OVolunteer Opportunities

 

Homeschooling creates an excellent opportunity to teach your children to give back to the community. Here are some opportuntities that could be a family or individual project:

Index:

Don't forget your local church!

Eastern Oklahoma :

Broken Arrow:

Broken Arrow Neighbors is looking for entertainment for their seniors. If you sing, play in a musical group, or can tell stories, or draw quick portraits, and would like to help BA Neighbors, they need you. This is very informal and scheduling is flexible. If you would like more information, call Natoma at 251-7781.

Tulsa and Surrounding Areas:

Animal Aide of Tulsa, 3307 E. 15th St., Tulsa, OK, 74112. Make blankets for animals. Volunteer orientation is once a month. Come by or call for information at 744-8280. Webpage: http://www.animalaid.org/

Blue Thumb Volunteers - Tulsa. A water pollution education program that uses volunteers to monitor local streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands. Water testing, habitat assessment, field collections, conservation, & stewardship. Volunteers may participate in outreach education, program development, curb marking, fish or macro invertebrate collections. Become a volunteer - children and adults! Sponsored by the Tulsa County Conservation District. Contact: Contact Michelle Ragge, Conservation Program Specialist at 918.280.1595. Email: tulsaccd@okcc.state.ok.us, Website: http://www.okcc.state.ok.us/ED/ED_bluethumb.htm.

Community Food Bank needs volunteers to help pack food for the Food4Kids program once a month. You can help as an individual, a family, or as a group. Contact Kate Pelizzoni, Manager of Volunteer Services, at 918-585-2800, ext. 21, or kate.pelizzoni@secondharvest.org.

Franciscan Villa, 17110 E. 51st St., Broken Arrow, OK. Would like to work with homeschooling students or groups that enjoy visiting, singing, playing piano, holiday skits, etc. to older people. Contact: Marie Hoffman, Activity Director, Phone: (918) 355-1596.

John 3:16 Mission. Serve meals, office help, sort donations. For more information, see their website: http://www.john316mission.org/

The Little Light House is a Christian Developmental Center for Children and Infants with Special Needs. Volunteers are a vital component to the success of this most viable ministry. Home Schooled Students between the ages of 14 and 16 may volunteer in the Student Apprentice Volunteer Program and those between 10 and 13 may volunteer in the Junior Helper Program. The Little Light House offers an opportunity for Home Schooled Students to enrich their lives through community service in a Christ-centered environment. For more information log on to Little Light House or call Lisa O'Banion at 664-6746. Deadline for volunteering in the Fall of 2009 is August 1. Students will receive orientation and training for their volunteer experience.

Make a Wish of Oklahoma grants wishes to kids with life-threatening diseases. Kids for Wish Kids gives students a chance to create ideas for fund-raisers, then manage the projects themselves to help grant the wish of a child their own age. Along the way, the students experience the joy of giving, as well as develop school spirit, learn lots of skills and work toward a common goal while making a wish come true. For more info: http://www.oklahoma.wish.org/index.html or 1-918-492-9474.

If you enjoy nature and would like to share it with others, then the Master Naturalist program may be for you. You will participate in a series of 4 required workshops to be held in some of Oklahoma's most valued natural areas. At the end of the training, you will be certified as a Master Naturalist Volunteer and will "pay back" your training hours with service hours. The choice of where, how and when you perform your services are flexible. Payback options include service projects such as monitoring restored wetlands, developing interpretive trails, or holding educational programs at Oklahoma parks, leading nature walks, etc. Space is limited to 20 per session. Ages 18 and over only. For more information, 918.288.6949 or www.okmasternaturalist.org

Meals on Wheels, 12620 E. 31st Street, Tulsa, OK 74146-2307. Deliver meals to the homebound, pack meals for delivery. Contact: 918.627.4103. Website: http://www.mealsonwheelstulsa.org/

Oklahoma Aquarium. The Biology Department is looking for a few dedicated volunteers to work with our food preparation team to more efficiently meet our animal’s dietary needs. You will be working closely with the Curator of Fishes, and other biology staff. Shift times are Monday’s, Thursday’s and Saturday’s starting at 8:30am and ending by noon. You can choose one or more shifts depending on your schedule. Please contact Karen Dills at 528-1515 or kdills@okaquarium.org for more information and a Volunteer Application.

RSVP Tulsa - Retired Senior Volunteers of America. RSVP Website. Contact Gary Ann Tomkalski for more information.

Season's Hospice, 4200 E. Skelly Dr., #150, Tulsa, OK 74135. Cooking, baking, work in the office, companionship/visitation, crafts, sewing, knitting, errands, shopping, hospitality, and intercessory prayer. Make mobiles to hang in the patient's room. For more info, contact Carolyn Miller, Volunteer Coordinator, 981.745.0222. Website: http://www.seasonshospice.com/

SPCA of Tulsa needs volunteers to help transport and represent SPCA at LUV-A-Pet adoptions (Petsmart), social with cats/kittens, general clean-up of shelter and grounds, screen dogs for PAL visits (nursing homes), and provide foster care to animals waiting for adoption. Volunteers meet every month at the Martin East Regional Library, 26th & S. Garnett. We talk about upcoming events, sign up to work at upcoming events, and just get together and talk about animals. Come at 7:PM on the 4th Wednesday of each month.

