Send volunteer notices to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com or call Rebecca Halik with any questions 703-917-6407.
Volunteers are needed to assist with a public event to be held in the Archaeology museum on Saturday, Oct. 13. Duties included meeting, greeting, and keeping the museum tidy during the activity. Both events are free and open to the public and listed as "Open House" activities with participants coming and going at their leisure. E-mail ruth.reeder@alexandriava.gov or call 703-838-4399.
Vendors needed for Mason Neck State Park Oct. 20 harvest festival. Planners of the Mason Neck Old Fashioned Harvest Festival seek arts and craft vendors for the 2007 festival, held at Mason Neck State Park, Oct. 20, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. All crafts must be handmade. Crafts could include natural art, paintings, basket weaving, dolls, puppets and art toys, crochet, floral arrangements, quilting, jewelry, leather goods, musical instrument making, needle work, pottery and wood carving.
The booth fee will be waved for vendors demonstrating their craft during the festival. For more information, or to register, contact Assistant Manager David Stapleton at 703-339-2385.
Community Lodgings' Transitional Housing Program is in search of adult mentors to meet weekly with our Transitional Housing Clients. Mentors will assist clients in setting, evaluating, and reaching goals, budgeting, making career decisions, etc. Volunteers must make a six-month minimum commitment. Contact Emily Barnes, Learning Center Coordinator, 703-739-5856. Located at 607 Notabene Drive, #1, Alexandria.
The Alexandria Jaycees are seeking volunteers to help with a concession stand at "Art on the Avenue" in Del Ray in Alexandria on Oct. 6. Proceeds from the concession stand are used to support a scholarship given each year to a graduating T.C. Williams high school senior. For more information, contact Lea Anne at alexjcpresident@hotmail.com.
The Alexandria Jaycees seek volunteers to help run a concession stand at the Alexandria Fall Festival at Armistead L. Boothe Park, 520 Cameron Station Blvd., Alexandria on Saturday, Oct. 13. Proceeds are used to support upcoming Jaycees community events such as the annual Holiday Shopping Tour for underprivileged children. For more information, contact Lea Anne at alexjcpresident@hotmail.com.
The Alexandria Jaycees seek sellers and buyers for a community yard sale on Saturday, Oct. 27 at Anthony Lane Elementary School parking lot, 7137 Beulah St. The cost for sellers is $15 per space. Free to browse. For more information, visit www.alexjaycees.org or leave a message on our event line 703-866-7171.
If you are looking for a dynamic volunteer experience with the chance to make a difference, the Sexual Assault Response and Awareness (SARA) program is the volunteer opportunity for you. The SARA program is looking for compassionate listeners, both English speaking and bilingual, who would be comfortable talking to sexual assault survivors and their families. Volunteers take evening or weekend shifts from home or anywhere accessible by phone. The next SARA training is scheduled to begin in October and meets two evenings a week from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and on two Saturday mornings. For more information or to register for the SARA training, contact Stacey Calhoun McCullough at 703-838-5030 or stacey.mccullough@alexandriava.gov.
Wright to Read seeks volunteers to tutor elementary school students in Alexandria Schools, and for Book Buddies, an after-school reading program held at William Ramsay Elementary on Tuesdays and at Jefferson-Houston Elementary on Wednesdays. They also need pediatric waiting room readers to read to children at the Saint Asaph Street Clinic. To register for orientation, contact Ginny Biggs at 703-549-0111, ext. 339
The Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC) needs tutors! Call 703-549-6670 or e-mail atc@opmh.org to learn how you can give a child the gift of reading. Visit www.alexandriatutors.org to learn more.
United Community Ministries Backporch Thrift Store is looking for volunteers to help accept donations, sort and price items and place on store floor. Contact Betsy Damitz, volunteer coordinator at 703-768-7106, ext. 328.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a store located at 7770 Richmond Highway that combines business with philanthropy. The 16,000 square foot store in filled with donated home-improvement goods ranging from doors, appliances, furniture, floor, tile and hardware. All items are donated by local contractors, suppliers and individuals; they are then sold to the general public for 50-90% retail price. Contact Virginia Patton from Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia at 703-521-9890 ex. 105 for moreinformation or e-mail her at vpatton@habitatnova.org.
