Tag: volunteers

Marysville Pilchuck High School seeking community volunteers

By Kim Kalliber, Tulalip News

Marysville Pilchuck High School staff are working to get back on track with regular class schedules following the tragic shooting on October 24.  While grief counselors are still on hand to help students cope with the aftermath, they are turning to the community for help in ensuring students feel comfortable at the school. Family and community members are encouraged to pay a visit to the campus, whether it is to talk or just be a safe, adult presence.

“We are in need of parent, family and community member volunteers to be on campus, to help out in the lunchroom and front offices where the counseling continues. It’s good for the students to see familiar faces, even to just come eat lunch with them,” said Matt Remle, Native American liaison for MPHS.

“Some kids may be angry or depressed, or both. Staff understands that everyone grieves differently. It’s going to take time and I don’t think you can put a timeline on grieving.”

Remle goes on to explain that while increased adult presence is helpful during a crisis, it’s valued all year long.  “It’s always good to have community members and tribal members and leaders visit the school, to bring a bit of Tulalip to the campus.”

If you’d like to volunteer, volunteer packets can be picked up at the MPHS front office.  For more information on the Marysville School District, visit www.msvl.k12.wa.us.

Tulalip Boys and Girls Club and other Marysville-area projects need volunteers

Registration for United Way Days of Caring ends Sept. 3

 

Source: United Way of Snohomish County

(Everett, WA) – Registration for the 21st annual United Way Days of Caring is closing Wed,, Sept. 3. As in past years, there are opportunities to volunteer throughout the county on both Friday, Sept. 12 and Saturday, Sept. 13. Days of Caring is the largest volunteer event in Snohomish County.

 
Although several hundred volunteers have already signed up, volunteers are still needed at more than two dozen projects throughout the county in Mukilteo, Tulalip, Everett, Marysville, Bothell, Stanwood, Lynnwood and Mountlake Terrace.
 
Registration information and project details can be found on United Way’s website www.uwsc.org/docvolunteers.php.
 
The Tulalip Boys and Girls Club needs help repainting the teen center and with spreading bark outside.  This Boys and Girls Club provides before and after school programs for youth 5 to 18 years of age, and full day programs during school breaks and summer (Saturday shifts available).
 
Pinewood Elementary School in Marysville needs volunteers to help with school beautification projects. There will also be some opportunities to read to children. Pinewood is an older school with a limited maintenance budget (Friday shifts available.)
 
Habitat for Humanity in Marysville needs help with a home building project, fence painting, and a dry wall project.
 
Projects in other parts of the county that need volunteers include the Mukilteo Community Garden, Volunteers of America Western Washington Food Bank in Everett, Helping Hands Ministries and the Northshore Senior Center in Bothell, Child Strive, Friends of Youth, YMCA of Snohomish County (Everett location), Smithwright Services in Lynnwood, Low Income Housing Institute in Mountlake Terrace, Full Life Care and Housing Hope still need volunteers as well.
 
Catholic Community Services needs volunteers to help several elderly couples with yard work and basic house cleaning in Stanwood and Everett.
 
In 2013, 1,019 volunteers participated in Days of Caring, offering over 5,600 hours at 47 nonprofit project sites throughout the county.
 
For more information, visit www.uwsc.org/daysofcaring.php or call 425.374.5549
 
The hashtag for this year’s event is #UWSCDoC.

Sarvey Wildlife needs volunteers

Lauren SalcedoA young raccoon is fed and weighed at Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in Arlington
Lauren Salcedo
A young raccoon is fed and weighed at Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in Arlington

By Lauren Salcedo, Arlington Times

ARLINGTON — The Sarvey Wildlife Care Center has already faced a budget shortfall this year and now, in their busiest season, they face a shortage of another sort — volunteers.

In late April, hundreds of Comcast volunteers helped to complete a list of projects that Sarvey had struggled to complete with a sudden lack of regular volunteers.

“They did landscaping and dug up a bunch of overgrown areas,” said Suzanne West, director. “They planted us a garden so we have things out there growing for our animals — herbs, broccoli — that we can feed to our rabbits and squirrels.”

Comcast employees also helped by painting the center’s education building, while children washed vehicles and windows.

“It seemed like every time I turned around they were doing something to help,” said West. “I love the idea that employers in the area are giving their employees a day off to go volunteer. We are really in need of volunteers right now. We have the lowest numbers we’ve ever had at the start of the season. Right now we have about 30 regular volunteers, and we need about 100.  We appreciate anyone who can come volunteer, whether  for a whole day or a shift once a week. We need the help.”

The spring and early summer season means that the wildlife center receives an influx of injured or orphaned animals. It’s their busiest time of the year — now they have more work and less workers.

“I think that a lot of it has to do with the economy,” said West. “We just lost a couple of our regular volunteers because they got jobs.”

Jane Towle works for Seattle Specialty Insurance in Everett, and her company gave her and other employees a day off for volunteer service.

“They let us have one day off a year to volunteer for whatever cause you’d like to,” said Towle, who spent her first volunteering experience helping Sarvey Wildlife. “This is my first experience here. It’s very nice. I would love to come back and volunteer more regularly.”

For information on volunteering at Sarvey Wildlife Care Center email volunteering@sarveywildlife.org.