Volunteers Improving the World

Ophelia Project

The Ophelia Project of Warren County is seeking adult volunteers to work with high school mentors at Youngsville and Eisenhower high schools. Also, a male leader is needed to work with the Warren High School mentors (boys). Leaders are expected to attend the training sessions with their mentors and help prepare them for presentations (to students in grades six through eight during the school year). Also needed are volunteers to help develop Cool To Be Kind curriculum, a volunteer coordinator, and a special events planner.

We believe that “kids mentoring kids” is a powerful way to build assets and accomplish our mission to create a culture that is emotionally, physically, and socially safe for our youth. Contact Diane Scarcella at 723-8691 or Scarcella@atlanticbb.net if interested.



Helping kids

Become a CASA volunteer and be rewarded with some of the most powerful and fulfilling experiences you can find. CASA is the only organization that empowers everyday citizens as appointed “friends of the court”. Volunteers fit well with the court as the American Justice System is built on juries; a body of citizens sworn to give a true verdict according to the evidence presented in a court of law. In 1990 with the inclusion of the CASA Program in the Victims of Child Abuse Act, Congress affirmed the use of volunteers in our otherwise closed juvenile court systems and made provisions for the growth of our volunteer movement nationwide. Locally CASA of Warren and Forest Counties has 23 volunteers serving 23 children. Your involvement will make a direct impact on a child’s life and perhaps generations to come. CASA of Warren and Forest Counties welcomes volunteers from all cultures, professions, ethnic and educational backgrounds. If you are interested in learning more about how you can help contact CASA of Warren and Forest Counties at 723-4434.



Community service

Garland Community House has community service projects available. If you have time or need to complete community service for your graduation project or to satisfy a court order please contact us. There is general cleaning available. Help is especially needed by those who are skilled in carpentry, electrical, plumbing, siding, or window replacement. Contact Cheryl Hultberg at 563-4374 and leave a message.



At the Rouse

The Rouse Home has the following volunteer opportunities: Beauty shop: transporting residents to and from beauty shop appointments, weekdays, 9-11 a.m. Activities: helping with crafts, games, transporting to and from special events, providing music, showing travel slides or movies etc. There are many opportunities in this area. Friendly Visitors: Visits with one or more residents weekly, reading to them, help write letters, take for a walk around building or outside, attend an activity, take resident to the snack bar. Dining room: transport residents to and from meals. Play the organ at lunch or dinner. Special events: resident family picnic, heritage day, planting flowers, caring for and watering outdoor plants. Vesper service: transporting residents to and from vesper service on Sunday afternoons. Sponsor an activity or a party: some groups sponsor a party one time a year. This includes planning, scheduling and implementing a party for residents. Help is provided by the activity staff. The group purchases needed supplies. Dogwood room snack bar: taking orders, preparing sandwiches and snacks and using the cash register. If interested in any of these volunteer opportunities please call Amy Trask at 563-6401

The Suites at Rouse is in need of help with summer gardening. They also are still looking for a quilter to help make a small quilt for a community service project. We are interested in offering our residents woodworking projects, stamping and scrap booking classes and art lessons. Residents also would enjoy cooking demonstrators for “live” cooking shows. Help with the bell choir and rhythm band would also be much appreciated. Red Hat chapters are welcome to join us for a meeting as we get our own chapter off the ground. As always, musicians and entertainers of all types are welcome to give performances. Call Terry at 563-6703 for information or email terry_williams@rouseestate.org.



RSVP

Songs For Seniors: We are looking for a volunteer(s) who has a musical background to engage residents in local nursing homes and senior centers in music activities. This volunteer would accompany residents on the piano, singing their favorite songs and using rhythm instruments. RSVP will supply all of the instruments and sheet music as well as coordinate the nursing home/senior center schedule

Head Start Mentoring: Do you like to read to children? We are looking for several ‘grandparent’ mentors to do just that at each A Head Start classroom this year! Just an hour or two of your time each week can help these students—and you’ll have fun as well. We’ll reimburse your mileage and provide each Head Start classroom with great books.

