Spotlight of the week

The American Red Cross wants to know what residents of Berrien and Van Buren counties think so it can better serve the community.

If you have 10 minutes, please volunteer your time to take the survey today. Links to the survey are on the

Volunteer Center’s website under the American Red Cross or on the Volunteer Center’s or the Red Cross’ Facebook pages.

Adults

• If you are looking to to build your resume or just want to be in an office environment, this volunteer opportunity might be for you.  As a clerical aide at the Berrien County Department of Human Services, volunteers are needed to assist with clerical duties, including filing, copying, assisting clients with completion of applications or sorting and delivering mail. You should be at least 18 years old, have good organization and communication skills, the ability to work with others and be able to follow directives and maintain confidentiality.  An orientation and training are provided.

• Michigan Blood is looking for volunteers in every county and every community.   Volunteers will be trained in the post-donation station and are responsible for socializing with donors, observing donors for reactions and offering fluids and other refreshments. You can volunteer as often or as little as you want. No experience is necessary, just a friendly, dependable and caring attitude. Training is provided by Michigan Blood and the minimum age is 16.

• Are you looking for a way to share your passion for numbers with others?    Lighthouse Ministries of Benton Harbor (formerly Harbor Harvest Urban Ministries) is looking for tutors for school-age children in its afterschool and summer programs.

This opportunity will involve a commitment of three to four hours a week.  If your passion is more for the visual arts, the organization also has an opportunity for teaching a group of school-age children art activities, such as how to draw, paint and make jewelry.

American Red Cross of Michigan

• 1 to 7 p.m. May 22 – Christian Reformed Church of St. Joseph, 3275 Washington Ave., St. Joseph.

• Noon to 6 p.m. May 25 – First Baptist Church, 902 Broad St., St. Joseph.

For a complete listing and to schedule an appointment, visit www.redcross.org.

Michigan Blood

• 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. May 11 – Watervliet High School Gym, 450 E. Red Arrow Highway, Watervliet

• 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 15 – Lakeland Community Hospital Watervliet, Blood Bus, 400 Medical Park Drive, Watervliet

Visit www.miblood.org.

Adult and youth opportunities

Curious Kids Museum in St. Joseph stimulates a child’s curiosity, learning and creative expression.  As a floor interpreter you will circulate throughout the museum, interacting with visitors by demonstrating the exhibits and answering questions. You will also return exhibits to order by cleaning and tidying as necessary. Volunteers interested in offering story times or workshops are encouraged.

One-day opportunities

• The Postal Food Drive is the nation’s largest one day food drive.  If you get a flyer in your mailbox, that means your local post office is participating.  Set  food donations by your mailbox on May 12. You can also volunteer that day with the Niles Salvation Army or the Niles Post Office.

Volunteers can work a couple hours or all day and will assist by picking up food along the postal routes, receiving food at the Niles Post Office dock, delivering food to the Niles Salvation Army pantry and organizing the food at the Salvation Army facility on 15th Street.

• The Community Showcase Committee, a group that has come together to prepare the community for the Senior PGA Championship, and Cornerstone Alliance are hosting a community clean-up weekend from  9 a.m. to  5 p.m. May 18-29.

In cooperation with the Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan, we are pleased to publish opportunities for volunteers each week. To find out about these or other volunteer opportunities, please call 983-0912 in the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor area, 683-5464 in the Niles area; visit www.volunteerswmi.org; or send email to volunteer@volunteerswmi.org for further information.  To arrange an appointment, please call ahead.

Appointments do not constitute an obligation to accept a volunteer opportunity.  The center is a United Way agency affiliated with the HandsOn Network.