Date: Fri 13-Dec-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

volunteers

Full Text:

A Gift Of Time And Heart - Volunteers Needed During the Holidays and

Throughout the Year

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

The holidays are traditionally a time for reflecting on the good things in our

lives. Although commercialism can overshadow simple pleasures, there is no

substitute for gifts of time and heart.

There are many local opportunities for those who want to volunteer and pass on

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

organizations listed have short-term and long-term 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 February while the society

sells raffle tickets for a Mercury Grand Marquis LS. 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 (located with the Red Cross) 792-8200, 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; 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.

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 write, 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 in

November 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 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 desperately seeking

volunteers who will drive people without transportation to medical

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 needed throughout the

year.

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 21, "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 fund-raiser mailings, and to support and help prepare for

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

comprised of high school age volunteers who are interested in giving of

themselves. Newtown Youth are 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, 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 13, 14, 20, and 21, 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. For other volunteer activities contact Chairman Barbara Bigham at

426-5718.

Volunteer Center Serving Western Connecticut, 797-1154. Holiday volunteer

opportunities through the agency include: providing holiday food for eight

different at-risk families (including 24 children); a local school is hosting

a food drive to benefit about 150 families and is seeking donations of food,

grocery gift certificates or money; a residential program for emotionally

disturbed adolescents will host a holiday celebration for 50 residents who are

unable to go home for the holiday and would like new hats and gloves, board

games, and sporting equipment; an agency that provides family support services

is trying to set up preschool playgroups throughout the community and seek

donations of appropriate toys, and arts and crafts materials; Adopt-A-Family;

and many other needs for food, clothing, and gifts for the holidays.

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 Sharon or Maura at 731-5200 to find out specific wish list items

for women and children who are currently sheltered.

Women Involved in Newtown, call President Sheila Gervais 426-2270. 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. WIN needs help with raffle

solicitation, publicity, and planning for its annual fundraising dance held in

the spring at the Mary Hawley Inn.