St. John Medical Center--Teens (ages 14 to 18) can experience the joy of volunteering and explore medical careers while participating in our Junior Volunteer summer or school year programs. For the summer program, Juniors work either Mondays/Wednesdays or Tuesdays/Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For the school year program, Juniors can choose which day(s) of the week, including weekends, they want to volunteer. The application process is open year round. The deadline for summer program applications is the last Friday in April. For more information, please contact Morgan J. Lamberton, Junior Volunteer Coordinator, at 744-2284 or visit our webpage at www.sjmc.org.

Tulsa Repeater Organization (TRO) and Broken Arrow Amateur Radio Club. Ham Radio clubs that I (K5CED) belong to. Amateur radio is a fun and educational activity for ages 8-108! It also makes a great volunteer project. We practice communication skills by volunteering for organizations such as Red Cross, MS 150, and Tour de Cure.

Tulsa Historical Society needs Guardians. Guardians have organized an educational committee to develop outreach programs. They have answered phones, stamped and stuffed envelopes, straightened file rooms, created brochures, run videos, greeted museum guests, acted as docents for exhibits as well as walking tours, cataloged artifacts, scanned photos, run errands, and made the coffee. If you are interested in jumping in the boat by becoming a Guardian, contact us at 712.9484 or mplace@tulsahistory.org

You can buy or make teddy bears and donate to your local hospital, police or fire department. They use them to comfort children.

Muskogee, OK.

U.S.S. Batfish. Needs day to day help from lawn maintenance, janitorial ad counter work. Also event planners, restoration projects, and cataloguing museum artifacts. Call Rick Dennis, Park Manager at 918.682.6294. Email ussbatfish@sbcglobal.net.

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Central Oklahoma :

Edmond:

Coffee Creek Therapeutic Riding Center, 17 E. Coffee Creek Road, Edmond, OK 73034, needs volunteers ages 13 and up, teen and adult, during June and July. If you would like to work with children with disabilities and horses, come volunteer at Coffee Creek for a couple of hours once a week. Classes are Monday – Friday in the mornings. No experience necessary. New volunteers training session will be held for a couple of hours the last two weeks of May. Call us for days and times at 340-8377. For more information visit our website at www.coffeecreek.org. Phone: (405) 340-8377.

Oklahoma City and Surrounding Areas:

Carter Healthcare and Hospice - OKC. is a great place to help those who really need and appreciate a caring person like you in their lives. Hospice is a medical ministry that makes life better for those who are terminally ill and are bravely facing the last few weeks and months of their life. How can you help? Can you listen, play board or card games, run errands, clean dishes, sweep, read, do crafts, call bingo, play an instrument, bake, write letters? You can help our patients "Live, every minute they are alive." Hospice volunteers are amazing because of their compassionate and unselfish nature. Contact Adam Colvin for more information at 405-947-7705 ext. 134 or acolvin@carterhealthcare.com. Website: Carter Healthcare.

The Gaylord-Pickens Oklahoma Heritage Museum tells the story of Oklahoma through its people. From leading guided tours to assisting with special events and performing administrative tasks, the individuals in our Heritage Keeper Volunteer Program play an essential role in our success. Along the way, Heritage Keepers enjoy networking, socializing and continued learning experiences, all while building relationships with staff, fellow volunteers and the community they are serving. Contact Nicole Harvey at 405-523-3231 or volunteer@oklahomaheritage.com or visit www.oklahomaheritage.com for more information.

Land Run Reenactment Volunteers Needed. This is an Official Centennial Project of Harn Homestead and is scheduled each April. Teens and adult volunteers needed. For more information or to volunteer, contact Sha Buchanan at 405.235.4058 or email: sbuchanan@harnhomestead.com.

Novo Ministries, based in Oklahoma City, teaches children’s Bible Clubs in Schools, Government housing, and Apartments around the City. Internships available. Contact: Amanda Brymer, Phone: 405.664.3964. Email: abrymer@novoministries.org. Website: http://novoministries.org

Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is host to visitors from around the world. Our MVPs (volunteer) are critical to carrying out the mission of remembering those who were killed, those who survived, and those changed forever. The Memorial Volunteer Program (MVP) is designed for volunteers to interact with visitors by answering questions and providing a general orientation of important points within the Museum. Other areas of service include the Outdoor Symbolic Memorial, archives, administration, and the Memorial Store. MVPs may have the opportunity to help with special events and V.I.P. guests. For more information please visit www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org or contact the volunteer coordinator at (405) 235-3313.

Oklahoma City Zoo - Jr. Curator Program - highly competitive program for teens 14-18 years old.

