#TisTheSeason Special Donation Drive, and Holiday Banquet @ 2100 Lakeside Men’s Shelter, Fri 12/25

(It has been a while since my last post; Grad School got in the way! I am at Case Western Reserve University studying for my Master’s in Positive Organizational Development and Change…makes sense, right?!)

It is the time of year once again to give back in an extra special way! In “Very Rare” fashion, I have decided to take up another collection of scarves/hats/gloves/socks for the residents of 2100 Lakeside Emergency Men’s Shelter in downtown Cleveland. I will be dropping off a first batch of donations Friday December 11th, and will drop off a second batch Friday December 25th. For those who want to help out with monetary donations, you can send $1 donations to my PayPal account at vrere@aol.com. Please use the ‘friends & family’ option so you are not hit with a fee. Also please note, if you are using a credit card and not a banking account you will be hit with a service fee through the credit card…if you have any questions please send me a message through social media (I’m on the major ones LOL) or email me at ‘Vreredai@gmail.com’ THANK YOU to those who have contributed already!!!

In addition to this drive I am doing for the season, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry is having its annual Holiday Banquet over at the shelter (2100 Lakeside) on Friday December 25th from 12pm to 5pm. Many food/non-food donations are needed including:
-New Children’s Toys (the men of the shelter will be able to select these items to give to their children as presents)
-Men’s Clothing Items

Please refer to the flyer attached to this post for the list of food items that are needed; it’s a lot!

If you have donations and/or would like to come volunteer at the banquet, please email Terry Vaughn (tvaughn@lutheranmetro.org, 216-333-2430) or Carl Cook (carlcook2100@gmail.com, 216-376-0396) with the donations you would like to bring and the number of individuals attending and the times you plan to attend.

 

#VolunteerCLE Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities in October

I’ve had a few parents approach me asking for opportunities for their children to rack up some community service hours for school, so I thought I would share a few upcoming ways to give some of your time back before the Cleveland weather we have all come to love (did I spell hate wrong?! LOL) does its thing…if you have any questions about the contacts I’ve listed at the end of each opportunity in bold, let me know!

On Thursday October 1st, help middle school and high school students with their math homework after school at the University Heights branch. Under the supervision of library staff, volunteers will be available at least one hour a week to help students with their math homework on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Volunteers must be age 18 or older and must submit to a background check, and must have demonstrated experience working with high school students and/or math tutoring experience.
Volunteers must be available at least one hour a week at a predetermined time after school at the University Heights branch, and commit to helping through the full school year. Contact Julia Murphy at JMurphy@heightslibrary.org.

Sunday morning, October 11^th is the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk taking place at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Many volunteers are needed, and responsibilities include:
-check in tent
-route marshalls
-water stop
-food and beverage set up
-banking
If interested, please email Christine Grapo at ClevlelandOHStrides@cancer.org

Saturday morning, October 17^th is the Out Of The Darkness Community Walk with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at Wade Oval in University Circle. Many volunteers are needed for this also. You can register as a volunteer HERE or reach out to Emily Siegel at afspcle@gmail.com

On Tuesday October 20th, volunteers can help give out fresh produce with the Cuyahoga County Department of Public Health. This opportunity takes place the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 3:30pm-6:30pm at the J. Glen Smith Mobil Food Pantry (11100 St. Clair Ave. Cleveland OH 44108). Connect with Kathy Rothenberg-James at krothenberg@city.cleveland.oh.us or at 216-664-2362. *This is a great opportunity for students in need of community service hours and happens once a month!

Saturday evening, October 24^th is the Halloween Boo-tanical Bash at Cleveland Botanical Gardens. Volunteers are needed to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters; assist with crafts, activities, or games; face paint and help pass out snacks & cider to guests. **They also are in need of volunteers to help set up for the Holiday Show taking place the week before Thanksgiving, November 21^st-25^th. Contact Sarah Hartley-Volunteer Coordinator at 216-707-2822 or shartley@cbgarden.org

Saturday evening, November 21^st is the fundraiser for PAWS-Public Animal Welfare Society at St Michael Woodside Party Center in Broadview Heights. They are looking for help with the reverse raffle/silent auction that night during the dinner. Volunteers will be shown what to do when they arrive. Please contact Susan Boyle-Treasurer at treasurerpawsohio@yahoo.com for additional information.

