Send announcements to the Connection, 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, send an e-mail to reston@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is Thursday 5 p.m. for the following week’s paper. Call 703-917-6449 with questions.
Halloween Family Fun Day. On Saturday, Oct. 28 at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods, volunteers are needed for any two-hour segment of time from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Goody bags and pizza will be available after the event for volunteers, and t-shirts will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, contact Debbie Heron, youth programs director, at 703-390-6163 or Deborah.heron@fairfaxcounty.gov. Visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com.
Volunteer Fairfax now is accepting volunteer registration for this year’s VolunteerFest, on Saturday, Oct. 28. Volunteers can choose from a variety of projects, such as building an outdoor classroom; assembling care packages for soldiers in Iraq; or helping adapt toys for toddlers and infants with disabilities. For a listing of volunteer projects and to sign up, visit www.volunteerfairfax.org and click on “VolunteerFest 2006” in the dark blue bar on left hand side of the homepage. For questions, contact Erin Whyte at 703-246-3460 or ewhyte@volunteerfairfax.org.
Volunteers for Change, a volunteer program for adults, features a flexible calendar of weekend and weekday evening projects to fit your schedule. The only commitment to make is to a one-time orientation at Volunteer Fairfax’s office in central Fairfax. Orientations will be held Saturday, Nov. 5 from 2 to 3 p.m. and Monday, Nov. 7 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Volunteers for Change also does orientations “on the road.” If you have a corporate, faith-based or civic group of 10 or more people interested in the program, we will bring the orientation to you. Contact Ann Doyle to register for the next orientation at 703-246-3460 ext. 2,2 or e-mail to adoyle@volunteerfairfax.org. Visit www.volunteerfairfax.org.
Children’s Fall Flea Market. On Saturday, Nov. 18 at RCC Hunters Woods volunteers are needed for any segment of time from 7:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Pizza will be provided to volunteers after the event. For more information, contact Debbie Heron, youth programs director, at 703-390-6163 or Deborah.heron@fairfaxcounty.gov. Visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com.
Winter Break Fun Zone. Tuesday, Dec. 26 through Friday, Dec. 29 at Reston Community Center Hunters Woods. Volunteers are needed for any segment of time from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Activities include games, field trips, cooking, photo lab, woodshop, swimming for 20 children and volunteers. For more information, contact Debbie Heron, youth programs director, at 703-390-6163 or Deborah.heron@fairfaxcounty.gov. Visit www.restoncommunitycenter.com.
Neighbors United/Vecinos Unidos of Herndon, a non-profit youth outreach organization, needs volunteers to assist with its after-school tutorial program assisting students in elementary and middle school. Program operates Monday through Thursday, 4:30-6 p.m. in Herndon. Youth ages 16 and up are welcome to volunteer. Substitute tutors are also needed for the substitute list. Call 703-376-8475 or e-mail: info@vecinosunidos.org.
Looking for volunteers to serve on Herndon Festival Entertainment Sub-committee. The staff of the Herndon Parks and Recreation Department is planning next year’s entertainment for the Annual Herndon Festival scheduled for May 31-June 3, 2007.
The Entertainment sub-committee is looking for a few people who would like to volunteer and serve on the Citizens Advisory Committee. Meetings are at 5:30 p.m. at the Herndon Community Center, Tuesday evenings starting in late October. If interested, contact Holly Popple, at 703-435-6800, ext. 2120 or holly.popple@herndon-va.gov.
Be a volunteer that provides practical assistance and priceless companionship to members of your community. Volunteers are needed for tasks such as grocery-shopping, transportation, light housekeeping, seasonal yard work, writing letters, home organization projects, friendly visits, social telephone calls and more.
No time commitment required. Free presentations on “Volunteering” to local interfaith and community groups are available. For more information, contact the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging Cluster Care Program at 703-324-5184 or e-mail trina.mayhan-webb@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Meal Caterers. Volunteer groups are needed to purchase food, prepare (off-site) and deliver bag lunches and/or a meal using guidelines that we provide for Embry Rucker Shelter residents or day laborers in our community. Groups may select up to 3 people to serve the food as well.
Volunteers are needed throughout the year. If interested, contact volunteer@restoninterfaith.org or call 571-323-9567.
Shelter Front Desk Receptionists. Volunteers are needed to assist residents and staff of the Embry Rucker Community Shelter with routine tasks such as answering the telephone, sorting mail, and responding to residents inquiries.
Volunteers are needed for 3-hour daytime shifts during the week, throughout the year. To participate, volunteers must attend a volunteer orientation and complete Reston Interfaith’s volunteer application process.
Volunteers are needed throughout the year and must be at least 18 years old. If interested, contact volunteer@restoninterfaith.org or call 571-323-9567.
