Volunteer Opportunities 8/17/2012

	United Way of Greater Lafayette
	Volunteer Center	Current Volunteer Needs

Volunteer Needs Column

August 17, 2012

What's New This Week?

Be a Part of the Show
Long Center for the Performing Arts want to know if you:

Love the theater?
Do you have a warm smile and;
a knack for helping guests feel welcomed and valued, enhancing their Long Center experience?
Would you like to enjoy a show for free?

They are looking for volunteer greeters and ushers to assist theater goers. To learn more or inquire about volunteering, visit the volunteer website listing or call 742-5664 x 101.

Learn to Howl with the Wolves

Wolf Park is having their volunteer orientation on Saturday, September 1st at 10am:

orientation lasts two hours;
park at orange entrance gates and meet outside main office;
volunteers should be willing to work two shifts of 4-6 hours a month.

To learn more, email vol.managers@wolfpark.org or call 765-567-2265 ext. 103.

Horses and Disabled Persons

Therapeion Therapeutic Riding Center offers equine assisted programs for persons with disabilities for persons in Tippecanoe, White, and the surrounding counties:

Volunteer orientation sessions; Saturday, August 18th from 9am - 1pm & Sunday, August 26th from 1pm - 5pm.
Eight week fall session begins September 4th;
training in safety, horse handling and grooming, behavior modification, and listening skills;
work alongside the Therapeion instructor, helping the youth and adults in our programs build competence, confidence, cooperation while improving communications and learning skills.

Visit website for more information www.therapeiontrc.com or call (765) 414-8066.

Still Needed

Singing the Blues

Greater Lafayette Commerce is seeking volunteers for the upcoming Jazz & Blues festival on August 25th to:

setup from noon to 3pm;
ticket booth from 4:30 to 7:30 or 9:30pm to Midnight;
sell T-shirts from 4:30 to 7:30pm, 7 to 10pm or 9:30pm to Midnight.

To sign up, visit website: www.uptownjazzandblues.com or call Tiffany at 765-742-4044 ext 114.

Tippy Connect Tri-N-Run Training Series

This Training Series is the official training series of the Purdue Boilermaker Half Marathon taking place on October 20th. There will be a 5k/10k event on August 25th and a 15k on September 22nd...all as a training series for someone who's building up mileage to prepare for the Half Marathon in October. Volunteers are needed for:

registration
on-route directional assistance
timing and general setup

Volunteers would need to meet at the north parking lot of Ross Ade Stadium between 7-8am until 10:30am for the 5k/10k and until 11:30am for the 15k. For more information email Tressa

or call 765-448-4100.

If interested in learning about more volunteer opportunities, contact Amy at the

United Way Volunteer Center or visit:

www.uwlafayettevolunteer.org

Week of Caring

2012 WOC

September 9 -16, 2012

United Way of Greater Lafayette's Week of Caring 2012 is just around the corner!

Last year, more than 450 volunteers completed over 70 projects at many local non-profit organizations during our annual Week of Caring. We need your help to make this year's event an even greater success.

If you want to participate, put together a team and sign up for your project online.

If you have questions you can visit the United Way Week of Caring page,email Amy Wood or call 765-742-9077 x 222.

THE WORD FOR TODAY IS

"VOLUNTEER"

Read to Succeed is a community initiative led by United Way of Greater Lafayette, Greater Lafayette Commerce and local community school corporations designed to motivate our community to engage in our students' academic success.

You can help a student succeed at a local elementary school by volunteering one hour a week. Your time and compassion can make a difference in a child's education.

Five more schools have been added this year, so even more volunteers are needed!

Registration now open for the 2012-2013 school year!

To learn more about the program and choose the school you would like to volunteer with, go to:

www.readtosucceedgreaterlafayette.org

or contact Amy O'Shea at United Way 765-742-9077 x 244

2011-2012 Read to Succeed Volunteer assisting a child with her reading.



No man is so poor as to have nothing worth giving. Give what you have. To someone it may be better than you dare to think. ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Learn more about the United Way

Do you want to find out what the United Way of Greater Lafayette is all about? Visit the website

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Did you Know? Books are like old friends.You know them well and they are fun to visit again and again.Like a visit with an old friend, reading something familiar is fun and supports the development of the reader. Old favorites are selections children have already read and know well and are the first thing to read in the tutoring session. We recommend rereading at least two old favorites if time allows.

12 Benefits from Employee Volunteer Programs

GLC pacesetter stop

Employee volunteer programs are a great way to not only benefit your community, but also your workplace environment and employees. It is easy to begin one of these programs within your office environment. By serving your community as an organization, the community will get to know your business and their employees. Establishing a personal connection with the community will improve the overall attitude that your community has toward your business.

Do you still need to be convinced that an employee volunteer program is worth the time and energy? Check out the top twelve benefits reported by companies who have employee volunteer programs as part of their business plan.

Helps create "healthier communities:" Concepts such as corporate social responsibility create more vibrant and thriving communities because it allows business to practice greener methods and sustainable business measures.
Improves corporate public image: When your business chooses to give back to the community, it is often viewed as a sign of generosity and appreciation from those living in the community. Volunteering shows that your business truly cares about the community and the people with which it operates.
Enhancing impact of monetary donations: Organizations will be more appreciative of your donations when they link a personal value to the donation. Do not just throw money at an organization, but rather help enhance that organization through volunteerism.
Improving relations with community and/ or government: The overall community will think more highly of your business when they see the good that it does for the entire community.
Building employees' teamwork skills: The best way for your employee to get to know each other outside of a work environment is to serve together. It allows employees to interact with coworkers they may never communicate or work with.
Improving employee morale: Volunteering boosts motivation and allows employees to work with each other outside of an office setting. When employees have the chance to give back in a meaningful way for something they care about, they will feel more positively connected to the organization.
Attracting better employees: Your business will have a better chance at recruiting more motivated and driven employees when it offers the chance to give back to the community in addition to work benefits.
Enhancing employee training: A great way to teach your employees useful skills is through volunteer work.
Improving employee retention: Your employees will feel more connected to the company and want to continue their work there when they feel the issues they care about are also important to their company.
Enhancing corporate strategic goals: You can model your volunteer program strategy to accomplish your overall mission statement goals.
Enhancing employee productivity: When employees get a break from the office, they become better workers when they return.
Enhancing company productivity: Get your company's goals accomplished through volunteering!

Start today by choosing a United Way Week of Caring project or contact Amy Wood at the Volunteer Center for ongoing opportunities in the community.