In cooperation with the Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan, file will 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 our Web site at www.volunteerswmi.org; or e-mail us at 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 partner agency.

Spotlight of the Week
• Every day the Red Cross makes a difference internationally and here at home. The Berrien Red Cross would like you to be its special events volunteer. Help with multiple tasks including mailings, data entry, equipment setup and take down, handing out flyers, sanitizing equipment, etc. Last year the Berrien Red Cross provided 95 military families with emergency communications, helped 164 people who suffered in family fires and trained 4794 individuals in emergency procedures. Remember, wherever you live there is a local Red Cross Chapter that would love to have you contact them about being trained as a disaster preparedness volunteer. Work happens all year long so we as a community are prepared for the next house fire, the next ice storm, the next tornado or the next earthquake.

Families
• Run a drive to collect items for 350 Easter baskets to be created for all the children in the foster care system and for children staying at local shelters in Berrien County when you volunteer as the Easter bunny’s assistant. Set up your drive at your school, house of worship, place of employment, business or other approved location. Contact the Volunteer Center of Southwest Michigan to learn all the details and receive your publicity materials. This project meant so much to kids in foster care and to kids in shelters last year! This project qualifies for the “Give A Day Get a Day” Disney program.  Visit www.disneyparks.com for more information.

• Community Day at Orchards Mall in Benton Harbor is March 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Stop by the Community Room to do hands on projects appropriate for all ages with the Volunteer Center. You can create cards for fellow volunteers, make decorations for the annual recognition luncheon for community volunteers and participate in other activities.  This qualifies for “Disney’s Give a Day Get a Day.” Visit www.disneyparks.com for more information.

Adults
• Do you consider yourself a handyman or handywoman? Are you a painter, electrician, plumber or general fixer-upper with duct tape? There are many volunteer opportunities that could put your skills to use whether it is one time, on a regular basis or as part of an on-call system. Many nonprofits are in old buildings that need regular fixing up and many have clients who are unable to do this work for themselves. Call the Volunteer Center and we will help you figure out where you can be someone’s volunteer hero!

• Have you ever heard of having a spa day for horses? Well, these aren’t just any horses, but the hardworking horses at Therapeutic Equestrian Center who enrich the lives of people with special needs. As Horse Spa Day coordinator you would organize the spa day and oversee the event several times a year.

• What are you doing next Thursday? As a Thursday Crew Volunteer, you can help build homes with Harbor Habitat for Humanity in Benton Harbor.
Roses are Red, violets are blue, your blood is both so donate today!

Berrien County Chapter of the American Red Cross
Friday, March 12 – St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 2673 West John Beers Rd, Stevensville, noon to 5:45 p.m.
For a complete listing visit www.berrienredcross.org.

Michigan Blood (formerly known as Michigan Community Blood Centers)
• Monday, March 8 – Van Buren ISD Conference Center, Paw Paw, noon to 7 p.m.

• Wednesday, March 11 – Bridgman Public Library, 4460 Lake St., 1 to 5 p.m.
For a complete listing visit www.miblood.org.

Adults and youth
• ?Se habla Espanol? Several agencies such as the Safe Shelter could use your assistance.  Safe Shelter clients are leaving a domestic violence situation and would greatly appreciate being able to receive assistance in their native language.

• It’s that time of year already. Relay for Life wants you to help with this year’s planning by joining their local committee. Find out more at www.volunteerswmi.org.

• Do you like to drive? Berrien County Cancer Services wants you to drive patients to and from medical appointments. You must be over 18 and times vary for transporting patients.

• Lakeland Hospice offers diverse opportunities such as: administrative work, driving patients to appointments, helping patients feel beautiful or creating scrapbooks for family memories. Learn about these opportunities and more at orientations on March 11 and 22 or April 15 and 19.  Some sessions are daytime and some are evening. Registration is required.

• Emergency Shelter in Benton Harbor offers monthly meetings to encourage and support current and former clients of the homeless shelter with adults and children meeting separately. This is a special time for continuing education and encouragement. Meetings are in the evening on the last Wednesday of the month. Be a F.R.I.E.N.D.S Supporter and contact them about how you can help.

Youth
• Youth volunteers will engage senior residents of Lakeland Continuing Care in St. Joseph in a variety of organized activities with a team leader on the first Saturday of each month, beginning Saturday March 6 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Volunteers should arrive 10 minutes early for instructions. This opportunity is open to youth in middle and in high school. Contact the Volunteer Center to learn more.