Movers. Reston Interfaith needs volunteers to move furniture on northwester Fairfax County from the homes of donors to the homes of formerly homeless families. Volunteers should have their own large vehicle are needed throughout the year. If interested, contact volunteer@restoninterfaith.org or call 571-323-9567.
Volunteer opportunities currently exist for Information Desk Volunteers and Mobile Guides at Washington Dulles International Airport. A Travelers Aid Volunteer must have a friendly, helpful manner and enjoy interacting with people from all over the world. Volunteers are asked to make a commitment to work one 3-4 hour shift per week. Early morning, mid-morning, afternoon, and evening shifts are available seven days a week, with a need for volunteers who can work evening or weekend shifts. Experience in airline/airport operations, customer service work or knowledge of a foreign language are a plus but certainly not necessary. Travelers Aid provides training, themed attire, and courtesy parking. Training is ongoing. Contact 703-572-7350 or Volunteer@mwaa.com.
Volunteers are needed weekdays, 10 a.m.-noon, to guide individuals and families through four rooms of the Kidwell Farmhouse at Frying Pan Park in Herndon. Training is provided. Preferred commitment is at least two shifts per month. Kidwell Farm, located at Frying Pan Park and operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority, recreates the era from 1920 to 1950 when family dairy farms blanketed the local landscape. Call Sherry Bizette at 703-437-5318 or apply online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks.
The Fairfax County Health Department is launching a major volunteer recruitment drive to staff the Fairfax Medical Reserve Corps, a program of the Fairfax County Citizen Corps. More than 13,000 medical and nonmedical volunteers are needed to respond to a full-scale public-health emergency in Fairfax County. In the event of a bioterrorism attack or a naturally occurring epidemic, MRC volunteers would be called upon to staff vaccination or medication dispensing sites. In a worst case scenario, this could mean providing for all residents in Fairfax County — more than 1 million people — in three to five days. To accomplish this, 96 teams, comprising 142 people per team, would staff dispensing sites at all county public-high schools and George Mason University. In addition, a large number of non-medical volunteers are needed to provide general support, such as assisting patients with forms and performing data entry and other administrative tasks. Contact Foster at 703-246-2485, TTY 703-591-6435, or by e-mail at donna.foster@fairfaxcounty.gov or visit www.fairfaxcountycitizencorps.org.
The Northern Virginia Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program is seeking volunteers for nursing homes or assisted living facilities in their communities and weekly visits. Listening, observing and mediating, the ombudsman works with the residents, their families and the facility staff to ensure that resident’s rights are protected and they are being adequately helped. Applicants must successfully complete training and must be available to volunteer four hours per week during regular business hours. Call 703-324-5435. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ombudsman.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training is recruiting volunteers to train for marathons and races to honor local cancer patients. Call 703-960-1100 or visit www.teamintraining.org.
World Heritage Student Exchange program, a public benefit organization, is seeking local host families for high school boys and girls from Spain, France, Germany, Thailand, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, Denmark and Italy. Students are already awaiting word on their host family for the 2006-07 academic school year. Host families provide room, board and guidance for a teenager living thousands of miles from home. Couples, single parents and families with and without children in the home are all encouraged to apply. The exchange students arrive from their home country shortly before school begins fall 2006. Call Judith Henderson at 1-800-888-9040.
Odyssey Companions are needed for about two hours each week, to provide empathetic care, such as reading, talking, writing letters for the patient, holding hands or watching television. Other occasional tasks might be to run errands or prepare a simple meal. Companions are not required to do any lifting and the visits are flexible according to your schedule. If you have more time to give and enjoy talking on the phone, our very busy staff would really appreciate your assistance for a four-hour shift each week. Call Carol at 703-821-9200, for an application form.
The Bargain Loft is a local thrift store located at 336 Victory Drive in Herndon. It is run by an all-volunteer staff, and is clean and air-conditioned. All the money made by the Bargain Loft goes to help Herndon/Reston FISH, which helps people with emergency needs such as money for rent, utilities or medicines. Bargain Loft is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. There are two shifts, mornings from 10 a.m.-noon and afternoons from noon-2 p.m. The Loft particularly needs people on Saturdays and can always use teenagers who want to acquire some Community Service time. Call Mr. Stringer at 703-437 0600.
Volunteers needed at the Herndon Adult Day Health Care Center. The center is looking for individuals to run the following programs: bingo, ceramics, any musical programs/sing-alongs, horticulture programs and individuals interested in helping with community trips. Process involves an interview, filling out paperwork, criminal background check, TB screening and orientation. Call Kelly Fowler at 703-435-8729.
People who are looking for an opportunity to help folks directly and can stay by their home phones for just one day a month can become a Family Assistance volunteer, providing “Friendly Instant Sympathetic Help” to your neighbors in need. Last year FISH helped 931 families and individuals with financial assistance totaling more than $120,000. FISH also needs drivers to take elderly and disabled persons to local doctor appointments and to help pick up furniture donations call 703-437-0600.
