Portola Valley planting with Acterra 11/15

We have another volunteer planting day in Portola Valley this
Saturday, Nov. 15, 9:30 am at the town center, 765 Portola Rd.
Check out acterra.org/stewardship for more information and to sign up
online!

San Francisquito Watershed Native Plant workdays

Join Acterra Stewardship for our native plant volunteer workdays in
November and December 2008. We're planting native plants at the new
Portola Valley Town Center on Dec. 1,8,15 & 22 and Dec. 6 and 13. This
is a free family-friendly event!
For more information and to sign up, visit acterra.org/watershed

Family Giving Tree Volunteer Opportunities

See below and http://www.familygivingtree.org/volunteers.htm
2008 Volunteer Opportunities
Wish Editing
Help us sort through our database of wishes! Contact volunteers@familygivingtree.org
for more information or to schedule a time to come to our office to help.
Our office is open Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. so any time you can spare,
we'd love to have you!
Agency Interview Elf
Help us screen our agencies! Click here for more info.
General Office Duties
Always available during regular business hours. Help us stamp, seal and organize.
Great for students! Contact volunteers@familygivingtree.org to get started!
Back-to-School Warehouse Elves (August Only)
Help us receive, sort, wrap, quality check and distribute backpacks in August.
Visit our Back-to-School volunteer page here!
Holiday Warehouse Elves (December Only)
Help us receive, sort, wrap, quality check and distribute gifts in December.
Click here for more info!

Volunteers needed for Register to Vote Rally 9/23 12-1 at SJSU

On Tuesday September 23 from noon to 1 at the San Jose State University Engineering Building, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group is holding a non-partisan Register to Vote rally. Our District and San Jose State are co-sponsoring this event. The CA Secretary of State will be there along with the Mayor of San Jose and (hopefully) some big names from the 49ers and San Jose Sharks.
David Esmaili, Director of West Valley's grant-funded Alternative Transportation Technology program is looking into providing shuttles to take interested participants from our Colleges to San Jose State.

For more information, please contact Ruth Carlson, director of public affairs for WVMCCD, at 408-741-2652.

West Valley College Powwow Saturday, 9/27

Volunteers opportunities are available for this year's powwow. Tasks include assisting with assembling and disassembling of the event, general clean-up, monitoring donation drawing and program sales, and assisting Powwow staff and vendors. Available shifts are:
8 am-2 pm
11 am-2 pm
noon-3 pm
1 pm-4 pm
3 pm-6 pm
6 pm-9 pm
8 pm-11 pm
10 pm-1 am

A faculty or staff member will be present during each of these shifts to confirm that the service hours are completed. For more information, please contact Lenore Harris at 408-741-2586 or via email at lenore_harris@westvalley.edu. For more information about the event, please go to www.westvalleypowwow.org.

Camp Campbell

Camp Campbell Outdoor Science School needs volunteers every week between September and June to mentor small groups of students attending outdoor science school. While the kids learn, explore and play our Cabin Leaders work with Field Teachers to provide supervision and social support to students.

Qualifications:
You must be a high school junior or senior; college student or high school graduate.
You must be able to:
­ Serve as a mature and positive role model for 10-12 year old students
­ Consistently show respect and a positive attitude towards peers and adults
­ Demonstrate good judgment and an ability to resolve conflict in an effective manner
­ Receive constructive feedback and follow through on directions

Responsibilities: You will be living in a cabin with a group of about 8-12 fifth and/or sixth grade students. With the guidance of a field teacher, cabin leaders assume the responsibility for supervising the cabin group at meals, during recreation and in the cabins overnight. Cabin leaders also assist the field teachers in the instructional field program during the day and evening. You should be a supportive presence for the students, making sure they are safe, having fun and learning. This will require establishing firm expectations and following through with enforcing rules, paying attention to the emotional and social needs of each student, and being a good role model.

Time Commitment:
Most weeks include a five day/four night session at Camp Campbell. Since you will be living in the cabin you will need to be on-site 24 hours/day. Our weeks begin with training at noon on the first day of the week (usually Monday). Students arrive on the second day (usually Tuesday) and your responsibilities as a cabin leader end at approximately 1:30 p.m. at the end of the week (usually Friday). While volunteering as a cabin leader you will have some breaks, but most of the time you will be living, learning and playing with the students.

