations, litter pickup, clearing back encroaching growth and many other projects. Individuals, groups and families are welcome. Everyone will sign in at the main parking lot and be assigned to a specific project under the direction of project leaders. Volunteers ages 15-18 may email a request for a waiver to be signed by their parent and brought to the event. Volunteers under 15 years of age must be accompanied by an adult. Tools and snacks will be provided. Please bring gloves and a water bottle. Contact Durand Reiber at 865-4657 or at durandi@sunflower.com for more information.

Help a friend with woodworking

City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation is looking for a woodworking friend to assist an individual with special needs in a woodworking class offered through Lawrence Parks and Recreation. The student is a 51-year-old man with Down syndrome who loves woodworking. He is verbal and fully understands and communicates. He has participated in the class for several years and completed some very impressive projects. The woodworking friend will insure the student’s safety around tools and equipment and keep him focused on the project he’s working on. The class instructor is present, but needs to also be readily available to the other participants in the class. The class is held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, through Dec. 7 at Lawrence High School Wood Shop, 1901 Louisiana St. A background check is required. For more information, please contact Annette Deghand at adeghand@lawrenceks.org or 832-7920.

— For more volunteer opportunities, please contact Shelly Hornbaker at the United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center at 865-5030, ext. 301 or at volunteer@unitedwaydgco.org or go to www.volunteerdouglascounty.org.