Get involved with the AmeZone community garden!

The Volunteer Center has some exciting opportunities available to get involved with the AmeZone homeless community garden project. Go to our website (http://www.vcstory.org/) for more information and applications. These positions offer volunteers a great chance to gain experience with volunteer management and event planning, in addition to connecting with community members from diverse backgrounds and serving a community need.

Global Youth Service Day Intern

Assist the Volunteer Center and United Ames in planning a volunteer event on Global Youth Service Day that will bring community volunteers together to create a community garden on April 24 and May 1. Contact laura.logsdon@vcstory.org to express interest by March 10.

Volunteer Garden Supervisor

Manage volunteers and garden tasks at the homeless community garden this summer, May-August. Basic training will be provided and all experience levels encouraged to apply. Email application to amezone@vcstory.org or return to the Volunteer Center 130 S. Sheldon Ave. #201 by March 30.

You can also get involved with the garden on Global Youth Service Day (April 24) when we break ground on the garden, and the following weekend (May 1) when we begin planting. Lots of volunteers are needed!!! We can't wait to get started on this project, and we've loved working with United Ames to facilitate the AmeZone youth group during this planning process. It's really a huge group effort and the more people working us on it, the more this will truly be a community garden!

Here are some websites to check out for more info:

http://amezone.webs.com/
http://unitedames.webs.com/
http://www.vcstory.org/

- Laura

Following in Dr. King's Footsteps

We were thrilled to have more than 200 volunteers of all ages, races, and cultures come out to to follow in Dr. Martin Luther King's footsteps on Jan. 18. We never imagined we would see that sort of response.

I was really inspired to see several of our AmeZone youth volunteers step up as leaders that day. In the midst of a bit of chaos, they took charge, leading a number of service projects to support their Homeless Community Garden. They built benches and created mosaic stepping stones. They got young kids interested in planting and gardening by helping them plant flower and herb seeds in pots. They helped volunteers assemble care packages for the residents of local homeless and domestic assault shelters. This event hopefully generated interest for other youth present, and these AmeZone youth will prove to be great mentors and leaders for them.

Dr. King has always been a huge inspiration to me. I have his quotes plastered around my office and bedroom. So, to be able to participate in and help create a day in his name, where volunteers were working to better their communities as Dr. King did, really meant a lot to me. Paxton Williams, our keynote speaker, who is the executive director of the George Washington Carver Birthplace Association, made great connections about the importance of giving back to our local communities in such an energectic way.

To have elected officials, the press, and other important members of our community come out to support the cause was also very hopeful. This MLK Day project was a great launch of our semester of service. We will spend the next couple of months continuing to design and plan the community garden, and will break ground on Global Youth Service Day, April 24. Thanks to everyone who came out and made MLK Day a day ON, not a day off!

-Amanda

Resolve to Volunteer

So it’s time to make your resolution. You’ve been thinking about starting a new exercise program the minute the sun comes up on January 1. Stopping smoking is a noble goal. You might want to get organized by throwing things out or cut back on your spending.

But what if you add something to your life instead of taking something away? It’s easier to have a goal that is adding something instead of taking it away. Wouldn’t you rather eat more fruits and veggies than stop eating junk food? You’ll accomplish the same thing. You will still reach the goal of being healthier.

Why not add volunteering to your list of resolutions?

Three reasons to volunteer:

1.It’s good for you heart. Studies show that volunteering can help lower blood pressure, and help prevent heart disease.

2.It’s good for you head. Volunteering creates social bonds and support that can lower rates of depression by giving the volunteer a sense of purpose.

3.It’s good for you waistline. Studies show that volunteers have more weight control. You can also do volunteer opportunities that help you exercise, like building houses for Habitat for Humanity, planting trees or playing in the park with you “little” brother or sister.

Tips on how to make volunteering your resolution:

1.Plan your volunteer opportunities. Look at www.vcstory.org and your calendar and come up a plan. Think of things you’d like to do all year, not just in January. Don’t wait to sign up for some of the opportunities. They can go fast!

2. Volunteer with a group or family. Children can learn a lot from watching their parents volunteer. It also creates family memories and holds you accountable.

