Short-Term Volunteer Opportunities Plus Orientations May - July 2008

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

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.

River City Run – The run will take place Sunday, June 1st and volunteers are needed for the following dates and duties: 

• Friday, May 30 - Preregistration @ Fleet Feet - 2:30pm to 7pm

• Saturday, May 31 - Preregistration @ Fleet Feet - 10am to 2:30pm & 2:30pm to 6:30pm

• Saturday, May 31 - Course Clean Up - 9am to 11:30am 

• Sunday, June 1 - Set Up & Registration - 6am to 8:15am 

• Sunday, June 1 - Course Logistics - 7:30am to 11am

• Sunday, June 1 - Post Event Clean Up Crew - 10am to Noon

For general event info: http://www.rivercityrun.org/About.html.  To volunteer, please contact Brett Freeman at: (916) 808-8983 or email:  bfreeman@cityofsacramento.org.

Coach Summer Youth Basketball – Coaches and other volunteers are needed for the Summer Youth Basketball League in the Gardenland/Northgate neighborhoods, sponsored in part by the City's Parks and Recreation Department.  Games and practices will be held at the Rio Tierra Middle School.  Practices begin in May and playoffs will be in mid-July.  If you would like to help make this a summer filled with fun for boys and girls ages 7-15, please contact David Lindner at (916) 606-5999 or Jen Richards at (916) 868-7737.

Grape Escape - This event will be at Cesar Chavez Park and will take place on Saturday, June 14th.  Volunteers will be needed to help with set up of tables and chairs, serve as greeters, ice and water delivery, and clean up.  Volunteers will get free admission to the event - however must be willing to do whatever volunteer job is asked of them - and it can be pretty physical work.  Shifts will be four hours long.  If you would like to volunteer, please contact Sheri Graciano at (916) 808-7715 or email:  sgraciano@cityofsacramento.org

Juneteenth Celebration at William Land Park - This event will take place Saturday, June 21st and Sunday, June 22nd.  Volunteers will serve as ambassadors, site image managers, vendor assistants, volunteer booth, children’s area, decorations crew and parking attendants.  If you would like to volunteer, please contact Brett Freeman at (916) 808-8983 or email:  bfreeman@cityofsacramento.org

Midsummer Night’s Dream and Ice Cream Fantasy – Fairytale Town’s big fundraiser is coming and you’re invited to volunteer!  The event is a fun ice cream social and fairy festival combined and will take place on Saturday, June 21st.  The event includes all you can eat ice cream, Shakespearean performances, food, beverages, fairy-filled arts and craft activities and an Olde World Market where vendors will sell their unique wares and specialty items.  Volunteers wishing to help with activities from 4:30-9:30 will need to wear Renaissance or fairy costumes and must attend training on June 1st or 3rd.  Those wishing to help with clean up from 8:30-10 pm will not need to attend the training session.  For more information, contact Sharlene Lal at:  volunteers@fairytaletown.org or (916) 264-7979.

Ice Cream Safari - The Sacramento Zoo will host a fun event, Ice Cream Safari, on July 26th and volunteers are needed.  Two shifts are available, from 3:30-6:30 and from 6:00-9:00pm.  Groups are welcome.  For more information and to sign up to help, please contact Valorie Schneider at (916) 808-7444 or email: vschneider@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:

• Tree Planting and Stewardship- Volunteers are needed for tree planting and stewardship projects. To help or for more information, please contact: urbanforestry@cityofsacramento.org or call (916) 808- 6345.

• 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 for a writer's conference. For more information 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.

Gold Panning - Help children and families strike it rich!  The Discovery Museum Gold Rush History Center in Old Sacramento offers gold panning on weekends and selected other dates.    Monitor and assist guests as they pan in our special "salted" trough.  Panners will find real gold, fool's gold, silver, copper, and other shiny valuables.To volunteer contact Jordana Diehl at (916) 264-7059 or voicemail:  (916) 808-7021 ext. 7 or email:  jordanad@thediscovery.org

Re-enactment Volunteers - The Old Sacramento Living History program provides an 1850's Gold Rush life demonstration program the last Sunday in each month from 10 am to 4 pm at Waterfront Park in Old Sacramento. Volunteers are needed to assist with set up of the tents and site, tear-down and general assistance during the time of the program. This is a great opportunity for students to earn service credit. For more information and to sign up to help, contact

Janessa West at: (916) 808-4980 or e-mail jwest@cityofsacramento.org.

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

Marketing Volunteer - Ethel Hart Senior Center is looking for an individual with a marketing background to assist with developing a marketing plan for seminars, classes, and activities.  Please contact Linda Hoschler at (916) 808-5462 or email: lhoschler@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. Volunteer Greeters have their choice of wearing an Old Sacramento Greeter shirt or historic clothing provided by the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation. Discounted parking is available. For more information please contact:  Janessa West at: (916) 808-4980 or e-mail jwest@cityofsacramento.org.

Driving Range Pick-up – Staff of the Haggin Oaks Golf Course invite volunteers to help on Tuesday mornings twice a month from 6 am to 9 am with retrieving golf balls from the field at the driving range.  Up to 20 volunteers can assist each session.  To sign up or for more information, please contact Mike Woods at (916) 871-2672 or email: mwoods@hagginoaks.com.

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 all of 2008 with possible continuation into 2009.  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 Carmen Herrera at (916) 808-3826 or email:  cherrera@cityofsacramento.org.

Talent Bank – START, an elementary after school program for children from low-income neighborhoods, invites volunteers to share their skills and talents with at-risk school age children. START has volunteer opportunities existing for individuals on a short or long-term basis as well as a one-time occurrence.  Volunteers will be able to work with small groups of children through homework assistance, tutoring, 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 Cecilia Jacquez at (916) 808-6156 or email: volunteersacstart@hotmail.com.

Water Conservation – Volunteers are needed to affix labels on 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.

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

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