The following are opportunities at Volunteer Nanaimo. For more information, please call 250-758-7121 or go online to www.volunteernanaimo.ca. Volunteer Nanaimo is located at Unit 3-2350 Labieux Rd.
Pumpkin Festival – More than 20 volunteers are needed to help at this Oct. 14 event at Beban Park VIEX fair grounds. Please call Melanie Mrus at 250-758-3247 or e-mail www.viex.ca.
Villages of Hope International – Volunteers are required for this Oct. 20 event at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre to assist with information tables, fundraising and organizing. Participants should be enthusiastic and able to communicate well with the public. Help is required for preparation and the event itself from 6-11 p.m. Training is provided although duties should be straightforward. A commitment of 10 hours is required. Applicants should e-mail johnedmondson@villagesofhopeinternational.com.
Heart and Stroke Foundation – A volunteer familiar with Excel data entry is needed once or twice a week for a few hours between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. (flexible time) Please call Marcia at 250-754-5274.
Operation Red Nose – Volunteers are needed until January for this designated driver program. Positions include headquarters coordinator, volunteer coordinator and sponsorship coordinator. For full details on any position, please e-mail nanaimo@operationrednose.com.
Canadian Cancer Society – Relay for Life committee volunteers are needed for event planning, communication and organization. A wide variety of tasks are available depending on interest and ability. Great for someone looking to gain event-planning experience. Coaching, mentoring from staff partner, access to Leadership Training Program and position specific training is provided. A commitment is required until July 2013. Please phone Anna Glenny at 1-800-663-7892 or e-mail aglenny@bc.cancer.ca.
Farm at Cedar Woods – Volunteer helpers are needed until Oct. 31 to help plan and prepare items for the farm’s fall/Halloween events. Duties include helping create a corn maze, clearing paths for a ‘haunted forest’ and making fall artwork such as scarecrows. Tasks will be supervised. Please call Marjorie Driscoll, program coordinator, at 250-323-3553 or e-mail info@thefarmatcedarwoods.ca.
LACE campaign – Grassroots Outreach Volunteers are needed to distribute campaign materials to the community on Pap Test Awareness Week, Oct. 22-28. Duties also include sharing information with local social media sectors. Live, Aware, and Create Empowerment (LACE) is an awareness campaign about the value of regular pap tests and preventing cervical cancer in women. Please e-mail Bella Sie at outreach@lacecampaign.com or call 1-604-999-0840.
Nanaimo Haven Society – Haven is looking for men 19-35 to co-present in Grade 10 classrooms along with Haven staff in Nanaimo high schools from October to June. Participants must be comfortable with teens and public speaking, and against violence against women. A commitment of two to four hours per month and two training sessions is required, following an interview. A criminal record check is required, cost reimbursed by Haven. Please call Melissa Peoples, children and youth counsellor, at 250-756-2452 ext. 235.
Nanaimo Community Hospice – Volunteers are needed Sept. 29 from 1-4 p.m. for a ’50s party at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 256 on East Wellington Road. Duties include decorating the hall. Please call Sue at 250-585-6283.
Nanaimo Travellers Lodge – A customer-service oriented, friendly volunteer is required to work a three-hour shift, 1-4 p.m. weekdays at an information desk. There is a two-hour orientation session. A criminal record check is required, with the cost reimbursed after 20 hours of volunteer work. Please call Carolina, programs manager, at 250-760-2639 or e-mail carolina.ponsford@nantralodge.bc.ca.
UVI Metro selcvt U-18 girls soccer team – The team needs someone to help put together a web design for its soccer club and to help maintain the site. Please contact Ann at 250-758-7568.
NRGH Code Brew – Coffee kiosk requires a volunteer to support staff during busy times by serving hot coffee and other food and beverage items to customers. Several three-hour shifts available from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and noon to 3 p.m. Good communication skills, reliability and ability to take direction are necessary, and volunteers must be able to stand on their feet for the entire shift and lift coffee urns with up to four litres of liquid. A minimum six-month commitment is requested. Contact Daniel Cayer at 250-740-2624 or e-mail daniel@nanaimohospitalfoundation.com.
Tourism Nanaimo – A visitor centre coordinator is required. Please call Kara Walsh at 250-713-9862 or e-mail Kara.Walsh@investnanaimo.com for more info. A one-year commitment is required.
You Are Not Alone Seniors’ Society – This society is looking for board members who can give about one hour a month to attend a meeting. For more information, please call 250-729-0233 or e-mail yanaseniorssociety@shaw.ca.
Nanaimo Region John Howard Society – The society is looking for male volunteers to provide one-on-one support to people on parole in the Nanaimo area. You would be someone to talk with help people integrate into the community. Training is provided. If you can commit to one visit a week and would like to know more, please call Wayne Taylor at 250-754-1266.
Immigrant Welcome Centre – The centre needs volunteers to assist newcomers to Canada. Duties include to host and share information about Canadian lifestyle and culture, everyday experiences, help build a network and possibly improve English. The centre also needs youth volunteers ages 13-18 to help recent immigrant youth to Canada. Volunteers are matched with youths of similar age and interests to share lifestyle and culture information, or act as support in the school system. For either position, please call Pat Simpson, volunteer coordinator, at 250-753-6911, ext. 114.
Nanaimo Women’s Resource Centre – Four volunteer positions need to be filled at the centre on Selby Street. A minimum of three hours a week Tuesday to Friday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. is required as well as a criminal record check. Training and supervision is provided. Positions include public relations, events and fundraising, funding research and hairdresser. To apply for any of these jobs, please contact Darcie Davidson at 250-753-0633.
Georgia Strait Alliance – This organization requires a volunteer with some computer skills for data entry. Attention to detail is important. Twelve hours a month are required and volunteer can set hours anytime between Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Database training will be provided. Contact Donna or Cathy at 250-753-3459 or eimail cathy@georgiastrait.org.