Do you volunteer?

[Minerva Mouse]

I keep meaning to, I need to. Where do you volunteer and what do you do?

 

[jen73]

yes! I volunteer at our local safety town (a mini town next to our fire station where elem school kids visit and learn about safety) I assist the firemen while they teach the class. I do that once a week.

I am also a city volunteer and help out at major city events. We have daddy/daughter & mom/son dances. We also have xmas events, cowboy day, egg hunts, and I also help out at the food pantry. Whenever they can, our teen boys help out. So its been great for us, quality time, and the city. Its a win for all.

 

[Sadie22]

I volunteered with youth organizations my children belonged to as a leader and driver. I helped the newsletter editor. Many people continue to do this type of thing when their children age out. I volunteered at their schools. I assisted in the kindergarten and in the library and contributed to bake sales. I sing in a choir at church and contribute to craft fairs and bake sales.

You can find a place where your talents will be appreciated or just your time is needed to make something happen for other people, old or young.

 

[mnrose]

Yes, I volunteer a lot of time at my kids' school. I am the wardrobe mistress (fancy title, huh?) for the choir. I make costumes for a theater group that my D is involved in. I also help make quilts for a homeless shelter at a local church. And, no I'm not a particularly talented seamstress. The biggest thing they look for is a willingness to try. If you can sew a straight seam, there are organizations who would definitely welcome you with open arms.

Love all these things. It keeps me involved in something bigger than myself, and plus they allow me to meet very intriguing people.

 

[Jedana]

I keep meaning to, I need to. Where do you volunteer and what do you do?

DH and I both volunteer with Boy Scouts. I have been a pack committee chair, Cub camp volunteer and Cub Camp director. DH has been a den leader for 5 years, assistant cub master for 2 and assistant scoutmaster for 1.

In the past, we've volunteered with Girl Scouts (I was an assistant leader for DD2's Brownie troop, and assistant cookie mom with my sister for her girls), Make a Wish (DH), various food banks, and with DD2's band booster organization (vice president, 3 years). Also, with various sports organizations, that our girls have part of (soccer, softball, etc).

Also, each year, we support the Christmas Child drive, where you fill a shoe box with goodies and it is shipped around the globe. We usually do 4 or 5 shoe boxes each year. I usually help with handing out the shoe boxes, gathering them up and sealing them for shipping, but I didn't do that this year. Last year, DH had his Cubs make tie blankets for the animal shelters. We purchased (from den funds) the material to make large and small blankets, I cut the material (including the tie strips, so they were even) and the boys tied them. I think we ended up with 10 cat blankets and 6 dog blankets---not bad for 6 boys.

DD1 has been to Mexico and Cozumel building houses with her church, and to the Appalachians, helping to teach. Plus food bank work and volunteering at the library, reading to children, and helping them to find good books to read.

DD2 has volunteered through the zoo (5 years) and has helped with Cub Camps as a volunteer; now she is volunteering with the Marine Wives group where her DH is stationed, doing the events that are held for the service members and their families.

DS has done food drives (6 so far), and last year, he ran a card drive for the pack, gathering Christmas cards to send to our troops overseas. From the pack of 83 boys, he got 427 cards! The only thing we did to help him with the drive is talk to the Cubmaster about giving him time to set this up---he bought 7 boxes of cards from Walmart (out of his allowance) and handed them to the scouts himself. Many people added in cards of their own. He gathered them up, took them to the post office, and shipped them to the group handling the hand out. We did pay for the shipping, but he was willing to do it himself.

 

[Hillbeans]

I teach catechism to 8th graders one night a week, and I volunteer 3x a year as a chaperone for dances at school.

 

[cabanafrau]

Church, schools, scouts, community homeless shelter, various county agency events. Currently cutting back on school & scout events because my youngest is older & I have to take on more responsibilities w/ our aging parents.

 

[Jennasis]

Sure do! Special Olympics coach of nearly 12 years. Love my athletes!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I teach catechism to 8th graders one night a week, and I volunteer 3x a year as a chaperone for dances at school.

I volunteer with my DD at the local Humane Society

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

I volunteer at various aquariums doing dolphin rehab, with Florida Fish and Wildlife doing manatee rescues and releases, and a lemur facility doing animal care with the lemurs.

 

[Art 1]

I keep meaning to, I need to. Where do you volunteer and what do you do?

I have a good bit in the past but haven't now for some time.

 

[Nayan]

I volunteer at a no-kill shelter twice a week.

 

[minkydog]

I am part of a disaster response team through the Methodist church. I also cook & serve meals ay a homeless shelter once a month.

 

[SC Minnie]

I have volunteered quite a bit in the past but have cut back this year since I've picked up a part time job to go with my full time job.

I've been on the Race for the Cure Committee for 4 years for the Charlotte race.
In a knitting group at church that knit/crochets prayers shawls for Hospice patients/sick church members and baby hats for newborns at the hospital.
On the international committee at church that organized the two week stay at Christmas of college students in the US originally from other countries.

When DD was younger I volunteered a lot with things she was involved in.

 

[Lady Marie]

I volunteer at a cat shelter once a week. DH said 1 cat at home was enough so I it helps me keep my inner crazy cat lady in check and also feels great to give time and love to the kitties who don't have a forever home yet!

 

[laurafergie]

OP have you looked at volunteermatch.org? It may give you some ideas.

In the past I have volunteered at a business association run Antique Flea Market once a month. I was an elementary school library volunteer for YEARS. I have cooked at a Ronald McDonald House.

Lately I have been working in the high school's concession stand for the Band and I help buy for the Food Pantry.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

If church counts, then yes. I am currently a church officer, play in the bell choir, help with the audio/video, and teach during VBS.


I also run the website and twitter account for my son's high school's music department parent booster club.

 

[Pigeon]

Regional Food Bank. This organization provides food to dozens of food pantries throughout the region. We open boxes of food and supplies donated by local grocery stores, inspect the food for freshness and appropriateness and sort into boxes for shipment to the food pantries. This can be hard, physical work, but I love it.

Dog rescue. We just volunteer at the clinics where the public comes to meet dogs. My kids would love for us to foster, but we aren't home enough for that to be a good idea.

Literacy Volunteers of America. We aren't doing it at the moment, but will when the teens go off to college. We were ESL tutors to immigrant families. We loved doing this very much. It was a privilege and honor the way these folks welcomed us into their families.

 

[canadianjovigirl]

My time outside of work and home and running kids is spent volunteering at a cat rescue with my youngest daughter and volunteering at hospice. That is a tough one and took a year off not to long ago as I had to regroup and take a break from my heartache of it all.

My daughter volunteers at the cat rescue, seniors lodge doing ice cream cart on Saturdays and being a weekly visitor, she also volunteers at the hospital in acute care on Fridays and picks up any other opportunity she is asked to help out for at the seniors lodge or thru our town for the arts festival, museum pie social etc.

 

[antmaril]

Yes, I am a Hospice volunteer. I work in the office one day a week.