VOLUNTEERING DURING COVID

Volunteering During Covid: How to Safely Get Service Hours during the Pandemic

by Destinee Williams

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CSU students can find virtual and socially distant in-person volunteer opportunities to help give back to the Columbus community A s the semester progresses, clubs and organizations at Columbus State are encouraging students to get involved in the community by requiring While a large number of community service establishments in Columbus are conducting business virtually, many organizations are still offering in-person service hours. However, students may find it difficult volunteering. Opportunities include Hope Harbor, to find places to find places to volunteer as many Ronald Mcdonald House, St. Anne Community Outreach, community service organizations are adapting to and Chattahoochee Valley Libraries. CDC guidelines. To encourage students to help the All in-person service events will follow CDC guidelines community, Student Leadership & Service provides and recommendations. A limited number of volunteers students with information on both virtual and socially will be accepted to encourage social distancing, and distant in-person events in Columbus. masks will be required. Organizations will continue

Many service organizations have decided to serve the to monitor the situation, and in-person volunteer community through a virtual format, allowing students opportunities are subject to change. to volunteer from the safety of their homes. Cortney CSU is also offering volunteer opportunities to Laughlin, Director of the William B. Turner Center for encourage students to engage with the community. Servant Leadership, is directing students to the local Annual volunteer events, such as Cougarthon, will United Way website, where they can create encouragement tentatively take place this school year. MLK Day of cards, hygiene kits, and child-friendly activities. Service, a community-wide service event, is scheduled for Other volunteer organizations in the Chattahoochee Jan. 23, 2021, and will be a collaboration between CSU Valley area are offering a variety of virtual opportunities, and community partners. including Orchard View Nursing Center, Big Brothers/Big Student Leadership & Service is also offering monthly Sisters, and Oxbow Meadows. To get involved with service Saturday service days, where students will be able to sign projects and ongoing activities, students should visit their up to volunteer throughout the community. According websites to become a volunteer. to Alexis Knox, Student Development Coordinator for Student Leadership and Service, service opportunities "...your neighbors and will be limited to 15 students per service event. “To the students who are feeling discouraged by the limited number of volunteer opportunities this semester, communities need you I would say that your neighbors and communities need you now more than ever,” Laughlin said. “And no, it may now more than ever” not be as easy to go and volunteer right now in the ways that we all are used to doing, but the level of ease should not stop us from helping those around us.”