Across Ages Mentors: We are in great need of mentors. If you have time to give, valuable skills to teach and experience to share, we need you. Please contact the RSVP office for more information.

Warren Manor: Volunteers are needed to help with the Soda Shop Thursday and Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. Volunteers are also needed for Wednesday afternoons for nail painting and a piano player for the kitchen band. Please contact Barb Sanford at 723-7060 or barb.sanford@warrenmanor.com for information.

Volunteer Ombudsman: Area Agency on Aging is in great need of volunteers who are interested to do a one day training and then visit a nursing home and/or personal care home on a weekly basis. The purpose of this program is for residents to share any concerns that they may have. Once that concern has been expressed, the volunteer must report it to a full-fledged Ombudsman at the Area Agency on Aging. Not only are you helping in ways that there may be concerns, but the residents also get friendly face on a weekly basis and from there friendships start to blossom.

American Cancer Society: Road to Recovery program- Long distance drivers are needed to take cancer patients to treatments and appointments. Trips are usually to Erie, Cleveland, Pittsburgh or Buffalo; days and times vary as needed. Office Volunteer- light office work on an as needed basis; days and times vary.

Volunteer Companions- a position for volunteers to serve homebound seniors at least twice a week throughout the year to provide companionship, conversation and possibly go on short outings or share a meal. Volunteer Companions may also help with grooming, light housekeeping, food preparation and correspondence during their visits. Training will be provided by staff from Experience’s Care Management department as well as Hospice of Warren County. Mileage will be provided to Companions for their service for this new program.

Friendly Visitation- volunteers visit nursing home residents on a one-on-one basis. Volunteers will either be assigned to specific residents by the nursing home staff or will choose residents themselves. These visits may include such activities as reading or simple conversation.

RUOK Program- volunteers make daily telephone calls to homebound seniors from the Warren Senior Center to check on the senior’s well-being and to engage in friendly conversation. Volunteers report any concerns to the senior center staff, including failure to answer the telephone.

Contact the RSVP office for more information, 723-7751.



Warren General

There are several opportunities to volunteer at Warren General Hospital. Volunteers are needed to serve as waitresses in the café, cashiers in the gift shop, receptionists in the outpatient reception area and the inpatient visitor’s desk, transporters in our imaging department, and as emergency department ambassadors. Shifts vary from two to four hours. If you are interested in any of these volunteer opportunities, call the Volunteer Office at 723-4973, ext. 2022.



Red Cross

Needs: Volunteers to help with building maintenance (cleaning and painting); with strong phone skills; to clean mannequins; to staff blood drives; to coordinate staffing and scheduling of blood drive volunteers; to perform data entry, filing, general office work including answering phones and mailings; to serve as Disaster Action Team members who respond to disaster scenes after proper training; to assist in writing plans and reviewing current plans; to teach Community Disaster Education; for financial and statistical work; to contribute to a newsletter. For information, e-mail arcwarrened@atlanticbbn.net or call 723-6000.



SG Library

Is in need of volunteers who can help file books alphabetically. Someone is also needed to help do easy paper work occasionally.



Boy Scouts

The Chief Cornplanter Council, Boy Scouts of America, is seeking volunteers for many different capacities. If you’re 21 or older and have some spare time and some tools, the Scouts can always use your help in general maintenance at their service center or at Camp Olmsted in Scandia. If you’re a senior citizen and have some free time you can also help the Scouts with mailings, packets and other light clerical jobs. To volunteer, call the Betts Scout Service Center at 723-6700.



Animal Caretakers

The Audubon Center and Sanctuary is looking for people to care for their animals. Volunteers will handle, train, feed and maintain cages for turtles, frogs, starlings, a snake and salamanders. Volunteers must be at least 14. For more information, call Audubon at (716) 569-2345 and ask for Sarah Hatfield or e-mail her at shatfield@jamestownaudubon.org.