What have you volunteered for, lately?

I volunteer at a local horse rescue shelter. I just feed horses and give them love. I didn’t have to take any courses though. I’ve been working closely with them my whole life. It makes me happy every time I go see them.

Just fundraising/collection/publicity for a wonderful local non-profit. I only had to do a 15 minute walkthrough to learn my responsibilities. It was very easy, laid-back, and fun, and I worked with them weekly for a few months. I’m hoping to work there again in the summer after I have finished with this heinous final semester of classes.

I volunteered at the food drive.
No courses necessary, I just stood and collected money or food from people driving through.
I felt happy that so many people wanted to give. So many trucks drove up with bags and bags of potatoes, can goods and water. Lots of diapers too. But mostly money.
It restored my faith that people will help others.

I’ve slipped up on my volunteering of late. I’ll have to get back on it.

Master Gardner at the local Extension office for the state university. We answer the telephone for gardening questions including lawns and ponds.

Haven’t done it lately, but I have volunteered as a fireman and a medic. I needed to qualify for both.

Recently I have volunteered to help park cars at a children’s powwow, donated game to the local food bank, did several cancer walks, driven nurses to work through the blizzard.

@Tropical_Willie, what training did you have?

I was on a DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team) for 4 months in Port-au-Prince after the earthquake through Partners in Health. I worked with a Red Cross DMAT during Hurricane Andrew, but was regretfully MIA for Katrina. I’m an RN with 23 years experience. We were given a one week orientation stateside before we embarked. But nothing can prepare one for the absolute lack of functional facilities outside of our tents (think MASH with A/C once in awhile and spotty drug resupply for the first two weeks—we were much better off than our Haitian victims who lacked potable water, sewers, electricity, and food. But we got it together. It was a fuckin mess, though. Nothing like Andrew or Katrina. Much, much worse.

I volunteer to coach my girls’ teams. The oldest plays softball and the youngest is playing soccer again (although she didn’t really enjoy all the running and complained that she was “schweaty” the last time).

I had to take a safety course, and get fingerprinted for a background check. I think I am supposed to take a coaching class for soccer this season.

I figured I was going to be at all of the practices and the games anyway, so I might as well get to yell at some kids along the way. Since I got divorced, it also gives me a little more time to hang with my kids.

I have had some great experiences coaching their teams. I give every girl an opportunity to play whatever position they want, hope that they learn something (anything!) about the game, and, most importantly, have fun.

I have been coaching for seven years and the only problem I had was when my youngest was five. My assistant coach didn’t think we were doing enough drills. The girls were having a good time learning how to dribble a soccer ball playing red light green light, red rover will so and so come over and other school yard games I adapted for soccer, so I ignored him.

@bkcunningham Thirteen weeks of three hour classes, several additional classes for landscaping and gardening. It’s a part of the Cooperative Extension Service from the state university. We have about a hundred volunteers for our county.

Local extension agents, IMHO, are some of the most underused and overlooked government employees. They work for me because of my tax dollars and I love them and use their knowledge every chance I get. We are going on a hike with them in a state park on the 22nd to learn about the local wildlife. It is all free.

Also a volunteer for the Shriner’s “Road Runners” for driving kids to the Shriner Hospitals in the region for appointments and procedures.

I volunteered to do extra hours at work today, some extras during the week, and on Saturday.

but only because I’m new and want to suck up. And make money. lol

I volunteer one day a week at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and one day a week at the local food co-op. All training was OJT.

I volunteered to be a donor for a sperm bank.

Did I say sperm bank? I meant Natalie Portman.

I sell tickets at the box office twice a month for our Independent Film Club. Yesterday we screened “Koch,” the documentary about Hizzoner, Ed Koch.

I also visit a shut-in regularly. She has bizarre allergies to sunlight and electricity, so we sit in a dark house lit by candles. She goes outside only after dark.

In the recent past I have taught ESL, after having taken four all-day Sat. classes at a local community college.Once I started working with my Russian woman, common sense and our mutual enthusiasm took care of the rest.

I have also volunteered at our local county orchestra and our local performing and studio arts venue.

I volunteered for a weird hippie mountain festival called Frozen Dead Guy Days on Friday, I sold stickers and t-shirts. It was a blast. Lots of middle aged semi drunk/stoned dudes getting funky on the dance floor by themselves. It was amazing to watch. And I liked the band that happened to be playing right near my volunteer station. Cha ching.

I volunteer by sitting on the board of directors of a small local non-profit organization. It brings arts to local children and people of all ages.

My sister is the President of an organization that operates and preserves a historic grist mill in North Carolina (it’s a volunteer position) and I recently volunteered to help her overhaul their database. I did it to help my sister and because it’s a great cause. It was an easy and enjoyable experience. I have done a lot of volunteer work in my life and never had a bad experience.

I have the time to do some volunteer worrk now so this thread will be very helpful to me. Thanks for asking the question, @zensky.

I volunteer on call at a cat rescue. Just when the regular’s can’t show up.

I also participated in a disaster scenario. It is put on to test emergency workerms readiness.

It can be fun. We are given small “parts” fake blood etc. It is like a small play.

Spring clean up will be happening in a month give or take. Just picking up trash and debris around the city. We get a lot of build up in the 9 months of winter. No one has ever gotten a littering fee that I am aware of. But the entire city pitches in one big concentrated effort come break up. And then smaller groups keep up with it.

@Pachyderm_In_The_Room You’re welcome.

A dog/cat rescue and a wildlife rehabilitation facility.

There are mandatory courses for both places. There are options for further learning as well. To deal with certain situations/animals, a First Aid Certificate is required. I completed that years ago. I did the courses as well. I loved them. I learnt a lot about dealing with different types of injuries. It feels good to do good.

I’ve become a Big Brother, see

http://www.bbbs.org