HELPING HANDS Volunteering

Volunteer Services Agency, a United Way agency, is a local resource for volunteer recruitment, placement and management for people of all ages in the Mahoning Valley. It sponsors three programs: Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, which helps people age 55 and older use their life experience in their communities; Volunteer Service to Seniors, which provides assistance and companionship to elderly people living independently in their homes; and the Volunteer Center, which helps people of all ages connect with local nonprofit agencies that need assistance. Call (330) 782-5877 or visit the VSA at 5500 Market St., Suite 106, Boardman, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
SHORT-TERM OPPORTUNITIES
Downtown Revitalization/Streetscape 2004: Volunteers are needed to clean planting beds and plant flowers from 8 a.m. to noon June 4.
Weekend Respite Program: People are wanted to help with special-needs children. Shifts will be Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon and noon to 4 p.m. The program begins June 4 and continues through Aug. 29. A person may work once, or several times throughout the summer.
Fellows Riverside Gardens: Helpers are needed for the May plant sale Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Junior Achievement Bowl-a-Thon: Assistance is needed with the fund-raising events May 11 at Camelot Lanes in Boardman and May 12 at Wedgewood Lanes in Austintown. Both begin at 6:30 p.m.
Protestant Family Services: Volunteers are needed to help with the organization's art show at 6 p.m. May 16.
Giant Eagle LPGA Classic: People are needed for a variety of positions to help with the tournament, which runs July 12-18.
CAN YOU HELP?
Long-term volunteer help also is needed for these agencies:
Antonine Adult Day Care: People needed to assist clients with activities or share a skill or talent with them any weekday.
Boardman Township Park: Volunteers needed for playground monitoring, basic maintenance and litter control.
Family Services/Guardianship Program: People are wanted to provide seniors with friendly visits, trips to doctor's offices or grocery-shopping trips.
Central Day Care: People needed to act as teachers' aides and help with children's activities.
Jewish Community Center: Assistance is welcome with the child, youth and adult-care programs.
Mill Creek Children's Center: A volunteer is needed to help children with their computer skills one day a week.
Potential Development: Volunteers are needed to assist with special-needs children.
Ohio State University Extension: People needed to assist with bulk mailing, 4-H activities and other events.
Southern Mahoning Valley Relief Network: The network was created to help with the damage from last summer's flooding. People are needed as volunteer coordinators and pickup truck drivers to deliver materials to sites.
RSVP: People age 55 years and older are asked to share their life skills with the community through volunteer opportunities.
Youngstown Speech and Hearing Center: Volunteers are needed to help with light office work.
Salvation Army: People needed to work in the food pantry, the warehouse and the soup kitchen.
United Way: The organization needs people who are interested in public relations and campaign activities or light office work.
Volunteer Services to Seniors: Volunteers needed to assist senior citizens who want to remain independent in their own homes by providing them with transportation for grocery shopping, rides to doctor's appointments, friendly visits or reassurance calls.