Volunteer Opportunities: Help monitor marathon

Agency: Healthcare Access


Contact:
Jennifer Stucker at stuckerj@healthcareaccess.org.

Health Care Access provides health care services including primary care, appointments, referrals, medication assistance and health and wellness education for Douglas County residents with limited financial means who are not covered by private or governmental insurance programs. Health Care Access needs volunteers to help with the Kansas Half Marathon/5K fundraiser from 7-11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 6. Tasks include monitoring the course for runners of the marathon and 5K. To sign up, email stuckerj@healthcareaccess.org.

Spruce up camp for fall

The Friends of Hidden Valley help maintain and preserve the Hidden Valley camp at Kasold and Bob Billings Parkway. Volunteers are needed from 1-4 p.m. for the fall workday on 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 who are 15-18 years of age 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 provided. Please bring gloves and water bottle. Contact Durand Reiber at 865-4657 or at durandi@sunflower.com.


Garden with a neighbor

Douglas County Housing Inc. is looking for volunteers to assist a senior resident in need of help with an overgrown garden before winter arrives. One to two hours of your time will make a huge difference in someone’s quality of life. No previous gardening experience is required. Please email rsovista@ldcha.org or call 842-1533.

Read to children

Join the United Way and Child Care Aware in supporting the development and learning of young children and ensuring that all children in Douglas County enter kindergarten with the skills they need to succeed. Volunteers are needed to spend 30 minutes a week reading to children and guiding related activities using literacy kits provided by Childcare Aware of Eastern Kansas. A two-hour literacy training will be provided. To ensure continuity for the children in the program, we are asking that volunteers make a six month commitment. Please contact Shelly at 865-5030, ext. 301 or at volunteer@unitedwaydgco.org.

Ring the bells

The Salvation Army needs bell ringers for its annual Red Kettle Christmas Campaign. Two hour shifts begin on Nov. 12 and run Mondays through Saturdays. Volunteers can contact Jim Evers at jim_evers@usc.salvationarmy.org or at 764-0962, or sign up online at ringbells.org.

Feed your friends

Just Food and its partners fight hunger in our community. Help Just Food kick off the holiday season by packing Thanksgiving meal boxes for families in need. Every year Just Food provides Thanksgiving meals to families in Douglas County that will otherwise go without. Your help is needed for distributing these meals in advance of Thanksgiving. Individuals, families, businesses or civic organizations may help. Help is needed on the following days and times:

• 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19.

• 9 a.m. -7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21.

• 9 a.m. -7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22.

The maximum number of volunteers is 15 at a time. To sign up, click here.

— 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.