Short-Term Volunteer Opportunities
and Orientations
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February 2012
Orientations and Training:
Student Docent Program - Do you need service hours to fulfill your graduation requirement? The Sacramento History Museum is the place for students to fulfill their service hours. Students learn how to gold pan, how to teach others how to gold pan, assist on the weekends with arts and crafts, and can train to become student docents. Student docents are required to attend student docent training to learn about the museum and our beautiful artifacts. After completing the training, student docents can be gallery guides and lead museum patrons around the museum and answer questions they may have about the museum’s collections. Short-term volunteers can volunteer for as little as one weekend day. Long-term volunteers or student docents must commit to a minimum of 30 hours per year. For more information, contact Janessa West: jwest@cityofsacramento.org or (916) 808-4980. Complete an application: http://www.historicoldsac.org/pdf/volunteer/StudentDocent_Application.pdf
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
Museum Day at the Zoo – February 4th is Museum Day in Sacramento where over 20 museums are open for free or reduced admission. The Sacramento Zoo is participating again this year and expects a huge volume of visitors. Volunteers are needed to monitor exhibits and be sure everyone is respecting the rules and keeping the animals safe. Volunteers need to be at least 18. The monitors work in shifts from 9 am to 1 pm and 1 pm to 5 pm. If you would like to help please contact Valorie Schneider at vschneider@saczoo.org.
Cancelled: Prune-a-thon – Join Friends of East Sacramento and the Sacramento Rose Society for a “prune-a-thon” of McKinley Park Rose Garden on Saturday, February 4th from 9:30 to 1:30. A group of rose lovers, or “rosarians”, gathers there each year to perform a massive pruning to ready the flowers for future blooms. Everyone, from novice to expert, is welcome. Area rosarians will teach novice pruners how to prune. If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information on how to help, visit www.friendsofeastsac.org or email friendsofeastsac@aol.com or call: 916-452-8011.
Reithmuth Park Clean-up – February 11th from 9 am to Noon. Volunteers will help with weeding, raking, trash pick-up and shrub pruning. Please wear close toed shoes; bring gloves and wear sunscreen and a hat. Snacks and prizes will be provided to volunteers. Minimum age to volunteer for this event is 10 years old if adult supervision provided. If you would like to help with this adopt-a-park clean-up, please contact Cyndia Castro at (916) 808-2285 or email: ccastro@cityofsacramento.org.
Southside Park Adopt-a-Park Day – Join neighbors and friends for a day of service at Southside Park on Saturday, February 18th from 9:00 am to 12 noon. Volunteers will help clean out the pond. This is the focus of the work day and is appropriate for those age 18 and up; please bring your own life jacket for this portion of the project. Additional tasks will include removing trash and weeds (ages 16 and up ok for this portion of the project or younger with parent participation). A playground clean-up will also be available for youth and teens. The park is located in downtown Sacramento at 2115 6th Street. Please wear close toed shoes; bring gloves and wear sunscreen and a hat. If you would like to help with this adopt-a-park clean-up, please contact Sean at seanjclancy@gmail.com.
Farm Stand Marketing Coordinator The Hart Senior Center is looking for a volunteer with marketing experience to help promote the Marshall Park Farm Stand in midtown Sacramento. In 2011, the first year of its operation, the weekly farm stand targeted participants of Hart Senior Center. For 2012, we have a goal of reaching the greater midtown community. The Farm Stand Marketing Coordinator will develop a marketing plan and materials, write press releases and do outreach into the community. The Marketing Coordinator position will begin in March. Your skills are needed to help make this fun project a success! Contact Rosanne Bernardy, 808-1590 for additional information.
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. Minimum age is 16. If you would like more information, contact: Wendy Klock-Johnson at (916) 808-7509 or email: WKlock-Johnson@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.
Volun-Teen Program at Fairytale Town - This program was added to the Volunteer Program 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 Sharon at (916) 455-8166 or email patricianone@att.net.
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 Cyndia Castro at (916) 808-2285 or email: ccastro@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 Cyndia Castro at (916) 808-2285 or email: ccastro@cityofsacramento.org
Receptionist - Center for Sacramento History 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) 808-7074 or email: pjohnson@cityofsacramento.org
Information Technology Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Internship - The City of Sacramento, Central GIS Unit is offering student internships to assist with the data updates, mapping projects, rectifying historical aerial photos, and other GIS data maintenance activities. The Internship is always open for submitting resumes and letters of interest and are filled based on current available need, project workload, and City GIS staff to assist. Obtain quality training and mentorship to build skills in data collection, field experience, data maintenance, and quality control for GIS data that is used throughout the City. Qualifications: Fundamental knowledge of GIS and ESRI products preferable. Enrollment in the GIS certification program a plus. Please contact Nathan Jennings 916.808.7857,
njennings@cityofsacramento.org for more information. This is currently an unpaid internship. Contact a college advisor or department for the fulfillment of an Internship requirement. Minimum commitment: 10 hours minimum/week, preferably 20+/week. Prefer a regular schedule to be maintained throughout the duration of the internship.
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 Cathy Shannon at (916) 808-7703 or email: cshannon@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