Oklahoma Museum of History, 2401 N. Laird Ave., OKC, OK. needs volunteers to assist with daily activities, act as tour guides, and work behind the scenes in a variety of areas. For information, contact Robbin Davis, Volunteer Coordinator, 405.522.0754 or email rdavis@okhistory.org

Make a Wish of Oklahoma - grants wishes to kids with life-threatening diseases. Kids for Wish Kids gives students a chance to create ideas for fund-raisers, then manage the projects themselves to help grant the wish of a child their own age. Along the way, the students experience the joy of giving, as well as develop school spirit, learn lots of skills and work toward a common goal while making a wish come true. For more info: http://www.oklahoma.wish.org/index.html or 1-405-943-9600.

SolAmor Hospice- OKC, Youth volunteer creates decorations, pictures, cards, and other projects as needed for patients and their families (Ages 16 and older). Direct patient volunteer includes companionship, shopping, respirte for caregiver, sitting with patient (ages 18 and up). Contact: Lisa Riggs, 405-842-0171 or see website.

Valir Hospice - OKC, Shawnee, Chandler, and Cushing communities. Valir Hospice is a compassionate hospice program caring for terminally ill patients and families to provide physical, psychological, social and spiritual care. Volunteers play a large role in helping patients live with dignity and respect. If you want to help change the life of others, please contact Kelly Morris at 405-609-3636, ext. 139 or kelly.morris@valir.com. We have more than 100 ways to volunteer!

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Western Oklahoma:

Duncan:

Chisholm Trail Heritage Center: 1000 Chisholm Trail Parkway, Duncan, OK. Volunteers welcome! Contact Leah Mulkey, Education Coordinator, 580-252-6692 or email leah@onthechisholmtrail.com.

Jet:

Byron Fish Hatchery: Located north of Great Salt Plains Refuge. Volunteers can assist in surveying and identifying local birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and plants. They also can maintain the walking trail, a butterfly garden and a nature center. Finally, volunteers are needed to lead guided tours and coordinate monthly educational activities. For info: 580/474-2663 or http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/byron1.htm

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Nation & Worldwide:

Any of these projects could be done as local ministries:

Operation Shoe Box: Support our fighting men and women deployed overseas. Send "goodies" to the troops. Check the website for info on what to send and how to send it. http://www.operationshoebox.com/

Operation Post Card: Send postcards to our troops overseas. For info: http://bluestarmoms.org/postcard.html

Charitable Sewing Projects: A list of projects that helps those in need: http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/e_charitysew.html.

Head Huggers - Sew for someone who has undergone hair loss due to Chemotherapy: http://www.headhuggers.org/

Knit for Kids - Guideposts has partnered with many leading organizations including, World Vision and Feed the Children to clothe needy children here in America and around the world in places like Romania, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Kosovo to name a few. Here's how you can participate: http://www.dailyguideposts.com/help/sweater.asp

Care Wear - a nationwide group of volunteers who knit, crochet, and/or sew, providing handmade baby items to hospitals. All Care Wear items are given free to infants, children and their parents. http://www.carewear.org/

Diapers for Hondoras - http://www.nemnsynod.org/diapers.html

Sew Much Comfort - Sew "adaptive clothing" for wounded troops: http://www.sewmuchcomfort.org/

Benjamin Smiles Pillows - sew pillows for young cancer victims: http://www.gailbrown.com/articles/Ben_Smilesinstr.htm

Project Linus - provides love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans. http://www.projectlinus.org/index.shtml

Rag Dolls 2 Love - Their goal is to pu a soft cloth doll in the hands of children in countries ravaged by war. They also ship to children infected with HIV/AIDS, children in orphanages, children rescued from a life of prostitution, children affected by natural disasters.. http://www.ragdolls2love.org/

Sewing Charity - an alphabetically list of charities that need sewing volunteers: http://www.dotdigital.com/sewingcharity/alphabetical.html

Snuggles Project - provides more than 500,000 Snuggles to shelter animals around the world. Crochet, knit, quilt or sew cloth blankets for cats, dogs, and small animals in shelters. http://www.snugglesproject.org/

Annual Christmas Stocking Project: The Newborns in Need national office donates full size Christmas stockings to different emergency rooms (hospitals), social service offices, law enforcement offices, health departments, etc. for use with children who would otherwise go without during the holiday season. http://www.newbornsinneed.org/html/stocking_project.html

Patterns for Preemies. Patterns that can be used to make clothes for preemies and donate to your local hospital: http://project-angel-kisses.150m.com/1memberpatterns.html

Quilting Angels! Creates quilts for children with critical, terminal or life-long illnesses. Each quilt is designed and made specifically for a child by women and men all over the country by donating one block at a time. http://www.quiltingangels.org/

Sojour Bears. The organization's goal is to make cancer bear-able by providing inspiration and comfort to cancer patients through the distribution of original hand-made teddy bears. http://www.jmjgifts.com/SojournBears.html

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