Transportation:
Camp Campbell is located at 16275 Highway 9, Boulder Creek, CA 95006.
Transportation to and from camp by bus from San Jose is available most weeks. If you are interested you must confirm with the cabin leader coordinators and make sure we have reserved you a spot on the bus. If you haven’t reserved a spot, there might not be enough room for you.
If you are driving yourself or getting dropped off please arrive at about 12:30 on the first day.

How to Apply:
Call the cabin leader coordinators (831-338-8829) and find an available week that works with your schedule.
We will tentatively reserve a spot for you. Then, complete an application, fax it to us, and call and confirm your spot! Please do not reserve a week if you do not intend to follow through and be a volunteer. If you are unsure of what week you are available, call us and tell us. If your plans change it is your responsibility to call us as soon as possible to tell us that you will be unable or are unsure if you are able to be a volunteer for the week that you have committed to. Remember there is a whole cabin of students relying on you to be their cabin leader!

For an application, please see the related link on our website: http://www.scvymca.org/redwoods/html/programs_ccoss.html For additional questions, please contact:

Michelle Trame
Cabin Leader Coordinator
Camp Campbell Outdoor Science School
YMCA of the Redwoods
@: mtrame@scvymca.org
#: 831-338-8829

San Franciquito Creek clean-up day 9/20/08

Come help us keep San Francisquito Creek clean and healthy! The
San Francisquito Watershed Project is hosting a site for this year's
California Coastal Cleanup Day. Join us for California's largest
volunteer event.
Date: Saturday Sep. 20th,
Time: 9 am to noon
Location: Manhattan Ave. and Woodland Ave., Palo Alto
Map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Palo+Alto&state=CA&address=Woodland+Ave+%26+Manhattan+Ave&zipcode=94303&country=US&latitude=37.458353&longitude=-122.143544&geocode=INTERSECTION
You'll be helping us remove trash and debris from the creek bed and
creek bank. You'll also be helping us preserve a beautiful piece of
the San Francisquito Watershed.
Bring old clothes, some sturdy shoes, and we'll provide the rest.
Visit http://www.cleanacreek.org/ for more details.
Arnie Thompson
Program Director
San Francisquito Watershed Project
a program of Acterra
arniet@acterra.org
650.962.9876 x310

Volunteer for the Peninsula Stroke Association September-October 2008

The Peninsula Stroke Association, a non-profit serving San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, seeks volunteers to help at health fairs and community events in the months of SEPTEMBER and OCTOBER. Activities include distributing printed materials regarding stroke education, answering questions about our services from fair attendees, or providing blood pressure screenings. Familiarity with the medical field not necessary; positive approach to learning and proactive attitude is a definite plus. Health fairs are scheduled on weekends and weekdays in Santa Clara County. Volunteers needed for one day or more -- we welcome your help when you are available with a minimum 2 hour shift per event.

We need volunteers for the following days/locations:
Cupertino: September 13 & 14
San Jose: September 21st
Los Altos: September 25
Sunnyvale: Oct 1st
San Jose: October 11th
San Jose: October 25
Cupertino: October 25

Skills:

• Able to function smoothly in a busy environment.
• Interest in networking with other health care service-oriented organizations a plus.
• Spanish speakers especially needed for several venues in the Spanish speaking community.
• Vietnamese, Tagalog, Chinese speakers also needed to expand our services into these large communities that are currently underserved regarding stroke education and support services.
• Nursing/EMT students who can take blood pressure readings---this is a great opportunity to do your required community service!
  

For more information, contact:
Jill Mitsch
Program Manager
Peninsula Stroke Association
3801 Miranda Ave
V A P A H C S
Building 6, Room A162
Palo Alto, CA 94304
650-565-8485
www.psastroke.org