Win a FREE Registration to the Single Moms Conference, Sat 10/24

Calling All Cleveland area Single Moms!!!

The ladies (including myself!) of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated – Kappa Gamma Sigma (KGS) Chapter, have put together an opportunity for single moms to win a FREE registration for the upcoming Single Moms Conference taking place Saturday October 24th, at the Galleria at Erieview (Cafe Sausalito-1301 E. 9th Street, Cleveland OH 44114).

The Singe Moms Conference, hosted by Cleveland Young Lives & From Lemons to Lemonade, is designed to create a network of support for the single mothers across Northeast Ohio. Attendees can expect and entire day of motivation, inspiration, and encouragement toward positive change. The conference theme is “We’re All In This Together!”

KGS wants to hear from YOU for a chance to win one (1) of FIVE event registrations being donated by the sorority chapter! To enter, please email KGSCommunityService@gmail.com your name, email and phone number; and in 150 words or less please tell us why you want to attend and what you hope to take from the conference. Submissions are due by Sunday October 11th at 11:59PM. The chapter will then select five (5) winners to be notified Friday October 16th. One entry per household please.

Please spread the word, and if you have any questions please email KGSCommunityService@gmail.com!
I want to thank my Sorority chapter Kappa Gamma Sigma for agreeing to support such a great community event (Greater Service, Greater Progress of course!), and Frechic Dickson-Founder and President of From Lemons To Lemonade for connecting with me….Good Luck! 🙂

Father’s Walk: Cuyahoga County, Thurs 9/17

I wanted to give everyone a heads up on the upcoming Father’s Walk, in which fathers across the county take time to walk their children to school the morning of Thursday September 17th. This annual walk is sponsored by The Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative, Passages, I Am A Dream and the Healthy Fathering Collaborative. A list of the schools currently participating (as of September 10th) can be found HERE. Many schools have additional activities for fathers that day. Feel free to contact you child’s school if you do not see it listed.

On this date, fathers (ana father-figures) will be encouraged to take the following pledge:

• I am responsible for the education of my child.
• I will encourage all children to do their best every day at school.
• I will speak to my child about the value of learning and the importance of reaching your potential.
• I will help with school work and review assignments for completion.
• I will praise my child when he/she does well in school.
• I will speak with my child’s teachers and support them in educating my child.
• I will teach my child the value of education and the value of family.
• I will work with my child’s mother or guardian to achieve the best academic and social outcomes for my child even if I do not live with my child.

A few of my friends participated last year with their children, and share the same feelings of appreciation for something as simple as a walk to school, to take place in unison. I hope you spread the word, and enjoy the walk! 🙂

#VolunteerCLE Alice in Wonderland & Homework Help with Heights Libraries

On Thursday October 8th, the Lee Rd. library branch (2345 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights OH 44118) has put together a fun-filled evening celebrating Alice In Wonderland’s 150th anniversary.  Families register for a 30 minute time slot in this “walk-through” program and 12 volunteers are needed that evening (5:30-9pm) to help with crafts, reading stories, working at the sign-in table, passing out cookies and juice, dressing up as characters, running the croquet game, and running other games.
If you’re interested in volunteering for this one-time family program, please email Julia Murphy at JMurphy@heightslibrary.org. Feel free to include your job preference.

The University Heights library branch (13866 Cedar Road, University Heights OH 44118) is looking for Math homework help volunteers who are available to assist with middle and high school students at least one hour a week for the 2015-16 school year. Volunteers must be age 18 or older and must submit to a background check. Volunteers must have demonstrated experience working with high school students and/or math tutoring experience. If you’re interested in volunteering for this position, please send a resume of relevant experience to Julia Murphy at JMurphy@heightslibrary.org. A volunteer application will also need to be filled out, which can be found HERE.

#VolunteerCLE Pop-Up Welcome Party, Wednesday 9/9

Here is a quick opportunity to welcome a bus tour of visitors to the city of Cleveland! By way of Destination Cleveland, pop-up parties are set up to show travelers that we Clevelanders are very happy they decided to stop by. I have participated in the past; I and a few others welcomed a bus load of students from Canada outside of the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. They actually said that in all of their stops to various cities…NOT ONE welcomed them off the bus they way we did! That says a lot about Cleveland, right?!

