Spotlight of the week

Niles Burn Run raises money for the Great Lakes Burn Camp by hosting a family-friendly charity motorcycle festival every year in Niles. The money raised helps to send kids to camp who have been traumatized by fire.

Volunteers are needed for a few hours July 14-16. There will be vendors, bands and demonstrations.

Volunteer to help with security, parking, running booths, serving food and running errands.

Adults

• People come to the Berrien County Courthouse for a variety of reasons besides court hearings. They are not familiar with the building layout and the various departments and would appreciate help from a welcoming team volunteer. Provide assistance and directions to the public.

• If you want to become involved with helping juveniles, and victims in Berrien County, join the Berrien County Trial Court-Community Restorative Board.

• Be part of Harbor Habitat’s ReStore deconstruction team. When people in the community remodel or rebuild their homes they often ask ReStore to assist with taking out the old to make room for the new.

As part of the crew, help remove items such as toilets, window, flooring and pipes that are brought back to ReStore as a donation and sold for profit to aid in the building of more Habitat homes.  Volunteers must be able to lift 50 pounds and easily move up and down a ladder.

• There are children on a waiting list hoping to be matched with a caring adult mentor.

Learn more about mentoring opportunities at www.volunteerswmi.org.

• Consider helping a nonprofit with fundraising. Think about a cause you care about then contact the Volunteer Center or visit www.volunteerswmi.org to pick an organization with a mission that matches your passion.

American Red Cross of West Michigan

• Today — Trinity Lutheran Church, 619 Main St., St. Joseph, noon to 6 p.m.

• Tuesday — Buchanan Moose Lodge, 101 S. Redbud Trail, Buchanan, noon to 6 p.m.

One-day opportunities

• Volunteer July 28 at the South Haven Gus Macker event at South Beach.. Help support youth by volunteering as a score keeper or doing set up and tear down.

• Big Bear Auction Company is hosting a summer festival on Aug. 25 in Eau Claire with a portion of the proceeds going to support tthe Berrien County Council for Children.

Volunteers will help with parking, judging contests (pie eating, bakeoff, chili cook–off), organizing and handing out paperwork for the car and motorcycle show, during this all-day festival for families.

• Krasl Art Fair held July 14-15 on the bluff in St. Joseph still needs a few more volunteers to help with parking and operations.

In cooperation with Volunteer Southwest Michigan, we are pleased to publish opportunities for volunteers each week. To inquire about these opportunities or to make an appointment, call 983-0912 in the St. Joseph-Benton Harbor area, 683-5464 in the Niles area; visit www.volunteerswmi.org.