San Francisquito Creek Cleanup 5/17/08

Are you looking for a volunteer opportunity in your community that a) keeps our natural resources clean and healthy, b) preserves natural habitat for native species, c) ensures a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone in the watershed, and d) totally, totally rocks? Well then...
The San Francisquito Watershed Council needs YOU
Don’t forget to mark your calendar for for this year’s National Rivers Cleanup Day on Saturday, May 17, 2008:
WHAT? Come help us remove trash and debris from San Francisquito Creek
WHERE? Meet at the corner of Manhattan Ave. and Woodland Ave. in Palo Alto
WHEN? 9:00am – 12:00pm
WHY? San Francisquito Creek is home to a number of threatened species (including
Steelhead Trout) that depend on a high-quality creek habitat. Also, San Francisquito Creek is our shared community resource, and creek cleanups help keep our own environment clean and safe.
DETAILS: http://www.cleanacreek.org/ All ages and groups welcome, including children as long as they are accompanied by a parent/guardian or a waiver signed by a parent/guardian. Waivers available from the website below, but will also be available on the day of the event. http://cleanacreek.org/volunteerinformation.asp

Ryan Navratil
Program Director
– San Francisquito Watershed Council
3921 E. Bayshore Rd.Palo Alto, CA 94303
650.961.1035 x310

The Santa Clara Valley Blind Center

The Santa Clara Valley Blind Center serves the blind and visually impaired population covering all of Santa Clara County. Currently, most clients are senior citizens. Orientation and mobility training, computer training, Braille instruction, support groups, recreational activities, outings, ceramics, sewing, and quilting activities are offered.

Ideal volunteers have time to create a personal connection with clients. Exceptional people skills, patience, and a desire to serve and assist those in need are always appreciated.

Volunteers must be dependable and have an ability to uphold client confidentiality, safety, and etiquette guidelines. In-home volunteers must have time to assist clients for a minimum of 2 hours per month. In-center volunteers can volunteer on a one-time or weekly basis.

Volunteers are able to build new friendships with clients and experience a different perspective on daily life. Also, classes offer an opportunity to learn how to oversee the well-being and safety of many people at once. Outing volunteers can assist as drivers and experience places like chocolate factories, Monterey beach, and various museums. Volunteering for classes offers the opportunity to learn the skills of the class (e.g. basic ceramic skills).

Volunteer jobs include the following:
- drivers/sighted guides
- in-home buddy
- translation services
- client day assistance
- sewing and quilting group volunteers
- ceramics class volunteers
- fitness volunteers
- gardening instructor
- activity leaders, speakers, instructors
- general office help
- skills and services for one time or occasional help (e.g. computer technicians, plumbers, web designers, electricians etc.)
- facility improvement assistance
- M/W night bingo
- special events

To volunteer, contact Sarah Conner, Ed./Rec. Volunteer Supervisor at 408-295-4016 ext. 204 or via email at sconner@visionbeyondsight.org. For more information, see the agency website at www.visionbeyondsight.org.

WVC Academic Tutor

Project Title: WVC Academic Tutor
Partner: West Valley College Tutorial Services Program

Service: A tutor assists with content & helps students learn how to learn; assesses the students' level of knowledge and learning skills; supports, encourages, stimulates, motivates, and facilitates students' learning; assists students with their own self-exploration and self-understanding; helps students to discover and to improve upon their learning skills and their coping abilities. A tutor also assists the students in: handling their stress, becoming better note takers, and becoming better test takers. A tutor can share his/her own successful strategie, information, and knowledge with his/her students (as a potential role model or a more successful colleague). A tutor demonstrates to students how to access information and effectively use their textbook, helps students to learn some old and some newer subject matter, provides individual or small group instruction to students, and enjoys teaching/learning materials again and again.
Commitment:

Flexible hours. Requirement summary:
• Have a sincere desire to help others
• Be able to communicate effectively.
• Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5.
• Have a 'B' or better in the subject you wish to tutor.
• Participate in Tutor Training (4-day course: Interdisciplinary
Studies 40 - see class schedule)
• Submit a completed application.
• Obtain a recommendation from a West Valley College faculty member in the designated subject area.
• Submit a completed application for employment to the West Valley College Personnel office (requires a tuberculosis test - available from health services)
This all sounds more difficult and complicated than it really is! The staff at Tutorial Services will assist you. See their website at http://www.westvalley.edu/wvc/ss/tutorial/index.html. Social sciences students are particularly encouraged to apply.
Project Location: Tutorial Services Center, adjacent to the library on the West Valley College Campus.

To volunteer, contact Tutorial Services at 408-741-2038 or Martin Jue at 408-741-2610.

