VOLUNTEER NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE
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February 2019
A GOOD HEAD AND A GOOD HEART
ARE ALWAYS A FORMIDABLE COMBINATION
-- Nelson Mandela
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Find a volunteer opportunity
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Nominate Volunteers for County Recognition
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Nominations are now open for this year's
Montgomery Serves Awards, our county's highest honor for volunteer service. This prestigious annual awards program is coordinated by the Montgomery County Volunteer Center and recognizes volunteer efforts in the following categories:
- Neal Potter Path of Achievement Award, for lifetime service by residents age 60 and up
- Volunteer of the Year Award, for extraordinary volunteerism by an individual in 2018
- Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, for remarkable volunteer efforts in 2018 by those age 18 and younger
- Volunteer Group of the Year Award, for a group's noteworthy volunteer efforts during the last calendar year
- Business Volunteer of the Year Award, for outstanding community service in 2018 by a business
To nominate deserving volunteers, complete the appropriate
online nomination form no later than Thursday, Feb. 28.
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FEATURED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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Link Generations
Connecting Teens With Seniors
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Link Generations connects middle and high school students with older adults through intergenerational social and educational programs that benefit both populations. Older participants come away with increased social contact, adolescents gain self-esteem, and both achieve a sense of purpose. Plus, these programs combat ageism by improving attitudes towards aging and attitudes towards teens.
The programs start with Link Generations educating its
youth volunteers about aging, including the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes that occur as people grow older. Through simulation exercises, participants experience what it is like to have reduced vision, hearing, sense of touch, and mobility.
Teen volunteers then use this knowledge to plan and lead engaging activities with residents in assisted and independent living communities. They design activities around themes that target cognitive stimulation, social interaction, and physical movement, and contribute toward intergenerational conversations that are the basis of programs. At least two adolescents and two older adults participate together to facilitate comfortable group discussions. Students can earn MCPS SSL hours.
Participants of all ages learn new things during Link Generations programs. For example, one older adult who was matched with students who had recently come to the United States from Africa noted, “I have a better view of interracial relations from these conversations.” He suggested a future session focused on exploring participants’ cultural backgrounds, which volunteers then planned. Following this culture session, a older participant remarked, “It’s not just about our different ages. It’s also about sharing experiences from different cultures. That’s how people learn to understand each other. We need that, especially today.”
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FEATURED VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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Put Your Heart Into Helping
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Make February the month to show your love for volunteering! Here are just a few of the hundreds of volunteer positions listed on the
Volunteer Center website. Check our
online calendar for more date-specific opportunities or use the search box at the top of this email or the top of our home page to search for more ways to serve.
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Opportunities marked with the graduation cap icon meet the MCPS guidelines for Student Service Learning (SSL) hours--but
they're not just for students
! Other opportunities may be eligible for SSL hours; visit the
MCPS SSL website
to learn more.
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HIGHLIGHTS IN FEBRUARY & MARCH
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GOLF COACH/MENTOR: Positively influence the lives of young people while spending time on the golf course. Volunteers with
The First Tee of Greater Washington DC help with youth development and mentorship programs at golf courses in Clarksburg, Gaithersburg, Olney, Derwood, and Silver Spring. Minimum age: 16. Training provided; the next training session takes place Saturday, Feb. 23.
Email Maggie Farrell or call 202-479-2588.
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HOSPITAL GIFT SHOP CLERKS: Assist customers, operate the cash register, price merchandise, and help with other gift shop tasks at
Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring. Volunteers must be at least age 15 and able to commit to serving as few as two hours per week. (Evening and weekend shifts available.)
Email Ann November-Moss or call 301-754-7306.
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Thousands Make MLK Holiday a Day of Service
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Across Montgomery County, thousands of residents braved a rainy and bitterly cold weekend to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy by volunteering to better our community during the
2019 MLK Day of Service and the weekend leading up to the holiday.
More than 2,100 people participated in the Montgomery County Volunteer Center's multi-project site at the Bethesda North Marriott Conference Center, where they worked on everything from assembling personal care kits for area shelters to making friendship bracelets for sick kids. An additional 1,800-plus volunteers served at partner sites in Silver Spring, Rockville, Olney, Gaithersburg, and Germantown. (These sites were hosted by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority's Montgomery County alumnae chapter, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority's Eta Pi Zeta chapter, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, the Greater Olney Interfaith Clergy Association, Leadership Montgomery, Seneca Creek Community Church, the City of Gaithersburg, Journey's Crossing, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority's Xi Sigma Omega chapter). Plus, many hundreds more volunteered for a variety of service activities in Montgomery County throughout the MLK Day weekend.
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Snow is a beautiful treat for some of us, but it can pose serious difficulties for the elderly and disabled, who may not be able to get out and shovel. If you are able to help your neighbors during the next snowfall, please do! You could make it more fun and social by organizing a group of neighbors to shovel together. Not sure who might need assistance? Start a discussion on your community listserv offering to help. It's volunteering at its simplest and most local!
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Watch the Ways to Make a Difference
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Make a Difference, a monthly County Cable Montgomery program, highlights the contributions of stellar county volunteers and organizations that contribute positively to our community. This month's program features representatives from the
Bernie Scholarship Awards Program, which provides financial assistance to offset educational and training expenses for low-income residents of subsidized rental housing in Montgomery County.
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Subscribe to Our Partner Newsletters
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Follow these links to subscribe to our other partner agencies' electronic publications:
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Montgomery County Volunteer Center
240-777-2600
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Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved.
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