Week of September 10, 2018

By Sue Alenick, United Way Volunteer Columnist

LEND A HAND. VOLUNTEER – United Way of Northwest Vermont’s mobile-friendly Volunteer Connection connects you to hundreds of local volunteer needs. Search by age, date, county, interests or causes that are important to you. Stay connected to community needs. Go to www.unitedwaynwvt.galaxydigital.com or contact us at volctr@unitedwaynwvt.org or 860-1677.

THE LITTLEST ONES NEED YOU! – Lund is in need of volunteers to provide respite care for newborn to 5 year old children weekdays between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Contact Julie Richards at 864-7467, Ext. 2028, or email julier@lundvt.org.

CHECKERS PLAYER NEEDED – Converse Home is looking for a volunteer to play checkers with an elderly male resident once or twice a week. Flexible schedule. Background check required. Contact Carol Ann Jones at 862-0401 or email caroljones@conversehome.com.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT – Several local groups are seeking volunteers to help with the preparation and serving of meals to residents and clients. Mercy Connection: a kitchen partner to fill in on an as-needed basis (about once a month) to help with set up preparation and clean-up of a family-style community lunch for 30-40 people on Thursday. Volunteers are encouraged to mingle and enjoy the meal as well. Contact Darrell Morris at 846-7063 or email dmorris@mercyconnections.org. Winooski Dismas House: individual, family or small groups of volunteer cooks to prepare dinner for up to 10 residents one evening a month. Meals may be prepared off-site and brought to the house or prepared in their well-equipped kitchen. Volunteers are invited to join residents and share the meal. Contact Sue Drollette at 655-0300 or email sue@dismasofvt.org. ANEW Place: provide a meal for up to twenty homeless guests who are striving to make lifelong changes. Contact Katie Ballard at 862-9879, Ext. 1006, or email katie@anewplacevt.org.

IN THE GARDEN – Cathedral Square seniors in downtown Burlington need volunteer help to clean up their overgrown garden space. Tasks include weeding, cutting back hostas, and bagging items. Flexible weekday hours between 8 a.m.and 4 p.m. Contact Beth Alpert at 859-8819 or email alpert@cathedralsquare.org.

A DRIVING NEED – Healthy Roots Collaborative delivers farm fresh produce to regional food shelves and is in need of volunteer drivers to pick up and make deliveries in Franklin and Grand Isle Counties throughout the week. About 1-1/2 hours per route. Contact Hanna Baxter at 524-8947 or email healthyrootsgleans@gmail.com.

MAKING MUSIC – Bayada Hospice would welcome volunteer musicians and singers to share their talents with residents and their families in Bayada facilities or in private homes in Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille and Washington counties. Flexible scheduling. Background check required. Contact Beverly Hill at 448-1610 or email bhill2@bayada.com.

BUSINESS MENTORS NEEDED – Vermont SCORE volunteer mentors share their knowledge and experience so that entrepreneurs can realize their dreams of business success. Mentors with backgrounds in accounting, marketing, legal, manufacturing and more are needed to provide one-to-one and team mentoring, workshops, and seminars. Training and support provided. Contact John Loucheim at 764-5899 or email champlain.valley@scorevolunteer.org.

Megan Bridges, 861-7822 or megan@unitedwaynwvt.org