The Volunteer Center showed kids how to "catch the helping bug" while Citizen Corps taught kids which items are needed in their emergency kit at this year's Celebrate Families event. The annual event was held at the Washington County Fair Park on February 14.

Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers who helped us complete hundreds of art projects, play games, and talk to all of the families! We couldn't have done it without you!

2009 Holiday Handcrafter Project

In 2009 our crafty volunteers donated more than 1,300 items as part of the Handcrafters Project! Thirty two volunteers knitted, sewed, and crocheted beautiful blankets, hats, mittens, scarves, slippers, and dolls throughout the year. These items are then set up in the Volunteer Center so our member agencies can shop for their clients. All of these wonderful, handmade items go to those in need in Washington County. This year we were also able to provide gift baskets and necklaces thanks to the generous donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to our handcrafters who made such beautiful items, those who donated yarn which makes this all possible, and those who made additional donations.

Citizen Corps Activated for H1N1 Response

The Washington County Health Department officially engaged Citizen Corps and the Volunteer Center of Washington County for H1N1 response on September 25th, 2009. The request was made in response to Governor Doyle’s H1N1 public health emergency declaration for the State of Wisconsin and in anticipation of H1N1 vaccine shipments to the County.

To date, 80 volunteers have responded to this community need and contributed more than 500 hours of their time. Thank You!!

For more information, view the Citizen Corps newsletter!

          Volunteers in training prior to the Nov. 15th clinic.                           Volunteers guide patients to vaccination stations.

Thank You Glacier Hills Credit Union!
 

In honor of its 75th anniversary, Glacier Hills Credit Union employees organized a collection drive
based on wish lists of a few of our agencies. The goal was to collect 75 items for each agency,

and thanks to everyone's generosity that goal was easily surpassed!!

                              Glacier Hills Credit Union employees drop off their generous donations!                                The Full Shelf Food Pantry leaves with 3 full boxes!

Quote from President Obama at the Presidential Forum on Service,
   Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Points of Light

"Service isn't separate from our national priorities or secondary to our national priorities - it's integral to achieving our national priorities.  It's how we will meet the challenges of our time...

That's always been the story of this nation--the story of those who stepped forward in our darkest hours to serve it. Those who rose to answer the defining questions of their time: Colony or country?  Free or half free? Separate but equal, or truly equal? 
 

Those folks weren't in it for the money.  Those folks were volunteers.  Their service wasn't "extra."  
It was the work that changed this country."        ~President Barack Obama

The Volunteer Center was featured during the United Way Agency Fair at St. Joseph's Hospital on October 22.  Seven United Way agencies spent the lunch hours promoting their organizations to hospital employees as a way of increasing awareness and funds for the United Way campaign.  AmeriCorps member Melanie Bloom attended the event for the Volunteer Center.

     
       Q  What ways do volunteers help in emergencies?  What opportunities are there to help?

       A  When the Volunteer Center is activated by a local incident commander, we do what we are asked - volunteers are involved in whatever ways we are invited.   

• In the H1N1 Immunization response, we are being asked by the local incident commander, our Washington County Health Department, to recruit, register, background screen, assign and manage volunteers at the Immunization clinics.
• There are many roles to play - traffic control, registration, nurse helpers, runner, volunteer manager, etc.
• Our Citizen Corps is made up of volunteers with offers of time and skills, who want to help in emergencies.  Consider joining Citizen Corps to register your help!

Thank you to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
for donating 30 gift baskets filled with gifts and toys for men and women of all ages!

These generous gifts will put smiles on the faces of clients at our agencies!

Thank you to the Mom's Club of Richfield and the employees of Kohl's Department Store for their kind donations of school supplies. More than 400 school supplies were collected and distributed to kids throughout Washington County. Thanks again for your hard work and kind contributions!

Thank you, Mom's Club of Richfield!                                   Thank you, Kohl's employees!

Volunteering in America & Wisconsin Highlights

The Corporation for National & Community Service recently released it's 2008 data, which illustrates trends and demographics in volunteerism around the nation. For the purposes of the research, volunteers are people age 16 and older who serve through or with and organization without pay during a 12-month period. Check out the key findings!

• In 2008, 61.8 million Americans, or 26.4% of the adult population, contributed eight billion hours of volunteer service worth $162 billion.
• Despite the challenges of a tough economic situation volunteers slightly increased by about one million.
• Over 441,000 more young adults (age 16-24) volunteered in 2008 than 2007.
• There was a 31% increase of neighborhood engagement in those who worked with their neighbors to fix a community problem.
• Wisconsin has the 12th highest volunteer rate in the country.
• 31.9% of adults volunteered in Wisconsin in 2008, contributing 145.2 million hours of service.
• Wisconsin has an average annual volunteer rate of 33.3%, with 1.5 million volunteers serving 162.4 million per year.
• The Midwest region has the highest volunteer rate at 30.2%.

To see additional volunteer highlights click on http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/

GET A NIGHT.

Give 8 hours of community service and Get a complimentary night stay or 50% discount on hotel rooms at all 53 Sage hotels across the country.  Offer ends December 20, 2009.
Click on the link for details.  http://www.sagehospitality.com/specials/giveadaygetanight.htm

Thanks to the summer work crew at Nova who made our move a safe and successful move right across the street.  We could not have done it without their strength and patience.

THANK YOU!!

Good News!  The Volunteer Center has been selected to receive an
Americorps Stimulus Worker! 
This worker will begin with us on June 29th!  This person will help our Center
with volunteer recruitment and youth outreach! 
We were also able to open the door for several of our member agencies to receive Americorps Members as well!  The group receiving workers includes Big Brothers Big Sisters and Interfaith Caregivers, sharing one full time; Kettle Moraine YMCA is hosting 2!; Girls Scouts of Southeastern Wisconsin has 1; Hebron House of Hospitality is hosting 2; American Red Cross of Washington County has 1.

The Volunteer Center   ...     Now Serving 58 Member Agencies

New in 2009:
Welcome!
Washington County Rotary Clubs
West Bend Children's Theater

  New Agencies in 2008:
American Heart Association
Boys and Girls Clubs of Washington County
Hebron House of Hospitality

A complete list is a click away -- on the blue bar above, mouse over Member Agencies,
down to Member Agencies List