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Making
A Difference:
The Volunteer Information Center
April
18, 2001
Do
you have a skill or talent you want to share but
you’re not sure where to put it to good use?
Do you want to help abused kids, senior citizens
or abandoned animals but you’re not sure how to get
started? Are you just looking to make a difference in
your community? The Franklin County Volunteer
Information Center can help. The Volunteer Information
Center is a clearinghouse of volunteer opportunities --
matching people who want to volunteer with agencies that
need their help.
The
Community Service program at Deerfield Academy has long
known that volunteering is a great way to get their
students to give back to the community. They sponsor an
annual Heritage Day where the entire student body does
volunteer work in the community, and each term students
can elect a community service project for their required
extracurricular activity. Recently, the Community
Service program joined forces with the United Way of
Franklin County to create the Volunteer Information
Center (VIC).
Located
at Deerfield Academy, the VIC was the brainchild of
Deerfield's Community Service Director Maggie Sweeney
and administrator Marshall Schell. It is directed by Jan
Rogers, a retired Deerfield Academy teacher, and is ably
staffed by two student volunteers.
"Everyone
should take the opportunity to volunteer," student
Nick Anderson told me. "It's a great way to learn
about your community." Anderson, who is a junior at
Deerfield Academy and a lifelong Erving resident, says
he's learned a lot more about the region through his
work with the VIC. "I'd always heard about the
biggies -- like NELCWITT and Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
But there are hundreds of smaller organizations out
there doing great things and they need volunteers
too."
The
VIC has information on 55 non-profit agencies, and more
than 40 volunteer opportunities. Give them a call. Tell
them what you're good at and what you'd like to do and
they'll refer you to an agency that could use your help.
You
know, volunteering can improve your life, find you a
mate and lower your cholesterol. OK, it may not actually
lower your cholesterol, but it certainly can improve
your life and you never know who you might meet! So call
the Franklin County Volunteer Information Center at
413-774-1488 to learn more about these and other
volunteer opportunities:
Big
Brothers, Big Sisters of Franklin County is looking
for a volunteer webmaster and additional mentors.
The
Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum needs help restoring
a caboose and a passenger car, as well as seasonal
trolley operators and conductors.
Great
volunteer opportunities exist in Hampshire and Hampden
Counties as well.
Aids
Care/Hampshire County needs volunteers to provide
either transportation or companionship to individuals
with HIV?AIDS. Must have car and be willing to commit up
to four hours per week. Call Court Cline, 413-586-8288.
The
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Program is
looking for volunteers to be trained as advocates for
abused and neglected children whose cases are before the
Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire County courts.
Volunteers must be 21 years of age or older, must go
through an application and screening process, and commit
to the program for one year. Call Randee Laikind,
413-586-0011.
Click
here for more great
volunteer opportunities in Hampshire and Hampden
counties.
(Back
to Making a Difference)
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