THIS WEEK’S VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY

AMERICA ON WHEELS, Allentown needs volunteers (age 16+) for Gift Shop/Admissions Assistant (handling cash register required) and Museum Tour Guides to meet/greet visitors and share the museum’s story. Training will be provided. Gift Shop/Admissions Assistant needed weekdays and weekends 10am-1pm or 1pm-4pm. Hours for tour guides vary. Call Liz Hahn, 610-432-4200 x10, fund_development@americaonwheels.org.

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY, Allentown seeks volunteers to adopt a family for holiday assistance. Volunteers are asked to shop for and wrap holiday gifts or make a monetary donation for BBBS families that cannot afford to provide holiday gifts for their children. Deadline for adopting a family is 12/14; deadline to drop off items is 12/18. Call Brandy Barbera, 610-391-1827, bbarbera@bbbslv.org.

COMMUNITY BIKE WORKS, Allentown needs “Earn-a-Bike” instructors for children ages 9-17. Volunteers will mentor and assist children in repairing bicycles. Commitment is one weeknight 6-8pm for 12 weeks. No experience necessary. Training provided. Call James Williams, 610-434-1140, james@communitybikeworks.org.

FOUNTAIN HILL CEMETERY needs volunteers for weeding, trimming of shrubs and weed-whacking in the Green Meadow Natural Burial Ground. Other outdoor projects available include marking of graves and other small projects. Get healthy exercise! Join us whenever you are available. Minimum age 16. Contact Ed Vogrins, 610-868-4840, info@greenmeadowpa.org.

MILLER-KEYSTONE BLOOD CENTER needs Canteen Attendants (age 18+) in our Bethlehem and Allentown locations. Canteen attendants monitor blood donations after their donations, ensure donors are feeling well before leaving the site, and serve drinks/snacks to our donors. Times: Bethlehem-Wed. and Thurs. 5:30-8:30pm; Allentown –Thurs. 5:30-8:30pm, and Sat. 7-10am.   Call Janice Brown, 610-691-5850, jbrown@giveapint.org.

MIRACLE LEAGUE OF THE LEHIGH VALLEY, Schnecksville hosts an annual Holiday Party their Miracle League Children. MLLV is looking for caring volunteers to sponsor drives for gifts for their children and ask for your help in making their requests come true. Each gift is $20 or less and will be given to the athlete at the annual party in late December. Check out the athlete’s wish list by clicking on the link www.miracleleaguelv.org/>action=gifts. Call Kyle O’Neill, 610-769-2096, kyle@miracleleaguelv.org.

NORTHEAST MINISTRY, Bethlehem is in great need of tutors for their After School Homework Club held Monday through Thursday from 3-5:30pm during the school year. Tutors assist with homework, provide reading support, and work on basic math skills. Tutors are needed daily, and can participate as often as the program meets. Call Paula Johnson, 610-691-3355, johnsonp@northeastministry.com.

ROBERTO CLEMENTE ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL, Allentown needs volunteers to coordinate drives for small gifts for needy families. Consider adopting a family for the holidays. For drop off and delivery dates, call Jessica Kamber, 610-351-4310 x2022, Jkamber@myrcecs.com.

The Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley has been connecting volunteers with the needs of the Lehigh Valley community for over 25 years. The organization’s mission is to engage the community to care for one another through volunteerism.

As the premier resource on volunteerism for the Lehigh Valley and surrounding communities, The Volunteer Center focuses on four main areas of volunteerism: Recruitment, Placement, Recognition, and Training. The Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley is affiliated nationally with The Points of Light Foundation, Hands On Network, and the Corporation for National & Community Service, and is a member of the following organizations: Volunteer Centers of Pennsylvania, the State Commission Advisory Board for Citizen Service, Keystone Service Coalition, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, and Society of Volunteer Administrators of the Lehigh Valley.

As an example of the impact the Volunteer Center has on the community, in 2012, they recruited, matched, recognized and trained 17,000 volunteers. Of those, 5,000 were youth volunteers. These volunteers saved Lehigh Valley agencies and the community more than $47.5 million. The Volunteer Center collaborates with more than 50 area corporations and 450 Lehigh Valley agencies to create educational and human service partnerships to enhance and enrich the Lehigh Valley community.

Contact the Volunteer Center to receive a brochure listing agencies in need of volunteers at 610-807-0336 or e-mail: vc@volunteerlv.org. Visit our website www.volunteerlv.org for a larger listing of volunteer opportunities.