Agency: Community Living Opportunities

Contact: Yolanda Hargett at yolandahargett@clokan.org or at 913-221-3632

Community Living Opportunity exists to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and adults with special needs. CLO helps individuals with developmental disabilities achieve personally satisfying, fulfilling lifestyles in our community. Many of the CLO homes need their yards spruced up for spring. Individual volunteers and/or volunteer groups are needed to help with the yardwork, including trimming shrubs, laying mulch, planting flowers and cleaning up any trash. For more information, please contact Yolanda Hargett at yolandahargett@clokan.org or at 913-221-3632.

Clear brush

Hidden Valley Camp is a 40-acre wooded area surrounded by a barbwire fence. Volunteers are needed to assist the camp manager in fence line-clearing and native woods restoration around the camp. Volunteers will walk along the inside of the fence, cutting back smaller trees, honeysuckle shrubs and new growth along the fence, treating the stumps, removing downed branches, and hauling debris into the woods. When working near a fire ring, volunteers will also stock woodpiles and burn brush. Crews will work on cutting back the constant encroachment of the non-native honeysuckle shrub, concentrating along trails and campsites. Tools provided are leather gloves, loppers, handsaws, and a battery-operated reciprocal saw. Volunteers with a chainsaw will be a great addition. Workdays will tentatively occur on each Wednesday afternoon of the week, through April, weather and conditions permitting. Volunteers do not need to commit to every week; anytime you can make it is appreciated. Please contact Durand Reiber at durandi@sunflower.com or at 865-4657 for more information.

Provide care

Visiting Nurses Association provides hospice care, home health care, rehabilitation care, and private duty care. Volunteers are needed to work directly with patients and families by providing needed companionship for patient and/or respite for primary caregiver in home settings or care facilities. Volunteers are needed for a variety of commitments from once a month to once a week depending on your availability. Mandatory hospice training will be provided. No medical knowledge is required. This is a very fulfilling experience. Find your purpose through service. For more information, please contact Sarah Rooney at sarahro@kansasvna.org or at 843-3738.

‘Hunt treasure’

The Lawrence Community Housing Trust administers the Lawrence Community Housing Trust (LCHT) Program, which sells homes for $20,000 to $50,000 below market value to families with low and moderate incomes. Three to five volunteer treasure hunters are needed to help clear out the program’s storage shed. Estimated time to complete the task is six to eight hours for a group of volunteers. Please contact Alicia Skeen at askeentth@gmail.com or at 842-5494 for more information.

Be a Big

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Douglas County provides one-to-one relationships for children facing adversity. Are you looking to make a difference in the life of a young boy or girl in our community? For a few hours, a couple times a month, you can give a “Little” the invaluable gift of your friendship. Big Brothers Big Sisters is seeking mentors to spend time with a young boy or girl on their waiting list. If you have a few hours a week to be a volunteer, this is your opportunity to make a difference in the life of a youngster. For more information, please contact Mark Gordy at 843-7359.

— For more volunteer opportunities, please contact Shelly Hornbaker at the United Way Roger Hill Volunteer Center at 843-6626, ext. 301; at volunteer@unitedwaydgco.org; or go to volunteerdouglascounty.org.