Send announcements to the Reston Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, send an e-mail to reston@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Thursday 5 p.m. for the following week's paper. Photos/artwork encouraged. Call Rebecca Halik at 703-917-6476 with questions. This free listing is reserved for activities and events that are open to the public at no or minimal cost.
The Naomi Project needs volunteers who will be trained to serve as mentors to disadvantaged pregnant women and new mothers. Mentors help clients learn about good health during pregnancy, locate needed information, services and equipment, provide positive reinforcement, model sound parenting skills, and support their clients as they plan for stable futures. The next training session for volunteers is Saturday, Sept. 30, from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at Falls Church Presbyterian Church, 225 E. Broad St., Falls Church. A $20 registration fee covers a background check, study materials and lunch. Spanish-speaking volunteers are especially needed.
The Fairfax County Public Library seeks volunteers to assist staff in its Public Information Office a minimum of two hours per week. Candidates must read English well, be detail-oriented and able to work at the Fairfax County Government Center near Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax. Familiarity with local newspapers a plus. Call Linda Gifford at 703-324-8324 or Linda.Gifford@fairfaxcounty.gov.
The Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (JDRDC) is seeking volunteer Spanish language interpreters to assist court staff and clients at the Old Courthouse, 4000 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax City and at off-site facilities. Training will be provided. Those who qualify as volunteers in this program will serve assignments in various units in the court and provide in-house translations at: JDRDC offices in the courthouse — Domestic Relations, Juvenile Intake, Adult Probation, Family Systems, Special Services, Community Service, Restitution, Formal and Informal Hearings, Records, Clerks and Administration. JDRDC off-site facilities — North County, East County, Center County, Juvenile Detention Center, Less Secure Shelter, Boys Probation House and Girls Probation House.
Fluency is required in both English and Spanish. A commitment to a weekly four-hour shift during business hours (8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) for at least six months is required. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age. Volunteer applicants will be required to successfully complete a DMV, Child Protective Service and criminal history record check.
For more information about the Volunteer Interpreter Program or to request an application, contact the volunteer coordinator, Loida Gibbs, at 703-246-2856, TTY 703-273-3713, or loida.gibbs@fairfaxcounty.gov.
The Fairfax Area Agency on Aging's "Meals on Wheels" program is in immediate need of volunteers to deliver meals during the week, Monday - Friday, to senior adults who live in the Reston/Herndon area. The job involves picking up meals at specified sites between 10:30 a.m. - noon, and delivering the meals to seniors by 1 p.m. Drivers can choose to deliver meals on a daily, weekly, monthly or substitute basis. Mileage reimbursement is available. For more information or to volunteer, call 703-324-5406 or E-mail melanie.mitchell@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Reston Museum has a number of opportunities open for volunteers to be on duty in the museum and shop in 2 or 4 hour shifts on a flexible basis - one shift per week, or per month. No special experience is required, and training will be provided. Reston Museum is open from 12-5 p.m., Wednesday - Sunday, at 1639 Washington Plaza in Lake Anne Village Center. An opportunity for those interested in learning more about the award-winning planned community of Reston. To volunteer, e-mail Reston Museum Volunteer Coordinator, Shelley Mastran, at shellmast@comcast.net, or leave a message at Reston Museum, 703-709-7700.
Be a volunteer that provides practical assistance and priceless companionship to members of your community. Volunteers are needed for tasks such as grocery-shopping, transportation, light housekeeping, seasonal yard work, writing letters, home organization projects, friendly visits, social telephone calls and more. No time commitment required. Free presentations on "Volunteering" to local interfaith and community groups are available. For more information, contact the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging Cluster Care Program at 703-324-5184 or e-mail trina.mayhan-webb@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Meal Servers. Volunteers are needed to dish out breakfast, lunch, or dinner to residents of the Embry Rucker Community Shelter in Reston. To participate, volunteers must attend a volunteer orientation and complete Reston Interfaith’s volunteer application process. Volunteers are needed throughout the year and must be at least 18 years old. Contact volunteer@restoninterfaith.org or call 571-323-9567.
Meal Caterers. Volunteer groups are needed to purchase food, prepare (off-site) and deliver bag lunches and/or a meal using guidelines that we provide for Embry Rucker Shelter residents or day laborers in our community. Groups may select up to 3 people to serve the food as well. Volunteers are needed throughout the year. If interested, please contact volunteer@restoninterfaith.org or call 571-323-9567.