If you enjoy meeting people, particularly the elderly, and can serve during the weekday, the volunteer ombudsman position may be for you. Volunteer advocates are assigned to a specific local nursing home or assisted-living facility in Northern Virginia convenient to where they live or work. Applicants must be available to volunteer four hours per week, primarily during regular business hours. Interviews of applicants will be held this summer in preparation for the next annual training, scheduled for Sept. 17, 18 and 28 from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each day. For further information and an application, call 703-324-5435, TTY: 703-449-1186 or visit our Web site www.fairfaxcounty.gov/LTCOmbudsman.
The Alexandria Commission for Women is seeking volunteers to work with its Court Observation Program. The Court Observation Program is a volunteer-based court monitoring and research project which tracks sexual and domestic violence cases. The program is designed to provide feedback on sexual and domestic violence cases that helps the criminal justice system improve its response to them. Volunteers must commit to working at least one morning each month in the Alexandria City Courthouse, located at 520 King St. Training will be provided on one of two Monday evenings, Aug. 20 or Sept. 10. For more information or to sign up for the training, contact Laura Mandala at 703-798-5452 or Laura@MandalaResearch.com.
ESL and Immigrant Ministries needs volunteers to teach English as a second language to adult immigrants in 16 locations in Northern Virginia. Training is provided. Day and evening classes begin in September. For more information or for an application, visit http://www.eslim.org. You may also send e-mail to eslim02@gmail.com or call 703-271-8341, Ext. 3, and leave a message.
Carpenter's Shelter has various volunteer opportunities: front desk attendant, breakfast servers (1st Saturdays and Sundays of the month), lunch servers (2nd Saturday and 4th Monday), and chaperones for children's fieldtrips. Contact Jasmin Witcher at 703-548-7500 or jasminwitcher@carpentersshelter.org.
Friends of Guest House needs a volunteer for a small database entry project putting client records into a new database. Contact Kari Galloway at 703-549-8072 or director@friendsofguesthouse.org.
INOVA Home Health needs "Friendly Visitor" volunteers to provide companionship to homebound patients throughout Northern Virginia. Flexible hours and days. Training provided. Contact 703-916-2885.
The Lee-Fendall House Museum seeks volunteers to guide visitors through this historic Lee Family home. Volunteers will interpret the house's history from its Revolutionary War era beginnings, through the Civil War and the modern Labor movement. Seeking individuals who are available to volunteer a minimum
of six hours each month - weekday and weekend shifts are available. Training provided. Contact Kristin Miller Lang at 703-548-1789 or
contact@leefendallhouse.org.
The Lyceum needs volunteers for three positions: front desk attendant (duties include greeting and orienting visitors, answering the phone and providing area information), museum shop volunteer (assist customers with selection and purchase of shop merchandise), and education program docent.
Contact Pam Budde at 703-838-4994 or Pam.Budde@alexandriava.gov.
Shelter House needs volunteers for Kid's Night, held Tuesdays through Thursdays. Your job would be to have fun with the kids and provide structured play to increase social skills and learning. Contact Victor Dooley at 703-536-2155 or volunteer@shelterhouse.org.
Venture into Volunteering Boomers and Seniors Wed. September 26 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at the Sherwood Regional Library in Alexandria. This will be a volunteer fair designed to find opportunities that fit senior’s and boomer’s expertise and lifestyle.
Be a Hero for Capital Hospice. Make a difference by helping those who need hospice care. Capital Hospice is participating in the 26th Annual Hospice Cup Sailing Regatta in Annapolis on Sept. 8. Volunteers are needed for a variety of Capital Hospice committees to support Hospice Cup XXVI. Reply to Caroline at 703-531-1111 or specialevents@capitalhospice.org.