WVC Student Health Services Programs Volunteer

Project Title: WVC Student Health Services Programs Volunteer
Partner: West Valley College Student Health Services
Service: Volunteers will assist WVC Student Health Services in a variety of tasks. Tasks may include distributing information, helping with set up or take down of an activity, and/or supervising activity. Volunteers are also needed to design and/or update a student health services newsletter to discuss health and wellness issues. The newsletter will be published once each semester specifically for the WVC student community. Additionally, volunteers could help to create and distribute a survey about student smokers.

Commitment: Flexible hours. Scheduled programs include:
• Health Fair and Open House (beginning of each semester)
• Domestic Violence Awareness Week (2nd week of October)
• Alcohol and Drug Awareness Week (end of October)
• Great American Smokeout Week (November)
• HIV/AIDS Awareness Week (November)
• Drunk Driving Awareness Week (December)

To volunteer, contact George Mageles at the SHARP Program 408-741-2612 or Becky Perelli at 408-741-2159.

our developing world

Partner: our developing world

Service: Office Manager/Librarian: Volunteers will replace and organize library materials; sort, recycle, and update materials; organize materials for multicultural lessons; input information into computer to be added to the website. Volunteers should be familiar with using an iMac computer.

Layout Editor: Volunteers will scan graphics and photos and combine these with text for an 8-page newsletter that is published 3 times a year and posted on a website. Volunteers need to know how to use Pagemaker and Dreamweaver and should be familiar with using an iMac computer. Usually, 2 weeks are needed to create the newsletter.

iMac Troubleshooter: Volunteers will provide technical assistance on an on-call basis (as problems surface).

Outreach Facilitator: Volunteers will brainstorm areas of outreach for programs, lending library materials, publicizing reality tours, and giving teacher training. Volunteers will also help develop lists and do follow-up mailings and/or telephoning and emailing.

Mailing Manager: Volunteers will update mailing lists and print mailing labels for newsletter mailing.

Commitment:
Hours are flexible but a 2 hour per visit commitment is requested. One-semester commitment is required for office manager/librarian and mailing manager positions. One-year commitment is required for layout editor, iMac troubleshooter, outreach facilitator positions.

To volunteer for this organization, please contact Barby or Vic Ulmer at 408-379-4431 or via email at http://us.f829.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=odw@magiclink.net.

For more information about our developing world, please see their website: http://www.magiclink.net/~odw .

AVID Tutor

Project Title: AVID Tutor
Partner: Region V AVID Program (Advancement Via Individual Determination)
The purpose of the AVID program is to prepare underachieving students for four-year college eligibility and to restructure the teaching methodologies of an entire school to make college preparatory curricula accessible to almost all students.The mission of AVID is to ensure that all students, and most especially the least served students who are in the middle:
• succeed in the most rigorous curriculum
• complete a rigorous college prep path
• enter mainstream activities of the school
• increase their enrollment in four-year colleges
• become educated and responsible participants and leaders in a democratic society.

Service: Tutors assist students in achieving their full potential by facilitating collaborative tutorial group in specific subject areas. Under direct supervision of the AVID coordinator, tutors perform the following tasks:
1) Become familiar with the materials in the AVID library
2) Become familiar with the textbooks and materials used by AVID students
3) Tutor students in small tutorial groups, assisting them in all subject areas based on the class and text notes they have collected in their AVID binders.
4) Determine from student notes and discussions the concepts that need to be taught or re-taught.
5) Conduct brainstorming and clustering sessions.
6) Work individually with students in any phase of the writing process.
7) Respond to student writing in the form of AVID discourse mode writing assignments, which students have had the opportunity to revise and edit.
8) Evaluate student binders, including calendars, class and text notes, book notes etc.
9) Conduct mini-lessons in the process of writing in all subject areas, study skills, and other aspects of college preparation.
10) Contact teachers regarding course outlines and assignment schedules as directed by the AVID coordinator.
11) Assist in developing a resource file of enrichment materials for use in tutorial sessions.
12) Communicate frequently and honestly with the AVID coordinator regarding student progress and areas of concern.
For more information, see AVID's website:
http://www.sccoe.org/avid
Commitment:
Flexible: 2-12 hours a week.
Varies during the school day. Training is required.
Location: varies; middle and high schools throughout Santa Clara, Monterey, and Santa Cruz Counties
Pay: volunteer-$12 per hour. Most sites are seeking volunteers, but a few have funds to perhaps pay tutors beyond their volunteer service commitment.
To volunteer, contact Andrea Lichter at (408) 453-6899 or via email at andrea_lichter@sccoe.org .

