Volunteering
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Votes

Volunteering

<lst>The Naomi Project, a free, confidential, interfaith program sponsored by the Virginia Council of Churches, needs volunteers who will be trained to serve as mentors to disadvantaged pregnant women and new mothers. Training is Saturday, March 11, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Falls Church Presbyterian Church, 225 E. Broad St., Falls Church. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Spanish-speaking volunteers are especially needed. Contact Pilar Jones at 703 860-2633 or naomiproject@hotmail.com.

Volunteers needed for the upcoming 2006 Fall Festival-Celebrate Virginia Today; celebrating all that Virginia has to offer with Virginia-made food and beverages, arts and crafts, classes how to do, make or cook, music and strolling entertainers, door prizes and maybe even a min-festival of VIrginia-made films. If it’s made in VIrgina we’ll probably have it. Contact Diane Cruz at 703 790 0123 at the McLean Community Center.

Volunteers-mark your calendars for the McLean Day 2006 Volunteer Orientation set. Middle or high school student in need of community service hours can earn hours. Orientation is scheduled for Monday, April 3 or Wednesday, April 5 from 4-5 p.m. Botth sessions will be held at the Old Firehouse Teen Center, 1440 Chain Bridge Rd. Brings your friends and sign up for a position that suits you. McLean Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 20. Contact the McLean Comunity Center at 703-790-0123. On

Wheat's Lawn & Landscape is offering a $1,000 scholarship to one high school senior that is dedicated to serving the community in the McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Oakton, North Arlington and Falls Church areas.

Wheat's Lawn & Landscape's 2006 Student Volunteer Scholarship will be granted to a student that has a proven record of volunteer service. The purpose of the scholarship is to reward students for their volunteer service in an effort to promote youth volunteerism. Application forms can be obtained at www.wheats.com or by calling 703-641-4790. The deadline for accepting scholarship nominations is April 1, 2006. Send nominations to: Wheat's Lawn & Landscape's 2006 Student Volunteer Scholarship, Attn: Mike Wheat, PO Box 6152

McLean, VA 22106.

The Shepherd's Center in Vienna is the recipient of a $5000 grant, to be used for outreach programs, from the Giving Circle of HOPE. The Giving Circle provides funds and assistance to people in need in Northern Virginia. They award grants, ranging from $2,000 to $5,000, to agencies “seeking to promote the self-sufficiency and well-being of Northern Virginians in need.”

At the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce offices, the Giving Circle honored the 12 Northern Virginia agencies receiving grants. Over 100 grant recipients, their board members, Giving Circle members, and guests attended the event.

The Shepherd’s Center plans to use the grant money to meet the needs of aging Northern Virginians through seminars, educational programs, and services to foster independent living. Contact The Shepherd’s Center at 703-281-0538.

Leadership Fairfax Inc. (LFI) is seeking nominations for this year’s Katherine K. Hanley Public Service Award. The purpose of the award is to grant recognition for outstanding accomplishments in the areas of public service employment or service on a public board, authority or commission for sustained contributions to the quality of life in the community. Candidates from the following jurisdictions are eligible: Fairfax County, cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, and the towns of Clifton, Herndon and Vienna. Nominations are due to the Leadership Fairfax offices by Feb. 22, 2006.

LFI will present the award to the honoree at the annual Leadership Fairfax Board of Supervisors Breakfast on March 22, 2006. To learn more visit www.leadershipfairfax.org or call 703-752-7555.

Kidsave aims to increase the awareness of the plight of orphaned children and give children the chance to meet families who can change their lives. Over the past six years, more than 90 percent of the children have been adopted by families they met while in the U.S. for their summer camp experience. Visit www.kidsave.org, contact the Kidsave Volunteer Coordinator, Alla Kamins with questions at 571-243-1897 or e-mail her at alla@global.t-bird.edu

Angels of Mercy Program is asking scout, school and church groups to collect new or used CDs and DVDs for its program supporting wounded military at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and at hospitals in Iraq. Call Marian at 703-938-8930 or visit www.McLeanPost270.org/oifoef.

