April 2025
Welcome Spring
From the Desk of Amanda
Welcome Spring! If you enjoy being outdoors (minus the pollen), there are many RSVP volunteer opportunities for you. We work with several RSVP stations throughout Durham where you can work outdoors, including weeding, gardening, spreading mulch, manning a booth at the Farmers' Market, giving swim lessons to 2nd graders and giving out food to those in need If you would like to learn more about any of
these opportunities, please let me know.
RSVP Speaker Series
This month, we welcome Andrea Bowens from the Bull City Woodshop for our Speaker Series. It will be Wednesday, April 16 from 12:00 - 1:00pm at the Durham Center for Senior Life in the theater Please join me to listen to Andrea speak about the Bull City Woodshop. Many thanks to Mary Peacock from the Durham Crisis Response Center who spoke last month!
RSVP Group Volunteer Opportunities
Join fellow RSVP volunteers as we work together at different organizations. Meet other volunteers and check out an organization that may be new to you Welcome Baby Wed, April 23 10-12 Sign up here!
DPS Day of Service Mon, April 21 CANCELED
If you have not connected with one of our 40+ stations and would like to learn more about volunteering with one of them, please reach out to me or visit HandsOn Triangle. There are many volunteer opportunities out there and I would be happy to help you find a good place to serve!
Reach me by email at amanda@thevolunteercenter.org or by phone at (919) 3216932 Amanda Stoen
I have an updated email address! This should reduce messages going to your spam folders
Featured RSVP Station
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels offers a variety of volunteer opportunities to make lasting impacts on older adults in the community You can delivers meals and smiles to clients each weekday, help pack and load meals onto delivery vehicles, or even check in on seniors in the comfort of your own home We have something for everybody!
Hot Meal Delivery Driver
Deliver hot meals to seniors throughout Durham County. Available Tuesday to Friday Arrive to MOWD facilities (2522 Ross Rd Durham) to pick up meals between 9:30 am - 10:30 am and allow 1.5 - 2 hours for delivery
Volunteers can get scheduled to come just once, once a week, once a month, or as often as they would like Must use or have access to a vehicle and gas to make deliveries. Must also be able to download and use our Mobile Meals app to navigate your routes
Remote Wellness Caller (Wed & Fri)
Call our seniors in Durham. You can call from anyplace you have access to the internet and a computer Calls are made on Wednesdays and/or Fridays from your remote location. You will receive that day's wellness call spreadsheet via email at 8am Calls can be made between 9am and noon.
Meal Delivery Unloader
Unloaders will arrive at the MOWD office at 8am prior to our delivery truck arriving.
Unloaders will be grouped together to unload 500-700 boxes weighing 5-15lbs Unloaders work together to unload the vehicle in a timely, safe and fun manner. While boxes are being unloaded, unloaders continue to work together to stage boxes for the day’s delivery. This is a more labor intensive volunteer opportunity that will replace your gym session for the day!
Inside Helper
Inside helpers assist with various operational tasks during meal distribution The opportunity is available Monday-Friday from 8am-11am.
The University of Maine is surveying AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Foster Grandparents Program, Senior Companions Program, and Senior Demonstration Program) about their experiences with technology and volunteering. This includes all volunteers, regardless of whether you consider yourself to use technology in your volunteer assignment(s)
This research is led by Dr Jennifer Crittenden, Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Maine. Dr. Crittenden is currently conducting research on virtual volunteering and technology use among older adults. The aim of this survey is to better understand the perspective of volunteers on these topics.
Your decision to participate in this survey will not impact your volunteering experience. Participation in the survey is entirely optional.
The survey is anonymous Participants must be at least 18 years old. It will take about 15-20 minutes
At the end of the survey, there will be a link to a form to enter a raffle to win one of ten $100 Visa gift cards as a “thank you” for your time
Please click the following link to participate in the survey: https://umaine qualtrics com/jfe/form/SV eSgNwrWcLpT0J70
Please visit our project website if you would like more information about our research: https://mainecenteronaging.umaine.edu/vvstudy/
If you would like to view a PDF copy of the informed consent for this survey, you can find it here: https://drive google com/file/d/1D8VTXprRXI9eGvPXtv9vp98MTc2kqGjz/view? usp=sharing
If you would like to view a PDF copy of the survey questions for this survey, you can find it here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DChn 06zJ JnWs1pWbB9GGeMHLTvT8j/view?usp=sharing
If you have any questions about the research project or this survey, then please contact Dr Jennifer Crittenden (Principal Investigator) at: jennifer.crittenden@maine.edu.
