By By Rob Paine, RSVP Marketing and Outreach Specialist
Welcome to February!
RSVP-Northern Virginia has put together list of volunteer opportunities and events for February 2020 provided RSVP, our partners and friends . Most are one time events that we hope you will find to be convenient, fun and provide great opportunities to make new friends.
Not a member of RSVP-Northern Virginia yet? If you are 55 or better, please visit www.rsvpnova.org to find a schedule of our upcoming free volunteer info sessions including Feb. 3 in McLean and Feb. 27 in South (Fairfax) County and our first-ever Saturday new volunteer seminar, Saturday, March 21 in the City of Fairfax.
Just added to February line up : APAH Seeking Volunteer Event Assistance for a Community Job Fair, Feb. 13. Please see below for details.
Spread the Love at RSVP Meet and Greet and Valentine’s Group Service Project, Thursday, Feb. 13,
Sign up now by visiting Spread the Love with RSVP
Join us for our third annual Valentine’s Meet & Greet, at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, at the South County Government Center to make cards for local seniors and spread the love on Valentine’s Day.
We will provide sandwiches, drinks, Valentine’s Day treats and card making supplies. The cards will be distributed to participants in several of Fairfax County’s senior programs. Thank you to our partner Fairfax County Volunteer Solutions for helping secure space for this event!
When 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020
Where : The South County Government Center,
8350 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, Va, 22309
Sign up now for this free event by visiting Spread the Love with RSVP
APAH Seeking Volunteer Event Assistance for a Community Job Fair, Feb. 13
Job fairs are an important resource for helping under employed and unemployed individuals and those who are looking for a career change or advancement. Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH) is looking for volunteers to help with event execution to include set up, participant check in, employer assistance, and event clean up.
Thursday February 13th, 9am-1pm
Where: Gilliam Place Apartments (918 S Lincoln St. 22204)
Must be age 18 to volunteer for this opportunity. Sign Up Here Sign:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080c4bada622a1f49-winter
Questions? Contact Julie Booth at jbooth@apah.org
Opportunities with Fairfax County Volunteer Solutions
Fairfax County Volunteer Solutions has a wide array of volunteer opportunities. Please see a list of current needs below
- Medical Appointment Drivers
- Male respite companion – Saturdays -(Burke) to read to 87-yr-old man from India.
- A female in Fairfax , near Government Center, in her 70’s would like some one to grocery shop for her. More info to come next week.
- A female in her 80’s in Fairfax City would like a friendly visitor once a week.
SENIOR and ADULT DAY HEALTHCARE CENTERS:
Little River Glen Senior Center (4001 Barker Ct, Fairfax)–Flexible schedules
- Entertainers/Musicians – Do you have a talent to share? Want to practice for an audience? (weekdays)
- Gardening volunteer- to help in patio garden. Provide guidance on what to plant/where. Assist center members to plant, other projects as needed. More hours needed in spring/summer. Flexible- weekdays.
- American Sign Language (ASL) instructor- 1 hour/week or less- weekdays.
- Bridge instructor- 1-2 hours/week (or every other week) to teach beginners how to play- weekdays
Pimmit Hills Senior Center (7510 Lisle Ave., Falls Church 22043)
- Zumba Gold- Mondays, 11am-Noon
- Entertainers/Musicians- Do you have a talent to share? Want to practice for an audience? (weekdays)
Sully Senior Center (14426 Albemarle Point Pl, Chantilly, VA 20151)
- Basic Spanish, French and Italian instructors –12:30-2pm (3 instructors)- 1.5 hrs./wk- weekdays.
- ESL instructors- 1-2 hours, weekly, for different levels of ability (beginner, intermediate, etc.), weekdays
- Certified Personal Trainer – 1.5 hrs./wk. to work one-on-one or with group to show how to use equipment in fitness room, weekdays.
Wakefield Senior Center (8100 Braddock Road, Annandale)
- Front desk Greeter- check-in participants. Mon., Tue., Wed.- 9:30-12:30.
- Knitting/Crochet Group leader- Monday, Wed. or Friday, at 10:30 or 1pm, 1-2 hours/week
- Crafts/Jewelry Making Group leader- Weekdays, 1-2 hours/week. Materials provided by center.
- Interactive Game Host- Energetic, fun personality to engage participants in games such as Family Feud, Taboo, Headbandz and more. Weekly or monthly (weekdays).
- Sing-Along Leader- to engage participants in songs. There’s a piano onsite if the volunteer can play. Not a requirement. 1 hour/month (weekdays).