Share, Inc., an all-volunteer McLean-based non-profit that provides help to needy individuals and families, needs volunteers to prepare schedules for furniture pick-ups and deliveries. Schedulers work one week at a time in rotation; work is done at home using telephone and computer. A scheduler must be proficient with e-mail and MSWord, attentive to details, and willing to work several hours during the week in which he or she is on duty. Email iauerbach@cox.net.

The Junior League of Northern Virginia is accepting new members for the 2005-2006 League year. They are looking for women to make an impact in the community. Email mit@jlnv.org or call 703-442-4163 or visit www.jlnv.org. Membership applications and dues must be received by December 15 in order to join the Winter class. The Junior League of Northern VA is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

Odyssey HealthCare, 8381 Old Courthouse Road, Sider, is seeking volunteers, men and women who are dedicated to creating a safe haven for all who are affected by the end of life's journey. Hospice volunteers need no special skills and will receive specialized training in the care of and communication with the terminally ill and their families.

Volunteers are needed for about an hour each week, to provide companionship, such as reading, talking, writing letters for the patient, holding hands or watching television. Other tasks might be to run errands, perform light housework or prepare a simple meal. Volunteers can also do clerical work in our office or service on our Bereavement Team. Volunteers are not required to do any lifting and the visits are flexible according to your schedule. Call 703-821-9200.

Make a difference in a child’s life and become a mentor with CHAMPS. Mentors in this program are volunteers who provide children of prisoners in Northern Virginia with friendship, recreational activities and constructive example. Contact Ellen Klene at 703-533-3302 Ext. 107 or eklene@cmhs.org for more information.

Fairfax Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is recruiting community-minded citizens from diverse backgrounds to volunteer as advocates for children whose families have been cited for abuse and neglect by the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. The role of a CASA is to investigate a child’s situation and to advocate for what is in the best interest of the child in court. All CASA volunteers undergo training to prepare them for this role, and no prior experience in child welfare is required. Visit www.casafairfax.org or contact the Fairfax CASA’s Recruitment & Training Manager at 703-273-3526 or staff@casafairfax.org.

The Great Falls Optimist Club is a child-centered non-profit organization that focuses its activities on supporting, encouraging and challenging children to reach greater heights. A voluntary organization, the club is always interested in welcoming new members and volunteers. Among the many annual projects sponsored by the club are the Fall Festival and Fourth of July event in Great Falls. In addition, the club has raised funds for: providing local learning centers with mentoring support, money and equipment to address the needs of learning and emotionally challenged students; supporting local youth and sport groups through donations; providing local families with needed meals and gifts during the holidays; contributing to Special Olympics, Operation Smile, a floating dental charity performing plastic surgery for children of third world countries, and Habitat for Humanity; supporting the Analemma Society in its efforts to establish an astronomical education facility at Turner Farm Park; contributing to Turner Farm Park; honoring local police and emergency personnel; and much more.

If interested in joining the Great Falls Optimist Club or volunteering at specific events, contact T.R. Cook, president, at 703-938-5885 or cooksphotoart@aol.com, or Angela Bongiorno, membership co-chair, at 703-759-2925 or angela.bongiorno@verizon.net.

Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League (MAGDRL) is looking for good homes for orphan Great Danes. MAGDRL is a nine-state, all-volunteer organization that is funded solely by grants, donations and fund-raisers. They use those funds to restore sick Great Dane orphans to health and find adoptive home for rescued Great Danes from New York to North Carolina. In addition, their volunteers host educational events and provide support for current Great Dane owners by suggesting counseling and training that may help them keep their dogs. MAGDRL has Great Danes available for adoption that are already spayed/neutered and up-to-date on vaccines. Our orphans range in age from puppies to seniors. The adoption fee is $300 for orphans under 1 year and $275 for those over 1 year. Fencing is required, and MAGDRL will work with applicants to find a good fit for their lifestyle and their family. To offer a home for a Great Dane or to volunteer, visit www.magdrl.org or call 703-644-8009.