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Short-Term Volunteer Opportunities
and Orientations

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February 2010 - April 2010

Orientations and Training:

Animal Care Volunteer Orientation - Volunteers assist with special events, handling and exercising dogs and cats, pet grooming and bathing, office work, adoption clinics and education.  Volunteer orientations are offered the second Wednesday of each month from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm.  For information and to reserve your space at the next orientation, contact Claudia Schlachter, Volunteer Coordinator at (916) 808-8166 or cschlachter@cityofsacramento.org. For more information about the Animal Care Services Division, visit their web site:  www.SacPetSearch.com.

Docents for The Sacramento History Museum  - The Sacramento History Museum in Old Sacramento is recruiting docents (volunteer tour guides) for the spring school year. Docents lead school programs and guided museum tours, act as gallery guides, and help engage our visitors and teach them about our local history. Training is provided and will take place over the course of a few months. Mornings and afternoons preferred. For questions or to sign up please call Janessa West at: (916) 808-4980 or email jwest@cityofsacramento.org.

Short-term Opportunities:

The City of Sacramento and its non-profit partners have a wide variety of volunteer opportunities for youth and adults.   These include on-going volunteer positions as well as short-term activities. Some of the short-term and special event options coming up soon are listed below.  Please check with the contact first before completing the Short-term Volunteer Agreement form.

For additional opportunities with the City of Sacramento, contact Mary Lynn Perry, Volunteer Coordinator at (916) 808-8317 or mperry@cityofsacramento.org

Guest Speakers Needed - The George Sim Community Center will host a series of workshops for area residents beginning in April and running until December. Most of the workshops will take place on Wednesday evenings. The topics selected are: cyber safety for kids, auto repair, financial literacy and budgeting, credit card debt, identity theft and privacy protection, active adult protection, healing arts, holiday scams, and electronic recycle program and electronic repair. If you have an expertise in one or more of these topics and would like to present your specialized knowledge, please contact Viancia Roberson at (916) 808-3709 or email: vroberson@cityofsacramento.org.

Creek Week 2010 - Join the Celebration!  Become a part of this volunteer effort to celebrate and enhance many of Sacramento County’s creeks by participating in docent led activities centered around urban creeks.  The 20th Annual Creek Week ends Saturday, April 17th, with a county-wide creek clean up.  Teams cleaning creeks from all over the county will celebrate afterward with lunch, music, contests, and games.   In addition, many environmentally related city, county, and non-profit organizations will have booths providing all sorts of free, useful information and fun activities.  To assist with the City’s activities during this week of environmental projects, contact Julie Mier at (916) 808-2285 or email:  jmier@cityofsacramento.org. 

Saturday, April 24, 2010 from 8 am - Noon: Global Youth Service/Earth Day clean up “14 Miles of Service” - Help preserve and beautify all 14 miles of Sacramento Northern Bike Trail in one morning. Volunteers will help remove litter and invasive plants, prune shrubs, and weed or mulch garden beds. Volunteers need own transportation between the park and assigned section of bike trail, and volunteers under age 18 must bring along the Short-Term Volunteer Information and Agreement signed by a parent/guardian. Volunteers under age 14 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian or other adult supervisor. To help or for more information, contact Julie Mier, jmier@cityofsacramento.org (916) 808-2285.

Walk and Rock with Access Leisure:  The City’s Access Leisure Youth Programs will be part of the 2nd annual WALK ‘N ROCK FOR KIDS.  Access Leisure Youth Programs, through their River Cats Independence Field Leagues and Paralympic Sport Sacramento Club programs, provide sports for youth with disabilities. They also walk and rock logooffer outdoor education and residential camping, social and fitness programs. All are designed to "Optimize the experience of living" for youth with special needs. Walk and Rock for Kids is taking place Sunday, May 30, 2010 at Raley Field in West Sacramento. The event will kick off with a morning 5K walk involving families, local businesses, walk teams and supporters. Participants will walk and raise funds on behalf of area non-profits including Access Leisure.  There is NO FEE to register before 5/22/2010. Participants over the age of 17 who register after 5/22/2010 will be charged a $25 late registration fee. All proceeds will go directly to Access Leisure when you join their team.  The event will include the walk, music at Raley Field and along the route. After the walk, enjoy entertainment, interactive booths, kids activities, more music, food and fun! In the evening a special concert featuring Heart and Sammy Hagar will be open to the general public to attend raising more funds for area non-profits.  Join the Friends of Access Leisure Team today

Group Project – Water Pollution Prevention - Assemble folders of student information for school presentations on stormwater pollution. The City stormwater quality program needs help to prepare student folders so we can educate elementary students about water pollution caused by runoff from storms, over-watering lawns, and various other runoff sources. The folders must be assembled during normal business hours at the Dept of Utilities, due to the number of boxes of material used in the process. Activity best suited for groups of 4 or more.  For more information, please contact Patrick Sanger at (916) 808-1726 or email:  psanger@cityofsacramento.org (Thank you for your support, this project is currently at capacity.)