Volunteer Emergency Families For Children needs volunteers willing to open their homes and provide short-term — one to 21 days— emergency shelter to local children who are victims of abuse, neglect, etc. Volunteers can choose the age, gender and length of stay for each placement. Most requests in this area are for three- to five-day stays. Call 800-756-6167 or e-mail MMiller@VEFC.org for details.
CrisisLink, the greater Washington region’s 24/7 suicide and trauma prevention, intervention and response hotline is seeking volunteers to take calls and respond to individuals in need. The training program provides volunteers with necessary skills to give referrals and to help callers in crisis develop problem-solving strategies. Hotline volunteers must attend 43 hours of intensive training in active listening and crisis intervention and are required to make an additional 150-hour commitment upon completion. Flexible hours are available upon close of training. Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older. Call 703-516-6770 or visit www.crisislink.org.
Reston Interfaith seeks volunteers to staff the winter coat closet through the month of February. Volunteers make an on-going commitment to assist clients in selecting coats, greet donors and sort out coat donations. Call Susan Stolpe at 571-323-9569, or volunteer@restoninterfaith.org.
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. To learn more about this volunteer opportunity, visit our Web site at www.casafairfax.org or call or e-mail the Fairfax CASA’s Recruitment & Training Manager at 703-273-3526 or e-mail staff@casafairfax.org.
Volunteer Tutors Needed: Volunteers are needed for day and evening hours to work one-to-one with adult learners in public libraries or adult learning centers. Additional opportunities are available working with adolescents in alternative school settings. The Volunteer Learning Program trains tutors, assesses learners and provides materials with follow-up support. VLP is a joint community project of the Fairfax County Public Schools (Adult & Community Education), Fairfax County’s Juvenile Court and the Fairfax County Public Library. Call 703-246-2139 or e-mail VLP@fcps.edu.
Fairfax County’s Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers. Meals on Wheels needs drivers to deliver meals to house-bound elderly in areas including Herndon and Reston. Both regular and substitute drivers are being sought. Drivers can volunteer on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. Meals are picked up from a designated site in the community between 10:30-11 a.m. It takes about two hours to complete a delivery route. To volunteer, call the Meals on Wheels Volunteer Intake Hotline at 703-324-5406, TTY 703-449-1186, or e-mail beverly.mullis@fairfaxcounty.gov. For reasonable ADA accommodations, call Pam Graff at 703-324-5410, TTY 703-449-1186. Additional information and volunteer job descriptions can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/service/aaa.
The Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry is looking for adults interested in mentoring a child through the agency’s PALS Mentoring Program. Volunteers make a one-year commitment to a child and visit with their “Pal” twice a month. PALS mentors are needed throughout Northern Virginia for minority children ranging in age from 6 to 15 years old. Training and ongoing support is provided by NOVAM, and an agency funded background check is required. Call Briana Jordan at 703-746-0440, Ext. 15.
World Heritage is a non-profit organization seeking families, couples or single parents who are interested in hosting a high-school aged foreign-exchange student. Call Judith at 800-888-9040 or visit www.world-heritage.org.
Odyssey Healthcare, a hospice provider, is seeking volunteers in the Northern Virginia community to visit and/or assist terminally ill patients and their families for one to two hours per week. Training will be provided. Call Karen Baroody at 703-821-9200 or e-mail kabaroody@odsyhealth.com.
Volunteers are needed for day and evening hours to work one-to-one with adult learners in public libraries or adult learning centers. Additional opportunities are available working with adolescents in alternative school settings. The Volunteer Learning Program (VLP) trains tutors, assesses learners, and provides materials with follow-up support. VLP is a joint community project of the Fairfax County Public Schools Adult & Community Education, Fairfax County’s Juvenile Court, and the Fairfax County Public Library. Call 703-246-2139 or e-mail VLP@fcps.edu.
With the help of Kidsave, children living in orphanages in Colombia, Russia and Kazakhstan, ages 7 to 15, will travel to the U.S., live with host families for six weeks, and attend day camp. This program aims to increase the awareness of the plight of orphaned children and gives these 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. Those interested in making a difference in these children’s lives, 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.
Volunteers are needed for the Reston-Herndon American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) tutoring/mentoring program at Forest Edge Elementary School which provides help for academically at-risk young girls. This ongoing activity provides support with friendship, homework help and fun from 3:15-4:15 p.m. each Tuesday that school is in session. Call Fran Lovaas at 703-318-9628 or email flovaas@aol.com. Visit http://seiz2day.com/aauw/tutoring.htm
The Center for Multicultural Human Services is seeking CHAMPS mentors to provide children of prisoners in Northern Virginia with friendship, recreational activities and constructive example. Call Ellen Klene at 703-533-3302, Ext. 107 or e-mail eklene@cmhs.org.
