Fall is a wonderful time to get a head start on your service learning hours, especially with all the opportunities being offered at the moment! Service Learning Counselor Emily Jensen says, “School’s not as busy at this time, there are more opportunities to get hours done, but less pressure than in the spring.”
Every week Pleasant Valley Junior High is asking for volunteers to be scorekeepers and down markers at the football games from 3:55-6:00 pm. Another opportunity to volunteer within the school district includes helping with the elementary fall festivals. Starting in October, fall festivals occur each Friday from 3:00-9:00 pm. Volunteers are needed to lead carnival games and assist with setup and cleanup.
If Friday nights don’t work for you, Saturdays are filled with opportunities to fulfill your hours. Here are some of the available options:
- One-Eighty at Monroe Elementary needs volunteers committed to helping at-risk kids recognize the importance of staying healthy through sports, crafts and music from 8:30-11:30 am every Saturday.
- The Friendly Thrift Center is requesting volunteers who are willing to organize, sort and tag new clothing from 9 am-1 pm.
- Cafe on Vine serves meals to those who need them on Saturdays from 10:30-2:00 pm and Sundays from 3:00-6:00 pm.
- Play Pal, run by the Family Museum, wants volunteers to help with activities and experiments every Saturday.
Another opportunity this coming Saturday is the Quad Cities Marathon! Volunteers are needed to fill and hand out cups of ice water and chocolate milk to runners when they finish their races. There are multiple races throughout the day, so volunteers can sign up for times between 7:50 am and 2:00 pm. “It’s pretty rewarding to be able to help runners. There are constantly people crossing the finish line so we want volunteers that are hard working,” says Nick Sacco. Sign up with Sacco in PVHS Room 259 to participate in this event.
Other volunteer options include Gilda’s Club and the Bettendorf Food Pantry. At Gilda’s Club, volunteers participate in supervised play with children who have cancer or family members with cancer from 6:00-8:00 pm every Wednesday and every other Tuesday. The Bettendorf Food Pantry requires volunteers to assist in packaging food, restocking shelves and sorting food delivered to the pantry. Students are invited on Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 pm to come help out.
If you’re still looking for more chances to get your hours in or to simply give back to the community, check the service calendar on the Service Learning website or talk to Ms. Jepsen for more information.