- Fitness instructors- various types, flexible (weekdays).
For more information on volunteering with Volunteer Solutions via RSVP, please contact Shannon at 703-403-5360.
RSVP seeking volunteers to serve on committees that plan and support RSVP special events
Are you a planner or someone who enjoys organizing events?
Would you like to get more involved with RSVP-Northern Virginia?
RSVP is looking for volunteers to join five special committees that will help build our program and better engage our members. If you are interested in helping shape RSVP in 2020, consider joining one or more of the following committees:
Lunch & learn committee (planning and supporting 2-4 events a year): help plan social events featuring guest speakers who will provide helpful information for seniors and retirees. Committee commitments TBD/no events scheduled. 2-4 Volunteers needed.
Meet & greet committee (planning and supporting 2 events a year): help plan and facilitate social events that incorporate activities and/or service elements benefitting our nonprofit partners. Committee commitments TBD/no events scheduled. 2-4 Volunteers needed.
Volunteer fair committee (planning and supporting 1 event a year): help plan an event for active and prospective volunteers to come and learn more about our nonprofit partners. Committee commitments TBD. 4-6 Volunteers needed.
Annual volunteer recognition event committee : (planning and supporting 1 event a year) help to plan RSVP’s annual Volunteer Recognition Event in April. Committee commitments February-April. 2-4 Volunteers needed.
Northern Virginia Senior Olympics (helping mobilize volunteers for two-week event in September ): help recruit and manage volunteers for the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics. Committee will do the majority of its work in July, August and September. 4-6 Volunteers needed.
If you are interested in joining any of these committees Please email RSVP Program Manager, Brandi Morris, at bmorris@volunteerfairfax.org
Thank you for your help!
The Fairfax County Department of Family Services – Prevention Program is seeking volunteers for its Body Safety Program.
Volunteers supporting this program will teach children safety rules and deliver the Speak Up Be Safe curriculum to children from pre-school to 6th grade in Fairfax County Schools in their classrooms and in county community centers. To volunteer please contact Francesca Watson at Francesca.Watson2@fairfaxcounty.gov
Love nature? Become a volunteer Roving Trail Naturalist at Huntley Meadows Park
Huntley Meadows Park, part of the Fairfax County Park Authority, is beginning to recruit for its new Roving Trail Naturalist volunteer positions. The volunteer Roving Trail Naturalists will be out on the park’s trails and boardwalks for several hours at a time with bio-facts, binoculars or scopes and will be engaging visitors with current events and wildlife sightings in the wetland.
A full description can be found at Huntley Meadows Park Volunteer Opportunities.
For more information please contact Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator Halley Johnson at 703-768-2525.
To learn more about volunteering at Huntley Meadows from a past RSVP Volunteer of the Year Celia Boertlein click here
Volunteer at Fairfax County Park Authority’s Green Spring Gardens
For more information please contact, Loredana Calin, the parks’ volunteer coordinator, at 703-642-5173 or you can email her at Loredana.Calin@fairfaxcounty.gov
South Run RECenter seeking volunteers
Opportunities include :
Landscaper. – Help prepare flower beds for planting, assist site manager with ordering plants and flowers, mulch flower beds to maintain ground moisture, remove dead plants or flowers, weed flower beds, water and help winterize and clean out flower beds as necessary. Light to heavy lifting.
Front Desk Associate– Greet the public and orient them to the facility, inform visitors about site rules and programs, check user passes, answer phone calls and inquiries, assist with programs and projects as needed, help to take care of the front desk equipment and working area, and may handle sales of passes and/or other site specific items.
To learn about other volunteer opportunities at South Run, please contact Kurt Lauer, the volunteer coordinator at South Run at 703 866-0566
More about RSVP-Northern Virginia
RSVP-Northern Virginia, the largest volunteer group for seniors and retirees in the region, offers more than 300 meaningful, fun and social opportunities that include helping seniors age in place, assisting local food pantries, supporting local parks and teaching financial literacy.
RSVP also recruits volunteers for various community events including the annual Northern Virginia Senior Olympics.
RSVP volunteers have more than 300 opportunities to choose from including supporting the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics each September.
RSVP volunteers enjoy flexible schedules, free accident and liability insurance while serving, optional mileage and meal reimbursement and are also invited to monthly volunteer group service projects, free training and enrichment classes and social gatherings.
To learn more about RSVP, please visit http://www.rsvpnova.org or call Shannon at 703-403-5360. RSVP-Northern Virginia is a program of Volunteer Fairfax, Volunteer Alexandria and Volunteer Arlington.
