March 29, 2024
Annapolis, US 45 F

Volunteer for the New Year

VolunteersMany Volunteer positions are available through the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Center. If you do not see an opportunity below that fits your needs, contact the Volunteer Center at [email protected] or 410-897-9207. Check our Website: www.aacvc.org. A few current volunteer opportunities are listed below.

Heartland Hospice Services

Heartland Hospice provides hospice care to patients with limited life expectancy as well as support to their caregivers. Volunteers, age 18 and up with a driver’s license, are needed as Friendly Visitors to visit patients in their home or nursing home, as Vigil Volunteers to sit with patients without immediate family who are nearing death, and as Bereavement Volunteers to call on families of those recently deceased. Clerical and Special Project Volunteers are also needed to help with mailings, office projects, and to create special gifts for patients. For more information, see web site: https://www.heartlandhospice.com/volunteers/.   

Mane Event at Andover Equestrian Center

Mane Event is a non-profit corporation that gives lessons in horsemanship and horseback riding to children and adults with a wide range of emotional, cognitive and physical disabilities. These therapeutic riding lessons are conducted under the supervision of a PATH International certified instructor. In addition to therapeutic riding, The Center also offers hippotherapy, equine facilitated therapy for riders with specific and prescribed therapy goals. Hippotherapy sessions are led by a licensed physical, occupational or speech therapist. Volunteers are used in certain capacities in both therapeutic riding and hippotherapy to provide assistance to the rider/client and to manage/control the horse. Volunteers are also needed to care for the horses, assist with barn chores, special events and fund-raising. For more information contact Amy Wilcox at [email protected] or 410-662-7858. See website: www.maneeventride.org.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic

Make-A-Wish® Mid-Atlantic seeks wish-granting volunteers! Work in teams of two to meet with wish families, help children discover their most heartfelt wish, and enhance the wish experience.  This is a long term volunteer opportunity.  Must be 21 years of age; application process, cleared background check and training class are required. For more information, contact [email protected] or call (301) 962-9474.  Website: www.midatlantic.wish.org.

Pearlstone Center

The Pearlstone Center is a retreat center and farm with programs that enable and inspire vibrant Jewish life by engaging Jewish, faith-based, and secular organizations, individuals, and families. Pearlstone serves all ages and backgrounds throughout Baltimore, the Chesapeake region, and beyond. There is a continuing need for volunteers and interns for a variety of animal care and other farm tasks as well as for specialized projects including: Animal health, flowers & herbs, harvest handling, nutrition, landscape art projects, integrated pest management, marketing & design, compost & soil, green energy and more! For more information contact: [email protected] or 410-500-5417 & see website at www.pearlstonecenter.org/

Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary

Volunteers of all ages can help in four categories: ecological research, environmental education, stewardship, and behind-the-scenes. Participate for a day or for years; work on a group or solo project; collect water samples, clear trails, guide visitors on nature walks, lead canoe trips, be a box turtle caretaker, welcome visitors, and much more. For more information visit our website at www.jugbay.org/volunteer , call 410-741-9330, or email Melinda Fegler, Volunteer Coordinator, at [email protected].  Extra volunteers may be needed for the following events:

7:30am – 9:30am Thu, Jan. 7, 21, Feb. 4, and 18, 2016, Winter Waterbird Survey: Come and join the amazing volunteer birding team of Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary! The ornithological knowledge of this team is a phenomenal learning and collaborative experience. All of this in the beautiful early morning light of Jug Bay on the Patuxent River. The Winter Waterbird Survey is a four stop point count conducted bi-weekly during the non-breeding season. It tracks the diversity and abundance of geese, swans, ducks, shorebirds, raptors, and other avian species that frequent the wetlands of the Jug Bay area. Contact Melinda Fegler.

1:00–3:00 p.m., Sat., Feb. 6, 2016, Winter Tree Identification Workshop: Ages: 18 and older Fee: Free with $6 vehicle entrance fee. Ever wonder what kind of tree are you looking at while during your winter hike? This is your opportunity to learn tree identification by looking at signs such as bark, buds, and twigs. Join Naturalist Elaine Friebele for a short lecture and a hands-on hike through our forest to learn and practice your newly learned skills. Registration Required: Call 410-741-9330 or email [email protected].

10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., Fri., Jan. 8, Sat., Jan. 16, Fri., Jan. 22, Fri., Feb. 12, Sat., Feb. 20, and Fri., Feb. 26, 2016, Vernal Pool Monitoring: Join our Vernal Pool monitoring volunteer team. We will meet at 10:00 am and hike out to assess hydrology and herp activity at each of our pools. Contact Melinda Fegler.

10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Sat., Jan. 21 & Fri. Jan. 29, 2016, Adopt-A-Plot Training: Come learn the ropes of our Adopt-A-Plot Monitoring Program. Volunteers will immerse themselves in one (or more!) 100-sq-meter plots within the sanctuary to monitor plant diversity, signs of animal presence, and other key factors that increase our understanding of this beautiful place. Contact Melinda Fegler.

Friday, January 15, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm (Galloway Creek); Saturday, January 16, 9:30 am – 12:00 pm (Two Run Branch) and 12:00 – 2:30 pm (Pindell Branch), Friday, February 19, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm (Galloway Creek); Saturday, February 20, 2016, 9:30 am to 12:00 pm (Two Run Branch) and 12:00 – 2:30 pm (Pindell Branch), Stream Water Chemistry: Volunteers will be conducting field tests on dissolved oxygen content and other parameters. Water samples are also collected for lab analysis. New volunteers interested in assisting the study should contact Melinda Fegler, Volunteer Coordinator, at 410-741-9330.

Quilts for Kids, Annapolis Chapter

The national organization’s mission is to keep fabric out of our landfills and bring happiness to children through the simple gift of a handmade quilt. Volunteers, age 12 and up, are needed for an ongoing project to serve children in hospitals and shelters in Annapolis and surrounding communities. Basic sewing skills are necessary but instruction will be provided for quilting. Volunteers must have a sewing machine and transportation. Quilting workshops are held monthly on the third Saturday of the month from 10:30 am – 1:30 pm at the Bay Area Community Church upstairs in room 223.  Everyone is welcome!  Contact Janet Hogan at [email protected] or 410-279-2851.  See Web: http://annapolisquiltsforkids.blogspot.com

St. Mary’s Church English as a Second Language (ESL) Program

St Mary’s ESL Program has a pressing need for volunteers to teach English one night a week to adult ESL students for the January–May semester.  The 7 levels of classes are held on Tues., Wed., and Thurs. evenings, 7:00-8:45 p.m., at St. Mary’s High School in downtown Annapolis, 12 January–12 May 2016.  Each teacher is asked to commit to one class/one night a week. Spanish-language ability is preferred for beginner classes only. Those with ESL or any teaching experience as well as those with a keen interest in working with students to help them learn/perfect their English are encouraged to apply. Formal and on the job training will be provided. For registration and/or further information about the Program or Training, contact Faculty & Student Coordinator Bunny Wilson at 410-544-5584, [email protected] or Coordinator Eneida Green at 410-800-4717, [email protected].  We look forward to having you join us in this our 14th year of service. Web site– http://www.stmarysannapolis.org/ESL.

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