If you are free on Wednesday September 9th at 4:30PM, please email Eric Embacher (Visitor Experience Program Manager | Destination Cleveland) at EEmbacher@destinationcleveland.org The location for this welcome party is the Radisson Hotel in downtown Cleveland (651 Huron Road, Cleveland, OH 44115), and should take no more than one hour. Hope you can make it…and let Eric know I sent you! 🙂

#VolunteerCLE Run For Recovery Volunteering (Final Details) Sat 8/22

First I want to thank those who have decided to come volunteer with me! I appreciate that you feel like doing something simple to give back and the participants will be grateful! I am still looking for a few more people who would like to help out Saturday August 22nd at Progressive Field for the Run For Recovery held at Progressive Field. Here are final details and the schedule for the event:

Volunteers will assist Peace Racing with the set-up, maintenance and breakdown of a water stop. Volunteers will ensure participants receive water and will help maintain a smooth traffic flow to avoid congestion near the water stop. Volunteers should cheer participants on as well!
Team: Vrere Bunkley and friends 🙂
 Time: 7:30am-10:30am
Location: Outside Stadium – East 9th and Carnegie
Check In/Volunteer Assignment:
Please check-in at the information/volunteer station upon your arrival to receive your assignment and t-shirt. Please try to arrive a few minutes before you scheduled shift time.
Entrance is at Gate A off Eagle Ave. (Home Run Porch)

Timeline
7:00 am Packet Pickup/Registration Opens
8:15 am Welcome
8:30 am Kids’ Fun Run begins
8:45 am 5k Run begins
9:15 am 1 mile Wellness Walk begins
10:00 am Awards Ceremony
10:30 am Raffle Prize Drawing

#WheresVrere NAMIWalks 2015, Saturday 8/29 (Donation Link and Volunteer Opportunity)

Once again, I am participating in the National Alliance on Mental Illness (Greater Cleveland) NAMIWalks. I will be raising money that will go towards maintaining local programming for persons affected by mental illness.

Here is my fundraising link. Last year I raised $120, more than I expected! Always appreciative by the support I receive, and I look forward to support again this year. The event takes place Saturday August 29th at Edgewater Park.

While I am walking, I won’t be volunteering…but NAMI Greater Cleveland is looking for help during the event. Responsibilities include but are not limited to set up, registration, greeters, photographers and breakdown. Families are also encouraged to come out and volunteer; children are asked to be 12 years and older. If you are interested you can contact Lisa Dellafiora at ldellafiora@namicleveland.org

#GetPumpedCLE Walk A Mile In Her Shoes, Thurs 9/24

The Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center is hosting its 3rd annual Walk A Mile In Her Shoes event. On Thursday September 24th, men in the greater Cleveland area will come together and participate in a one mile walk around the Warehouse District downtown…while wearing women’s heels! Women and children are also encouraged to register and participate. There are several registration options available, which can all be found HERE. The money raised will help raise critical funds for Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center’s programs reaching over 40,000 individual’s in Cuyahoga County each year. After the walk, you are invited back to Dive Bar (1214 West 6th Street, Cleveland OH)

I am asking for all of my friends and family (ESPECIALLY THE MALES)  to come out and support an issue that is too visible in our communities but can be difficult to address. I decided to join the volunteer committee for DVCAC and help spread the word, and hopefully attract different audiences to the walk. If you need some help finding heels in your size please let me know!

“It’s not easy to walk a mile in heels, nor is it easy yo walk away from a relationship that involves domestic violence. Please come out and empower others by showing your support in their journey.”

Walk A Mile In Her Shoes Committee Meeting, Wed 7/29

The Domestic Violence and Child Advocacy Center is now in the beginning stages of planning its 3rd annual Walk A Mile In Her Shoes, an event giving men the opportunity to help raise awareness about violence against women.

The DVCAC will have a planning committee meeting on Wednesday July 29th at 8am, at their offices (2806 Payne Ave, Cleveland OH 44114). These volunteers will join in recruiting walkers, donations/sponsorships, planning process, etc.

If you are available to attend that morning, please email Sara Otts directly at sotts@dvcac.org.