Music Instructors for Oak Park Teens – The Teen Program at the Oak Park Community Center, located at 3425 Martin Luther King Boulevard, is seeking volunteers to instruct teens on guitar, rhythm (with a variety of small shakers, tambourines, etc.), and also to teach congas.  The program runs Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 4-7 pm and teaching time would be during the regular program session.  For more information and to sign up to help, contact De Dee Cornelius at: (916) 808-6114 or email: dcorneli@cityofsacramento.org.

Imaging Support Staff – The City Clerk’s Office is helping achieve the City’s green initiative and sustainability goals by converting paper documents to electronic format and storing in document management software.  Volunteers are needed to help prepare documents for scanning, imaging documents using computer and scanners, typing information about documents into the computer and other duties.  Volunteers need to have computer knowledge, be attentive to details, have the ability to lift 20 pounds and be quick learners.  Volunteers will learn how to use the document management software, gain hands on experience with high speed scanners and get experience in a collaborative paperless office environment.  Volunteers are scheduled during the weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm at City Hall.  If you would like more information, contact:  Mrudul Sadannandan at (916) 808-7894 or email:  msadanandan@cityofsacramento.org

Re-enactment Volunteers - The Old Sacramento Living History program keeps the past alive through historical re-enactments, activities, marching in parades, walking tours, ghost tours, and many fun events. Training is provided. All that is needed is a love of history and a willingness to learn! For more information and to sign up to help, contact Janessa West at: (916) 808-4980 or e-mail jwest@cityofsacramento.org.

Senior Center Self Assessment – The Ethel Hart Senior Center is working towards national recognition from the National Institute of Senior Centers and needs community members who will help with a self-assessment. There is much work to be done in records & report, and governance, which requires a wide range of participation from the community. To find out more, please contact Linda Hoschler at (916) 808-5462 or lhoschler@cityofsacramento.org.

Volun-Teen Program at Fairytale Town -  This new program was added to the Volunteer Program this year and is set up to teach teens how to inspire and educate children in the arts, cultural and literary programming all while learning introductory job skills that will make them more prepared to enter the workforce when they are ready.  Requirements and details for the program are: volunteers must be between the ages of 13 and 19, must commit to working a minimum of 3 hours a week for 3 months, will be given uniform t-shirts and a dress code that they must follow, learn how to sign-in and out daily, how to track their hours, and will be responsible for turning in a time sheet every 2 weeks, and must attend monthly staff meetings.  For more information and details on how to sign up for the Volun-Teen Program, please contact Sharlene Lal at:  volunteers@fairytaletown.org

Sacramento Historic City Cemetery – Fundraising - Persons with experience raising money for non-profits are encouraged to apply with the Old City Cemetery Committee to work with volunteers with ideas but little experience.  Events in the cemetery are generally involved with history or gardening, but new ideas are welcome.  Time Required:  Flexible Duration:  Long or Short Term.  Contact Sharon at (916) 455-8166 or email patricianone@att.net.

Sacramento Historic City Cemetery - Actors - Persons with acting experience and a keen interest in old Sacramento history are needed for special fund-raising events at the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery.  Events are generally held in the evening, and actors in period costume do re-enactments of events affecting persons buried in the cemetery.  Time Required:  4-5 hours per event.  Duration:  Short Term.  Contact Lynda at (916) 804-1446 or email SayLynda@aol.com.

Art Access Advisory Committee - The Crocker Art Museum is inviting new community members to join the Art Access Advisory Committee.  The committee meets every other month and works to advise the staff on how to make the museum more accessible to individuals with learning, emotional, and physical disabilities, to those that don't speak English as their first language, to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing communities,  and to those who may not have the finances to visit the museum, (either as a group or as individuals).  If you are interested in helping with this committee, please contact Hannah Goin at (916) 808-6730 or hgoin@cityofsacramento.org

Crocker Art Museum Teen Action Team – If you are between the ages of 13 and 17, join a group of your peers to actively create and plan activities for teens at the Crocker Art Museum and on-line as part of the Teen Action Team.  For more information about the teen action team call Emma Moore at (916) 808-1961 or email:  emoore@cityofsacramento.org. 

