Date: Fri 01-Dec-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: CAROLK

Quick Words:

volunteer-charity-holiday

Full Text:

There Are Plenty Of Opportunities For Volunteers This Holiday Season

The best gifts are often those with no wrapping - gifts of time and heart.

During the holiday season time is a precious commodity, yet the need for

volunteers does not abate.

There are many local opportunities for those who want to pass on some of the

good fortune they have experienced in their own lives. Many of the

organizations listed have short-term as well as on-going volunteer activities.

American Cancer Society, call the Danbury Unit at 748-2803. They need people

to man their booth at the Danbury Fair Mall through January while the society

sells raffle tickets for a Lincoln. The society is always in need of volunteer

drivers who will take cancer patients to and from treatments, especially to

New Milford Hospital.

American Red Cross, call Western Connecticut Chapter at 792-8200. The chapter

is looking for people interested in Disaster Services Training or First Aid

and CPR training, as well as volunteers to drive patients to doctors'

appointments and help set up canteens at blood mobiles using chapter vehicles.

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is looking for seniors to volunteer at

various community locations.

Faith Food Pantry at St John's Episcopal Church at 5 Washington Avenue, call

co-chairs Jo Morris at 426-7105 or Lee Paulsen at 426-5604. Volunteers desired

to pack food and take in donations during hours of operation: Tuesdays, 10 am

to noon; Thursdays, 6 to 7:30 pm. Donations are always welcome of shampoo,

laundry detergent, dish washing liquid, coffee, paper goods including toilet

paper, and frozen meats are always in demand. (NOTE: beans and corn are not

needed.) Also, the pantry is looking for people to help pick up food in the

spring, when the post office runs its food drive. Monetary donations are also

welcome.

Garner Correctional Institution, call Volunteer Programs manager Mary Dunn,

270-2832. Donations of small gifts are needed for inmates' children when they

visit the prison. Volunteers are needed to help Santa and do arts and crafts

with children during the week before Christmas. The materials and plans will

be provided. Volunteers are also needed to assist the therapeutic recreation

staff in the mental health units; day, evening and weekend slots are open.

Music and singing groups are also welcome at the prison to perform for the

general prison population or for a small group.

Hospice, call Donata Marcus at 797-1685. Family support volunteers needed to

provide respite care to patient or the family, companionship, transportation

to doctors' appointments, run errands, or prepare meals. A 21-hour training

program is provided. Bereavement volunteers are also needed to provide comfort

to family after loss of a loved one for up to a year. Administrative

volunteers are sought to assist in granting writing, mass mailings, dues

letters, and other types of office activities. Fund raisers to assist local

chapters with activities that raise funds that go directly for patient care

are also needed.

MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers), call 386-0049. The organization is

continuing its red ribbon "Tie One On For Safety" campaign, which began

November 19 and will continue through New Year. Volunteers are needed to help

distribute ribbons to individuals, businesses, churches, and other

organizations in area communities.

Meals On Wheels, call President Nancy Larin at 426-8971 or 270-0252, or Becky

Smith at 426-3913. Always looking for drivers to deliver meals to housebound

people in Newtown, Monday through Friday, especially during the winter when

some core drivers go south. The volunteer commitment is one day per month for

a maximum of 1« hours.

Newtown Friends In Service Here (FISH), call Mary Mitchell at 270-9135, Steven

Tyler 426-0827, Al Goodrich at 426-0493. This group is seeking volunteers who

will drive people without transportation to medical and other important

appointments in the Newtown area (including Danbury Hospital and affiliate

offices), two times per month. Time commitment varies but, on the average,

volunteers spend 2 to 3 hours on each call. Help is especially needed at this

time of the year and through the winter.

Newtown Fund, call President Cathy Sullivan at 426-0538, Vice President Lee

Paulsen at 426-5604 to volunteer, or Sue Oppenheimer to adopt a family for

Depot Day at 426-8418. Volunteers are needed to wrap packages, deliver boxes

of gifts and food to needy families in Newtown on December 23, "Depot Day," at

Sandy Hook Fire House. Those who want to adopt an individual or family and

provide gifts and/or the holiday meal, will get a wish list including clothing

sizes. Donations of wrapping, tape, ribbon are also being sought.

Newtown Youth Serices, 270-4335. Volunteers are needed to help with short term

projects such as fundraiser mailings, and to support and help prepare for

family events that take place throughout the year. The Youth Advisory Board

comprises high school age volunteers who are interested in giving of

themselves. Newtown Youth invited to participate in Newtown Youth Creating

Aids Awareness For Peers.

Salvation Army, Newtown Service Unit, bell-ringing volunteers call Marie

Sturdevant at 426-5957 or 270-4201, Sylvia Poulin at 426-6803; volunteers for

the food pantry or to donate to pantry or Fuel Bank contact Newtown Social

Services at 270-4330. Bell ringers are needed to man the Salvation Army

collection kettles at Grand Union and Stop and Shop, December 15, 16, 22, and

23, for one-hour shifts. Food pantry volunteers are needed, and food donations

of non-perishable, canned foods, diapers in all sizes, and varieties of baby

formula are always welcomed. Also monetary donation for Emergency Fuel Bank

are needed.

Volunteer Bureau of Greater Danbury, 797-1154. The agency has opportunities

for volunteers to sort and pack groceries and toys for needy families December

18, 1 to 3 pm; gift wrap for AIDS agency at a local bookstore week of December

17 during store hours; participate in Jingle Bell Walk to benefit arthritis,

December 9 at Danbury Fair Mall . Volunteer Santas, face painters, mimes,

clowns, jugglers, and balloon artists are needed for December 21, 3 to 6 pm,

party for area kids: Special Olympic Volunteers needed for January and

February - Alpine and Nordic skiing, and aides for speed and figure skating;

career education volunteers; and people who are willing to serve on the boards

of area agencies. Great need for food baskets, clothing, and toys for social

service agencies.

Women's Center of Danbury, call Melanie at 731-5210. Screening has begun for

volunteers interested in participating in the 36-hour training for Domestic

Violence, Sexual Assault Hotline, which will begin the end of February at the

center. After completion of training, minimum time commitment is 16 hours per

month from the volunteer's home. Those who complete the training and volunteer

on the hotline are eligible for further training as support group

facilitators, peer counselors, court and child advocates, and community

educators. The center always needs donations of pillows, blankets, twin

sheets, towels, pots and pans, alarm clocks, cleaning supplies, non-perishable

food, diapers, baby food, bus passes, craft supplies, notebooks, pens, and

pencils, gift certificates for food stores, movie theaters, and clothing

stores. Call Jennifer or Maura at 731-5200 to find out specific wish list

items for women and children who are currently shelter.

Women Involved in Newtown, call President Mandy Monaco 426-5600. Meets second

Monday of each month at 7:30 pm to plan volunteer activities, including

Thanksgiving baskets, work with blood mobiles and mobile mammography unit of

Yale-New Haven Hospital, driving for Meals on Wheels, and distributing

Christmas baskets for the Newtown Fund. During the next meeting members will

gather gifts and food items for the family adopted for Christmas through the

Newtown Fund. WIN needs help with raffle solicitation, publicity, and planning

for its annual fundraising dance held in February at the Ramada Inn, Danbury.