The Family Giving Tree

The Family Giving Tree is a 501c(3) nonprofit, based in California's San Francisco Bay Area, dedicated to fulfilling the Holiday wishes of children who would otherwise go without gifts.

The Family Giving Tree Holiday Program works with more than 250 Bay Area social service agencies. These agencies supply us with the names and wishes of the children they serve year-round. A wish card is printed for each child, detailing their age, gender,first name and their wish for a holiday gift.

Over 900 Bay Area companies and schools participate in the program by displaying the wish cards, often on trees, in their lobbies and other public areas. It is the generosity of employees, customers and students that make this program a success. By selecting a wish card, these individuals pledge to purchase a gift for a child in need. This December, a 100,000 square foot warehouse has been donated by iStar Financial to process the children's gifts.For volunteer opportunities, go to http://www.familygivingtree.org/volunteers.htm Current listings include:

Agency Interview Elf

Help us screen our agencies! Click here for more info.

General Office Duties

Always available during regular business hours.

Help us stamp, seal and organize. Great for students! Contact volunteers@familygivingtree.org to get started!

Back-to-School Warehouse Elves (August Only)

Help us receive, sort, wrap, quality check and distribute backpacks in August. Visit our Back-to-School volunteer page here!

Holiday Warehouse Elves (December Only)

Help us receive, sort, wrap, quality check and distribute gifts in December. Click here for more info!

Wish Editing
Help us sort through our database of wishes!

Contact agencies@familygivingtree.org for more information or to schedule a time to come to our office to help.

Feral Cat Program Volunteer

Project Title: Feral Cat Program

Volunteer Partner:
West Valley College District Police

West Valley-Mission College District Police Officers have developed a non-profit cat fund (not tax deductible) dedicated to the care of the district cats. They began trapping feral cats on both campuses a couple of years ago. Their goal has been to help the cats and the campuses by reducing the cat population. They use a humane trap to catch the cats and kittens, which are then taken to a local animal hospital for shots, neutering/spaying, and testing for feline HIV and feline leukemia. Adopting cats or kittens from the campuses is free. While donations from the community have been provided, additional funds are needed to support the program. Thus, the district police sells greeting cards to try to raise money for the project. Students, staff and community members are welcome to volunteer to assist with fund raising, trapping, and care of the cats and kittens.

Service:
Volunteers are needed to: • Sell greeting cards. This entails sitting in a designated place for two hours at a time, selling greeting cards and taking greeting card orders. • Maintain the list of greeting card orders, to order greeting cards from the printer, to pick up the greeting cards from the printer once a week, and to call greeting card customers and tell them their orders are ready for pick-up. • Serve as a foster care home for the cats or kittens while they are waiting to be adopted. • Monitor the cat traps and inform the District Police when a cat or kitten is trapped • Take the cats or kittens to the animal hospital once trapped and bring them back to the District Police once cared for.

Commitment:
There is no set time requirement for volunteers. Any amount of time is appreciated. Volunteers can assist one time, or continuously. A 15-minute review of tasks and any necessary training will be provided. There are no special skills required. Additionally, the program is looking for original art work or unique pictures that appeal to different needs (not only cat pictures) to be created into greeting cards. The profit from the card sales will not go to the artist or photographer. All profits go into the Feral Cat Fund. All artists and photographers who want to get involved are encouraged to submit their work. Art work and photographs will be evaluated on an individual basis and primarily judged on profitability, need, and ability to be made into greeting cards. Any other art projects are also encouraged. If you are interested in volunteering or submitting artwork, please contact the district police department at 741-2092.

West Valley College Powwow

Project Title: WVC Powwow

Partner: West Valley College Powwow committee

Service: Volunteers will assist with set-up, food preparation and/or delivery to dancers and drummers, donation drawing, posting flyers, and take-down of the event.

Commitment: The WVC Pow Wow is held the last Saturday of September. Morning, afternoon, and late evening shifts are available, each covering about 3 hours. Pre-event assistance is also needed.

To volunteer for this project, please contact Lenore Harris at lenore_harris@westvalley.edu or by phone at 408-741-2586. Please provide your name, phone number, email address, and available time.

For more information about this event, please see http://westvalleypowwow.org/index.html