Parks Volunteer Program - Volunteers are invited to help with various one day or short-term stewardship activities in city parks, trails, and natural areas.  Activities vary by season, and training and tools will be provided, so no prior experience is needed, only the desire to help. Opportunities are available in all neighborhoods, and many activities are great for large groups, families, or youth groups with adult supervisors. Volunteers should wear closed toed shoes and are encouraged to bring a pair of work gloves.  Service activities are available weekdays, and on occasional weekends.  To help or for more information, please contact Julie Mier at (916) 808-2285 or email: jmier@cityofsacramento.org

Special projects are listed below:

  • Land Park Gardens - Volunteers are needed weekday mornings to help with gardening activities in the WPA and other gardens around the park.  Many activities are geared toward individual volunteers or small groups.  To help or for more information, please contact Julie Mier at (916) 808-2285 or email: jmier@cityofsacramento.org

 

Graphic Designer - The Ethel Hart Senior Center is looking for an individual with good graphic design experience who could design and complete a flyer to promote our activities. For more information please contact Linda Hoschler at (916) 808-5462 or email: lhoschler@cityofsacramento.org.

Marketing Volunteer - Ethel Hart Senior Center is looking for an individual with a marketing background to assist with developing a marketing plan. Please contact Linda Hoschler at (916) 808-5462 or email: lhoschler@cityofsacramento.org.

Interior Decorating- The Ethel Hart Senior Center building is 48 years old. We'd love for you to share your ideas about a new high-end style look, on a shoe-string budget. Please contact Linda Hoschler at (916) 808-5462 or email: lhoschler@cityofsacramento.org.

Graphic Designer for Animal Care - The City's Animal Care Services Division is looking for an individual with good graphic design experience who could design and complete a volunteer brochure.  For more information please contact Claudia Schlachter at:  (916) 808-8166 or email:  cschlachter@cityofsacramento.org.  For more information about the Animal Care Services Division, visit their web site:  www.SacPetSearch.com.

Receptionist - Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center is looking for a volunteer to help answer phones, take messages and greet patrons of the archives.  Schedules are available 8am to 12 noon or 1 pm to 5 pm weekdays and Saturdays.  This is an on-going position and is located at 551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd., off Richards Blvd., between I-5 and N. 7th Street.  For more information, contact Patricia Johnson at (916) 264-7072 or email:  pjohnson@cityofsacramento.org

Greeter Program - Keep History alive by welcoming people to the Historic District of Old Sacramento! Greet visitors from near and far and show people the way to a variety of museums and historical spots of interest. Discounted parking is available. For more information please contact:  Janessa West at: (916) 808-4980 or e-mail jwest@cityofsacramento.org.

Information Technology Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Internship - The Central GIS Unit is offering student internships (unpaid) to assist with the collection, verification, and update of the City's Master Addresses.  Internships are currently available for 2009 with possible continuation into 2010.  Students will gain training and mentorship opportunities to build skills in data collection, field experience, data maintenance, and quality control for GIS data that is used throughout the City.  No experience needed, but fundamental knowledge of GIS and ESRI products preferred or enrollment in the GIS certification program a plus.  A 10-20 hour commitment per week is required and a regular schedule throughout the internship is preferred.  For information contact Nathan Jennings at (916) 808-7857 or email:  njennings@cityofsacramento.org. 

Cover the Kids, Sacramento's Children's Health Initiative - Volunteers are needed on an on-going basis to assist with client follow-up phone calls.  The purpose is to help collect data on children who are enrolled in a health program and those who are not.  This data will allow the project to assist families by providing them access to various health programs.  Volunteers are also needed to assist with various jobs at one-day events to reach families with uninsured children.  Parents will be enrolling their children in affordable health coverage programs and learning about health services by attending a short class.  Volunteers will assist at these events by facilitating children's activities, childcare, staffing a registration table or an information table, and making copies for families.  Events will be scheduled periodically at different locations.  For more information and to volunteer, please contact Mary Corum at (916) 808-3810 or email:  mcorum@cityofsacramento.org.

Sacramento START - (Students Today Achieving Results Tomorrow) Learning Today...Leading Tomorrow. Sacramento START is an after school program and is located on school campuses where 50% or more of the children receive free or reduced lunch. START has volunteer opportunities existing for individuals on a short or long-term basis. Volunteers will be able to work with small groups of children through homework assistance, recreational and enrichment activities. Volunteer assignments include START Pal, Enrichment Specialist, Special Events Assistant, Inspirational Speaker, Homework Helper, Cluster Assistant, Yard Duty Assistant, Site Director Assistant, Reading Buddy, Community Outreach Assistant, and START Office Assistant. For additional information call the Volunteer Coordinator at: (916) 808-6156 or email: volunteersacstart@hotmail.com

Water Conservation - Volunteers are needed stuff brochures containing information related to water conservation.  This project can be done at the Water Conservation office as a group and works well for youth groups and families.  Contact Carol Tao at 808-5618 or ctao@cityofsacramento.org Thank you for your generous response. This opportunity is at capacity and is closed at the present time.