Community
Urban Community AgroNomics
UCAN is a nonprofit whose mission is to engage the community of Northern Durham with skills based in agriculture and providing a place for those in the community to have access to fresh fruits and vegetables We have a lot of opportunities to get hands-on experience and make a big difference.
Volunteers are needed to:
1) Spread compost and mulch around the completion of the Hugelkultur Garden; this will be supervised
2) Assist with identifying Native plants which can be done by downloading an app called iNaturalist to your phone
3) Spread mulch around the Youth Green House.
4) Help add soil to the raised beds.
5) Help assist building additional garden beds in the Children's Garden
This job is outdoors and physical It requires standing, lifting, and bending It is a great chance to keep moving!
Questions? Email Amanda at amanda@thevolunteercenter.org
Museum of Life & Science
The Museum of Life & Science can’t do what they do without the help of their volunteers! From caring for our animal habitats, to keeping the Museum in tip-top shape, there’s a chance for everyone to volunteer at the Museum. You’ll get to learn about biology, horticulture, engineering, and animal care. Be a part of this fun and enthusiastic team! Do something unique and interesting that gives back to the
community and helps build a world-class Museum for the citizens of North Carolina and beyond.
In addition to these intangible benefits, you’ll also get to enjoy the wonder of:
One free Explorer 4 membership after 100 hours of service completed within one year. Once earned, the membership renews annually for as long as you continue to meet the requirements
Invitations to special events for Museum staff and volunteers
Eligibility for Volunteer awards Volunteer!
Questions? Email Amanda at amanda@thevolunteercenter.org
Symphony Tickets for Volunteers!
Join us for Volunteer Weekend at the Symphony!
Save on tickets to Elgar’s great & noble “Enigma” Variations, April 11-12, in Raleigh and April 13 in Chapel Hill
Tickets just $5 plus, enjoy waived processing fees!
Click here to purchase with promo code THANKYOU5
ELGAR ENIGMA VARIATIONS
FRI/SAT, APR 11-12, 2025 | 8PM
MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL, RALEIGH SUN, APR 13, 2025 | 3PM
MEMORIAL HALL, CHAPEL HILL
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor Susanna Phillips, soprano
Music Director Carlos Miguel Prieto conducts your North Carolina Symphony in Elgar’s “Enigma” Variations and Schubert’s lyrical “Unfinished” Symphony Plus, guest soprano Susanna Phillips joins the symphony to perform Strauss’ Four Last Songs, possibly the most beautiful music in the repertoire
Concert Sponsor: The Forest at Duke
Offer expires Thu, Apr 10 at 5PM Price does not include sales tax
Offer not retroactive or available at the door.
AARP Classes
Mike Sweeney, an RSVP volunteer, offers several FREE Smart Drive TEK related workshops. Smart Drive Tek gives you the facts about new vehicle technology. There are three format options - virtual (live and on Zoom), online (self-paced anytime) and in-person (available in limited areas). This class runs about 90 minutes.
Two additional workshops to consider include a Driving at Night workshop and an EV and Hybrid workshop. Explore AARP's free workshops and register at aarp.org/CarTech.
Community Events
APRIL EVENTS:
April 3-6 - Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
April 12 - Butterfly Art @ Museum of Life & Science
April 13 - Food Truck Rodeo
April 23 - SEEDS Volunteer Workday
MAY EVENTS:
May 17 - Bimbé Cultural Arts Festival
May 17-18 - Preservation Durham Home Tour
We want to hear from YOU!
The next time you volunteer, take a photo and send it to Amanda Stoen amanda@thevolunteercenter.org.
Thank you for all you do!
Please be sure to add thevolunteercenter org to your safe sender list to ensure that our emails won't get sent to spam!
