By Staff
ADULTS
Everyone is wondering how s/he can help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
One of the best ways, according to the local AMERICAN RED CROSS, is to be prepared in your own region of the country. If you are 14 years of age or older, you can do that by taking a First Aid or CPR class now to qualify for a Disaster Preparedness class later on. Classes are held in the evenings, and there is a modest cost for each one. In Benton Harbor, there is an Infant/Child CPR evening class scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 13. In Niles, the same class will be held on the 19th. In addition, First Aid training classes will be held in Benton Harbor on Sept. 20 and in Niles on Sept. 26. To connect, call the Red Cross directly at 927-2288.
LAKELAND HOSPITAL in St. Joseph welcomes volunteers interested in assisting patients in the Emergency Room or driving the Courtesy Cart from the parking lot to the front door of the hospital. Both positions are available during daytime hours Monday through Friday in 2-4 hour shifts.
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF BERRIEN AND CASS, in cooperation with the Dowagiac Union Schools, plans to establish Lunch Buddy Mentoring Programs at Patrick Hamilton and McKinley elementary schools this fall. Lunch Buddies are adult mentors volunteers who have lunch once a week throughout the school year with an elementary students on school premises. After lunch the volunteer and the child can talk, play a game or read a book, all in one hour or less. A "Big" becomes a trusted friend, caring mentor and life-changing role model. He or she can encourage discovery of interests and talents and ultimately help the "Little" grow into a confident, capable, contributing adult.
HOSPICE AT HOME provides caring attention to terminally ill patients and their families. Hospice is offering a 7-week Fall Orientation Program in Stevensville for prospective Office and Patient Care volunteers with a tentative starting date of Thursday, Sept. 8, and continuing on consecutive Thursdays from 1:30-4 p.m. through Oct. 20. Trained patient care volunteers work with patients and their families, providing respite services; writing letters; running errands; and providing transportation when needed. Office volunteers need only complete four of the seven weekly sessions.
Community members are invited to participate in the BERRIEN COUNTY COURT'S COMMUNITY RESTORATIVE BOARD, an organization that works with youth and families that are first-time, low risk offenders.
Volunteers may serve on the volunteer panel that hears cases and makes recommendations about community service for the offenders. Training will be held in late August.
THE BERRIEN COUNTY CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS provides many important services to residents of this area. One of those is the blood drives they conduct on a regular basis: Tues., Sept. 20, Buchanan Senior Center, 131 S Oak St., Buchanan – 11-4:45 p.m.
ADULTS AND YOUTH
BERRIEN COUNTY RESOURCE RECOVERY office is coordinating the annual Coastal Cleanup event on Saturday, Sept. 17 for the southwest Michigan portion of Lake Michigan. This event is a local part of an internationsl program sponsored by the Ocean Conservancy. Volunteers are invited to help remove trash items from our Great Lakes' shoreline; then the items are recorded, and the results are used to educate people about the prevention of these environmental problems.
FAMILIES
If ever there was a time to plan a neighborhood fundraiser, the time is now. Victims of Hurricane Katrina are in dire need of support through the Red Cross and other organizations. One of the best things local residents can do is raise money for the relief fund of the Red Cross. A bake sale, a car wash or any other activity that a family can plan will help the men, women and children of the Gulf Coast to reorganize their lives.
YOUTH
Do you enjoy working on independent projects? Are you a whiz on the computer? If so, UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN has a great project you might like. The United Way maintains a database of civic organizations that should be updated yearly.