Volunteer Connection is a website that matches volunteers with volunteer positions. More than 100 Thurston County non-profit agencies post their needs and events on Volunteer Connection. Fill out a mini profile and click on positions you find interesting. Some recent posts are: Videographer for Kokua; organizational intern for SideWalk; Opening Doors and Super Hero Volunteers for Homes First!; note taker for grant-making panel at the United Way of Thurston County; donation organizers and shelter hosts for Family Support Center; fundraising and development assistant for Rebuilding Together; Housework Angels for Volunteer Chore Services; STARS respite volunteers for Senior Services for South Sound. Check out Volunteer Connection at www.unitedway-thurston.org/VOLUNTEER. For more information, call Sara Kukkonen at 360-943-2773, ext. 22.
Loving Hearts is a crochet and knitting group making items for charities that support babies, cancer patients, and men and women in shelters. It needs more people willing to knit and crochet. The group meets from 12:30-2:30 p.m. on the third and fourth Mondays of each month at Yards of Yarn, 1800 Olympic Highway S, Shelton. For details, or to donate yarn, call Hilda at 360-432-8295.
The YWCA of Olympia needs volunteers to work four-hour shifts in the office and to stock the shelves of The Other Bank on Tuesdays. In addition, the YWCA always accepts donations of hygiene items such as shampoo and dish soap. Call Bree Lafreniere at 360-352-0593 to volunteer or donate.
The Bigelow House Museum needs volunteers to tell the story of early Washington and of pioneers Daniel and Ann Elizabeth Bigelow. Volunteers lead tours, coordinate events, manage membership records, or care for the house and gardens. Visit www.bigelowhouse.org, email: bigelowhousemuseum@gmail.com or call 360-753-1215.
The Crisis Clinic of Thurston and Mason Counties needs volunteers for its Crisis Line and Youth Help Line. After receiving 60 hours of training, volunteers offer free, anonymous, confidential, and nonjudgmental crisis intervention over the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For details about the training, call Nanci at 360-586-2888 ext. 103, or log on to crisis-clinic.org. The Crisis Clinic also needs volunteers for its working board.
Boots to Shoes Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by two Washington businessmen to show their appreciation to military service members. Volunteer mentors attend a free mentoring workshop, then are paired with a veteran who they meet with twice a month. Mentors provide insight into the civilian workforce and discuss career goals and job search strategies. Go to bootstoshoes.org.
Thurston County Sheriff’s Office needs volunteers to help with vacation house checks, business checks, handicap parking violations, iris scan, traffic control at special events, speaking engagements, multi-housing/block watch, and other duties. Each volunteer must complete the two-week volunteer academy, a field training program, and probation status. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have the ability to volunteer for four hours per week, have a valid Washington driver’s license, no criminal history, and a certificate of good health from their doctor. To apply, contact Lt. John Price, and fill out a volunteer application returning it with proper picture ID to the Sheriff’s Office, at 2000 Lakeridge Ave. SW, Olympia. Call 360-786-5657 or email pricej@co.thurston.wa.us for details.
Senior Services for South Sound, a non-profit serving the 55+ population of Thurston and Mason counties, needs volunteer drivers to get seniors to and from essential appointments. Volunteers can use their own vehicle, with mileage reimbursement, or one of the agency vehicles. Its STARS (adult respite care) rooms in Lacey and Olympia also are in need of activities assistants. The Olympia nutrition site needs volunteers from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, to help set-up, prepare, serve, and clean-up for the lunch meal. And its retail fundraisers have openings for customer service volunteers on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays. Call Joyce, 360-586-6181, Ext. 103, for details, or complete the volunteer application online at www.southsoundseniors.org.
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