Volunteer Opportunities: June 19

Many Volunteer positions are available through the Volunteer Center For Anne Arundel County. If you do not see an opportunity below that fits your needs, contact the Volunteer Center at info@volunteerannearundel.org or 410-897-9207. Check our Website: www.VolunteerAnneArundel.org. A few current volunteer opportunities are listed below.

YMCA Camp Letts. This Edgewater camp needs volunteers for ongoing upkeep of buildings grounds, trail clearing and general office support at the Retreat Center and Camp office. Lead by our volunteer Advisory Board, YMCA Camp Letts also offers a large slate of volunteer driven special events dedicated to raising scholarship funds to help send kids to camp. Whether it’s the annual Turkey Chase, Women’s Wellness Weekend, the Golf Tournament, or Rockin’ on the Rhode, each event is its own brand of camp fun and they all offer wonderful opportunities to make friends while making a difference. For more information, and contact Matt Garcia at 410-919-1412 or matt.garcia@ymcadc.org.

City of Annapolis Transit Department. The City of Annapolis Transit Department is looking for Ambassadors for its Circulator Trolley service.  Volunteers are needed to ride the trolleys in both Annapolis and Eastport on Wednesday, July 4, 2012 to share the good news about the Circulator and answer questions. A training session will take place prior to the 4th. This is an ongoing outreach effort and the City will need volunteer Ambassadors all summer long to ride the Circulator in Annapolis, including the Eastport side. For more information and to sign up, contact Josh Roeder at 443-714-6130 or JDRoeder@annapolis.gov.

Chesapeake Pride Festival, August 4, 2012. The Cheapeake Pride Planning Committee is a group of volunteers who put their time, skills, and enthusiasm to work in order to organize an annual “Chesapeake Pride Festival” in the Chesapeake Bay Area of Maryland. We are the only annual Pride event held in Anne Arundel, St. Mary’s, or Calvert Counties. Our mission is to foster an understanding of the LGBT Community in the general population by raising awareness through education and an annual Festival to ultimately achieve unity and harmony. Volunteers are needed for three-hour shifts on August 4th, 2012 to assist with running the annual Chesapeake Pride Festival, held at Mayo Beach Park. Volunteers can choose their own time slot and duties, including working the front gate, directing cars to parking, selling drinks, as well as set-up and break-down of the festival site. Also needed are volunteers interested in a larger commitment throughout the year to help with the overall planning of our yearly festival and other fundraising events. Volunteers may register on the website. For more information, contact info@chesapeakepridefestival.org or 410-599-0273.

Anne Arundel CountyLiteracy Council. Literacy tutors are needed for combating adult illiteracy; after completing training, you make your own schedule and locations with your assigned student or you can tutor at local detention centers, in small groups, and ESL tutoring. For information call the office at 410-269-4419. There is also an immediate need for volunteer board members to fill several positions. Hours are flexible and most work can be done at home. Call 410-269-4419 or email  info@aaclc.org.

Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) (Throughout County). CoCoRaHS is a non-profit community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds in several states that works together to measure and map precipitation using inexpensive measurement tools, stressing training and education, and utilizing an interactive web site. Data is provided for natural resource, education, and research applications. Volunteers of all ages are needed (those under 18 need a guardian) to collect and report data about precipitation with measurement tools at their homes which is reported daily to an interactive web site. The local Anne Arundel County Coordinator may also be reached at greg.gallina@noaa.gov.

Maryland Hunger Solutions. The mission of Maryland Hunger Solutions is to fight hunger and improve the nutrition, health, and well-being of children and families in Maryland. We work on public policy, advocacy, public education and outreach regarding the Food Supplement Program (Food Stamps-FSP), WIC, school meals and more, in an effort to ensure that all Marylanders have access to nutritious food and are safe from hunger. Volunteers are needed to help on a bi-weekly basis with FSP outreach programs at local senior centers. Seniors are one of the most under served and under-represented groups in the FSP program and we are trying to increase their enrollment. Volunteers should be attentive, positive people who enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds. This is a great opportunity for those interested in health, nutrition, hunger, senior health and non-profit work. For more information, contact Linda McDermott at 410) 528-0021 or lmcdermott@mdhungersolutions.org.

Operation Welcome Home Maryland (Volunteer Center FLEX Project). On Thursday, June 28, 2012 from 5:45 PM-7:45 PM, Operation Welcome Home Maryland needs a group of volunteers to help at BWI Airport welcoming home military personnel returning home from the War on Terror. Volunteers are needed to help hang posters, make snack bags for troops and greet them home by cheering, clapping, and shaking hands to say thanks. Interested volunteers please sign-up at the Volunteer Center website or email the Volunteer Center at holli@volunteerannearundel.org with any questions. Families and groups are welcome.

St. Philip’s Family Life Center, Inc. Adult volunteers are needed to provide structured out-of-school educational activities as part of the Extended Educational Enrichment Experience (Quad E) Program designed to involve families and to help improve academic achievement among 5^th to 8^th graders. Those who would benefit would have low academic performance, and many would come from low income families living in subsidized housing, and attend elementary and middle schools in the Annapolis feeder area. A variety of volunteer positions are available including: Tutors, Mentors, Homework Helpers, Professional Counselors, Life Skills Trainers, Cultural Enrichment Providers, Health Care Professionals, Fundraisers, Grant Writers, Potential Board Members, and more. For further information or to sign up to help contact Yevola Peters, Volunteer Executive Director at 410-353-9182, 410-224-3820 or saintphilips@verizon.net.

Wellness House of Annapolis. The mission of The Wellness House of Annapolis is to help people affected by cancer and their family members recover their health and well-being through participation in a professional program of support, education and hope in a “home-like” environment. All of our services are offered free to cancer patients and their care givers. There are many different volunteer opportunities at Wellness House of Annapolis. All of our services are offered to our members for free, by our amazing volunteers. We need assistance with our gardens, clerical work, outreach, and hostessing. We also need professional practitioners in massage and Healing Touch as well as yoga and art. For more information contact Kiersten Gallagher at 410-990-0941 or kgallagher@annapoliswellnesshouse.org.