3. Make volunteering a priority. Just like work and family obligations, volunteering can become a habit you enjoy.

4. Connect volunteering to another goal. Resolving to meet new people? Take a part in the Volunteer Center’s new group, Do Good Mixers. This group is open to anyone 21 and over. Members volunteer with a group on a one time project, then socialize afterwards. It’s a great way to get to know your community and meet like minded people.

Resolving to get involved with your community? Join one a board of a local organization.

Want to get into shape? Do a walk or run for charity. Be a mentor. Take your mentee out to play catch or go to the park. Help clean up Iowa State with Keep Iowa State Beautiful.
Plant trees at Threshold Learning Center or plant at Reiman Gardens.

So what are you still sitting on the couch for? Help out someone in need, and help yourself live well. Sign up for a volunteer opportunity at www.vcstory.org.

Trish

Do Good Mixer update

I am amazed how much can be accomplished with only a few dedicated people. Jennifer Garret from Iowa State and Cory Kleinheksel a student at Iowa State helped me come up with some amazing ideas for our new group, Do Good Mixer.

Some of the ideas for projects include:
Serving meals at Food at First
Participating in Stash the Trash on March 27
Help distribute food at Share
Participating in Keep Iowa State Beautiful
Helping at Iowa Games and Special Olympics
Doing clean up for the Story County Conservation
Shoveling snow and doing lawn work for elderly and disabled

Some of the ideas for socializing afterwards include:
Cooking out or having a picnic
Going bowling
Going for coffee
$1 movies at North Grand Mall
Exploring restaurants outside of Ames
Doing a restaurant tour
Pizza and game night

We decided our first event is going to be a family friendly one since many people have MLK day off. We are going to join the Volunteer Center of Story County and the service learning group AmeZone in helping to plan and decorate the new Homeless garden the group is creating. The event will be held at 130 S. Sheldon in the auditorium from 12-3pm Jan 18, 2010. More details to come as plans begin to firm up.

Please send your suggestions on ideas for after volunteer options.

Thanks!

Help Those Around You

While I was sitting in my house during a snow storm yesterday, I saw the TV scrawl that Meals On Wheels in some communities were being canceled due to the weather. It made my heart ache to think while I was warm in my house with plenty, there were people in my community and the ones surrounding that weren’t going to get a meal that day. I don’t blame Meals On Wheels. They have to look out for their drivers and the roads were impassable. But this is the time to reflect on what community and volunteering mean to us.

Volunteering is not just going to the food bank one time a year and helping strangers. Volunteering is looking out for your elderly neighbors to make sure they’re doing OK during a storm. It’s snow blowing the driveway of a single mother who doesn’t own a snow blower. It’s holding the door open for someone in a wheelchair or one crutches. It’s about the small things you do everyday for those around you. So volunteer with an organization, but also look at ways you can help the people around you on a daily basis. It will make your heart feel good.

Trish

Family Volunteer Day!

November 21st, 2009 was National Family Volunteer Day. The Volunteer Center hosted an incredibly successful event - 57 volunteers decorated 186 flower pots and planted 335 tulip bulbs in them. These pots were then donated to Meals on Wheels recipients around Story County and will be donated to Bethany Manor residents. Volunteering is a great way to spend time with family, friends, and co-workers - it builds relationships and strengthens communication while having a positive impact on the local community.

I received a number of emails from families interested in participating in the event that reflected their understanding of the importance of volunteering. Parents were excited about the opportunity to volunteer with their children and make service to others the focus of a family activity. The event was a success because of the diverse group of people who attended and interacted with each other, working together to complete a project that brought happiness to others. Members of a church youth group attended together, Iowa State students participated and made new connections to the community while completing the service project, and numerous mothers, fathers, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins dedicated part of their Saturday to service.

We look forward to increasing opportunities for families to volunteer together and focus some time on service to others and the community.

- Laura

Do Good MIXER!

I declare the first Do Good MIXER a success. Though many of you were not able to make it to Karaoke night at Riverside Manor, the few that did come had a great time. The residents sang along with Karaoke Diva, Susan Rappenwolf, who did a great job of singing to the oldies, even though her machine wasn’t working. What a trooper. We were even entertained by one of the Riverside Manor guests who played the harmonica while the rest of us sang.

Then off to Olde Main for dinner and mixing. Can’t wait to do this again.

Let the VCSC know if you are interested in joining us for upcoming Do Good MIXERs or if you have ideas for projects.

Trish