Shelter Front Desk Receptionists. Volunteers are needed to assist residents and staff of the Embry Rucker Community Shelter with routine tasks such as answering the telephone, sorting mail, and responding to residents inquiries. Volunteers are needed for 3-hour daytime shifts during the week, throughout the year. To participate, volunteers must attend a volunteer orientation and complete Reston Interfaith’s volunteer application process. Volunteers are needed throughout the year and must be at least 18 years old. If interested, please contact volunteer@restoninterfaith.org or call 571-323-9567.
Movers. Reston Interfaith needs volunteers to move furniture on northwester Fairfax County from the homes of donors to the homes of formerly homeless families. Volunteers should have their own large vehicle are needed throughout the year. If interested, please contact volunteer@restoninterfaith.org or call 571-323-9567.
Volunteer opportunities currently exist for Information Desk Volunteers and Mobile Guides at Washington Dulles International Airport. A Travelers Aid Volunteer must have a friendly, helpful manner and enjoy interacting with people from all over the world. Volunteers are asked to make a commitment to work one 3-4 hour shift per week. Early morning, mid-morning, afternoon, and evening shifts are available seven days a week, with a need for volunteers who can work evening or weekend shifts. Experience in airline/airport operations, customer service work or knowledge of a foreign language are a plus but certainly not necessary. Travelers Aid provides training, themed attire, and courtesy parking. Training is ongoing. Contact 703-572-7350 or Volunteer@mwaa.com.
Volunteers are needed weekdays, 10 a.m.-noon, to guide individuals and families through four rooms of the Kidwell Farmhouse at Frying Pan Park in Herndon. Training is provided. Preferred commitment is at least two shifts per month. Kidwell Farm, located at Frying Pan Park and operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority, recreates the era from 1920 to 1950 when family dairy farms blanketed the local landscape. Call Sherry Bizette at 703-437-5318 or apply online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks.
The Fairfax County Health Department is launching a major volunteer recruitment drive to staff the Fairfax Medical Reserve Corps, a program of the Fairfax County Citizen Corps. More than 13,000 medical and nonmedical volunteers are needed to respond to a full-scale public-health emergency in Fairfax County. In the event of a bioterrorism attack or a naturally occurring epidemic, MRC volunteers would be called upon to staff vaccination or medication dispensing sites. In a worst case scenario, this could mean providing for all residents in Fairfax County — more than 1 million people — in three to five days. To accomplish this, 96 teams, comprising 142 people per team, would staff dispensing sites at all county public-high schools and George Mason University. In addition, a large number of non-medical volunteers are needed to provide general support, such as assisting patients with forms and performing data entry and other administrative tasks. Contact Foster at 703-246-2485, TTY 703-591-6435, or by e-mail at donna.foster@fairfaxcounty.gov or visit www.fairfaxcountycitizencorps.org.
The Northern Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is seeking volunteers for nursing homes or assisted living facilities in their communities and weekly visits. Listening, observing and mediating, the ombudsman works with the residents, their families and the facility staff to ensure that resident's rights are protected and they are being adequately helped. Applicants must successfully complete training and must be available to volunteer four hours per week during regular business hours. Call 703-324-5435. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ombudsman.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training is recruiting volunteers to train for marathons and races to honor local cancer patients. Call 703-960-1100 or visit www.teamintraining.org.
World Heritage Student Exchange program, a public benefit organization, is seeking local host families for high school boys and girls from Spain, France, Germany, Thailand, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, Denmark and Italy. Students are already awaiting word on their host family for the 2006-07 academic school year. Host families provide room, board and guidance for a teenager living thousands of miles from home. Couples, single parents and families with and without children in the home are all encouraged to apply. The exchange students arrive from their home country shortly before school begins fall 2006. Call Judith Henderson at 1-800-888-9040.
Odyssey Companions are needed for about two hours each week, to provide empathetic care, such as reading, talking, writing letters for the patient, holding hands or watching television. Other occasional tasks might be to run errands or prepare a simple meal. Companions are not required to do any lifting and the visits are flexible according to your schedule. If you have more time to give and enjoy talking on the phone, our very busy staff would really appreciate your assistance for a four-hour shift each week. Call Carol at 703-821-9200, for an application form.
The Bargain Loft is a local thrift store located at 336 Victory Drive in Herndon. It is run by an all-volunteer staff, and is clean and air-conditioned. All the money made by the Bargain Loft goes to help Herndon/Reston FISH, which helps people with emergency needs such as money for rent, utilities or medicines. Bargain Loft is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. There are two shifts, mornings from 10 a.m.-noon and afternoons from noon-2 p.m. The Loft particularly needs people on Saturdays and can always use teenagers who want to acquire some Community Service time. Call Mr. Stringer at 703-437 0600.