To have an item listed, mail to the Gazette, 1604 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314; fax to 703-917-0991 or e-mail to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Friday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos and artwork encouraged. If you have any questions, call Elizabeth Orr at 703-917-6449.
UCM's Walk to Help the Homeless. Youth and adults can participate for any 30 minutes between 3:30 and 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4. To register, call 703-768-7106 ext. 327 and ask for Eileen McNally. Registration fee $15 youth under 25, $25 adults. Participants earn a T-shirt and four hours of community service.
The Alexandria Black History Resource Center needs volunteers who have an interest in Alexandria African American history, as well as African American history and culture in general. Volunteers staff the reception desk, greet and orient visitors to the museum and reading room, assist with mailings, programs, documentation, data entry, writing and editing and collections and the Gift Shop. Volunteers are needed to work weekday mornings or afternoons. The Center is open from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Contact Lillian S. Patterson, curator, 703-838-4356.
The Alexandria Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program is looking for volunteers to serve as advocates for children in the Alexandria Juvenile Court. Volunteers conduct interviews with the children, families and professionals involved in the cases, monitor compliance with court orders, write detailed reports and attend court hearings at which they represent the best interest of the child. Volunteers must complete 40 hours of training as well as complete background checks. The time commitment is 10 to 20 hours a month for at least a year. The need for bilingual volunteers is especially great. The next training class begins in September. For more information call Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) at 703-836-1820 or visit www.scanva.org.
The Fairfax Victim Assistant Unit, a program of the Fairfax/Falls Church Community Services Board, is looking for volunteers for its sexual assault and domestic abuse crisis hot line. Training will run Oct. 2-Dec. 1, Wednesday evenings and two Saturdays. Bilingual and bicultural volunteers welcome. For more information, call 703-360-7273.
Tutor/Mentors, Book Buddies, and Reach Out and Read volunteers. Needed to make a difference with children six months to 10 years of age. Working with the Alexandria City Public Schools for the past 23 years, Wright to Read needs you. Days, evenings and week-end opportunities are available. Call 703-549-0111, ext. 142, for more information and upcoming orientation dates.
United Community Ministry needs donations for the food pantry. Current urgent needs include baby food, canned vegetables, pasta and pasta sauce, cereal, canned tuna, rice, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, ramen noodle packages, juice boxes, fruit and pudding cups, individual applesauces, individual cereal boxes, individual crackers and chips, Enfamil with iron for infants and diapers in larger sizes. Donations can be dropped off at 7511 Fordson Road between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday - Friday. UCM can also schedule pickups for donations of food by churches or other organizations. Please contact Cecelia Vergaretti at 703-768-7106 or by email at volunteer@ucmagency.org for more information.
Alexandria Red Cross relies on volunteers to sustain its humanitarian mission for disaster relief efforts, to teach first aid and CPR, for the Friendly Visitor Program and other community service work, special events, administrative support, to work with the Junior Red Cross and for blood donation services for the citizens of Alexandria. Training is provided. Call 703-549-8300 or see the Web site at http://www.alexandriaredcross.org.
Alexandria-based Coats for Kids is trying to provide a coat to every child in need in the city this winter — a goal that will require about $65,000 in funding. To contribute or for more information, call 703-567-2628 or e-mail Paul Darby at coats-for-kids@comcast.net.
Fairfax County's Meals on Wheels program needs volunteers, especially in Alexandria and other eastern sections of Fairfax County. Regular and substitute drivers are needed, and volunteers may deliver prepared meals to homebound elderly people weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. To volunteer, call 703-324-5406 or e-mail beverly.mullis@fairfaxcounty.gov.
The Alexandria Volunteer Bureau compiles lists agencies that are requesting volunteers with specific skills and work experience. To find out about these opportunities or to list a volunteer opportunity with the group, e-mail Volunteer@Alexandriavolunteers.com or call 703-836-2176.
Be Ready, Alexandria, a year-long disaster preparedness campaign, needs volunteers to distribute information citywide. For more information, call 703-836-2176 or e-mail Disaster@AlexandriaVolunteers.com.
The Dale City Volunteer Fire Department is looking for new recruits to serve and protect the community as firefighters and emergency medical technicians. Members of the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department receive free training and equipment, have access to free on site workout facilities at DCVFD stations, and get the opportunity to participate in the Prince William County health and dental plans. Interested individuals can contact the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department at 703-856-4786, email join@dcvfd.org or visit www.dcvfd.org for more information.
Volunteer Fairfax has a new program, Volunteers for Change, a of weekend and weeknight projects. The only commitment you have to make is to a one-time orientation at Volunteer Fairfax’s office in central Fairfax.
Upcoming orientations will be held:
* Thursday, Sept. 30, 6:30-7:30 p.m
* Sunday, Oct. 3, 2-3 p.m.
After orientation, volunteers can choose from any of the 40+ monthly community service projects throughout Northern Virginia. To register for the next orientation, contact Emily Swenson at 703-246-3460 or eswenson@volunteerfairfax.org. Visit www.volunteerfairfax.org for more information.
The National Capital Area affiliate of Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization is seeking volunteers to train as community outreach facilitators. Y-ME will conduct a training class for volunteers at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 6 in Alexandria. Call 703-461-9595 or e-mail yme1986nca@aol.com to register.
Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services needs volunteers to work at the front desk and present basic money-management classes. For front desk volunteers, there is a time requirement of three hours during the day every week or every other week. For more information, call Gloria Curry at 703-768-9404 or e-mail curry@goodhousing.org. The money management sessions are provided one-on-one to clients in Good Shepherd offices and require one two-hour training session. For more information, call Kay Haskins at 703-768-9404 or e-mail khaskins@goodhousing.org.
Sacramento Neighborhood Center is seeking volunteers to share their skills. The center's services include computer classes, support for Latino parents and a children's reading program. For more information, visit the center at 8792E Sacramento Drive, Alexandria, or call 703-619-2964.