Fairfax County General Court Services is seeking volunteers and interns to assist in the Fairfax County General District Court performing administrative tasks. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age and successfully pass a criminal background investigation. Call Lorraine Lottahall at 703-246-4760 or e-mail lorraine.lottahall@fairfaxcounty.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic has issued a release calling to fill a “critical need” for bilingual volunteers who can speak both English and Spanish. The foundation, which serves to fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, needs the volunteers for interview and document translation and wish granting. Since 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has fulfilled more than 5,500 wishes for children living in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, Maryland and Delaware.
For more information, call the Make-A-Wish Foundation at 301-962-9474.
Volunteer tutors are needed for day and evening hours to work one-to-one with adult learners in public libraries or adult learning centers. Additional opportunities are available working with adolescents in alternative school settings. The Volunteer Learning Program trains tutors, assesses learners, and provides materials with follow-up support. VLP is a joint community project of the Fairfax County Public Schools Adult and Community Education, Fairfax County’s Juvenile Court, and the Fairfax County Public Library. Call 703-246-2139 or e-mail VLP@fcps.edu.
Fairfax County Police are seeking volunteers who are interested in becoming auxiliary police officers. APOs are trained to perform a variety of operational support and administrative duties, which include patrol, traffic control, security of prisoners, communications, desk assignments, fingerprinting, crime prevention and special events. Auxiliary officers undergo almost as much training as regular police officers, but because they offer their services on a volunteer basis, they provide a considerable savings to county taxpayers while relieving patrol officers to handle assignments that only they can perform. The police department provides uniforms, equipment and insurance. Auxiliary officers must perform an average of 24 hours of volunteer service a month to maintain their status in the unit. To be considered applicants must live in Northern Virginia and be at least 21 years of age. Applicants must be in good health and without a criminal record or history of drug use, and not be an applicant for police officer in any jurisdiction. Call the auxiliary coordinator at 703-280-0576.
The Advisory Board of the Northwest Center for Mental Health in Fairfax County is looking for volunteers. The non-profit board meets monthly on first Wednesday evenings. Applications are accepted on a continuing basis. Call Cleveland Williams at 703-435-0868 or e-mail sue.boucher@fairfaxcounty.gov.
The Fairfax County Public Library seeks volunteers to assist staff in its Public Information Office a minimum of two hours per week. Candidates must read English well, be detail-oriented and able to work at the Fairfax County Government Center near Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax. Familiarity with local newspapers a plus. Call Linda Gifford at 703-324-8324 or Linda.Gifford@fairfaxcounty.gov.
The Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (JDRDC) is seeking volunteer Spanish language interpreters to assist court staff and clients at the Old Courthouse, 4000 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax City and at off-site facilities. Training will be provided. Those who qualify as volunteers in this program will serve assignments in various units in the court and provide in-house translations at: JDRDC offices in the courthouse — Domestic Relations, Juvenile Intake, Adult Probation, Family Systems, Special Services, Community Service, Restitution, Formal and Informal Hearings, Records, Clerks and Administration. JDRDC off-site facilities — North County, East County, Center County, Juvenile Detention Center, Less Secure Shelter, Boys Probation House and Girls Probation House.
Fluency is required in both English and Spanish. A commitment to a weekly four-hour shift during business hours (8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) for at least six months is required. Applicants must be at least 21 years of age. Volunteer applicants will be required to successfully complete a DMV, Child Protective Service and criminal history record check.
For more information about the Volunteer Interpreter Program or to request an application, contact the volunteer coordinator, Loida Gibbs, at 703-246-2856, TTY 703-273-3713, or loida.gibbs@fairfaxcounty.gov.
The Fairfax Area Agency on Aging’s “Meals on Wheels” program is in immediate need of volunteers to deliver meals during the week, Monday - Friday, to senior adults who live in the Reston/Herndon area. The job involves picking up meals at specified sites between 10:30 a.m. - noon, and delivering the meals to seniors by 1 p.m. Drivers can choose to deliver meals on a daily, weekly, monthly or substitute basis. Mileage reimbursement is available. For more information or to volunteer, call 703-324-5406 or E-mail melanie.mitchell@fairfaxcounty.gov.
Reston Museum has a number of opportunities open for volunteers to be on duty in the museum and shop in 2 or 4 hour shifts on a flexible basis - one shift per week, or per month. No special experience is required, and training will be provided. Reston Museum is open from 12-5 p.m., Wednesday - Sunday, at 1639 Washington Plaza in Lake Anne Village Center. An opportunity for those interested in learning more about the award-winning planned community of Reston. To volunteer, e-mail Reston Museum Volunteer Coordinator, Shelley Mastran, at shellmast@comcast.net, or leave a message at Reston Museum, 703-709-7700.