This column is a sample of volunteer opportunities available in Marquette County. Persons 55 or older can learn about these and other possibilities in their community by contacting Amy Mattson at the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program at 485-1782. Others should contact the agencies directly. Additional opportunities are also posted online at UPvolunteer.org.
Marquette County Habitat for Humanity seeks volunteer help from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday at the ReStore during cashiers' lunch break. Duties include greeting customers, ringing up sales, answering phone, preparing paperwork for donations, pickups and deliveries, and maintaining store appearance. A three- to six-month commitment of at least one day per week is preferred. Call 228-3578 or email Jane@mqthabitat.org.
Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic seeks volunteers to help with the 13th annual race Saturday, Aug. 11. Help is needed with bag stuffing, race registration, information booth, races, bike corral, road crossings and cleanup. Two-hour volunteer blocks are preferred; help is needed Aug. 9-11. Call Nicole Dewald at 906-235-6861 or email oretoshore@gmail.com.
Lake Superior Hospice seeks volunteers interested in being a friendly visitor for patients in Chatham, Gwinn and Republic. Volunteers offer caregiver relief for the families. Call Lake Superior Hospice's Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator Samantha Collins at 906-225-7760 or email scollins@lakesuperiorhospice.org.
Girl Scout Camp Pow Low in Gwinn seeks summer volunteers to help with Wet and Wild Wednesday programs. Email Jill Rady at jrady@gsnwgl.org. Reaching out Program Volunteers are needed to help with programs at Moosewood Nature Center and Marquette YMCA, email Emily Sprengelmeyer at esprengelmeyer@gsnwgl.org. Summer Resident camp staff volunteers are needed for July 8-14 and July 15-21 at Camp Nesbit. Applications are available at www.gsnwgl.org or by calling 888-747-6945.
international Experience (iE) seeks families to volunteer to host an international exchange student for the 2012-2013 school year, and are willing to share family traditions, American culture and a loving supportive environment with a boy or girl age 15-18 from abroad. Call local coordinator Cristina Anderson at 906-250-1500, email c.anderson@international-experience.net or visit www.iE-usa.com
The Ishpeming Senior Center seeks volunteers who like to weed and plant flowers. Anyone interested in helping to maintain its garden is welcome. Call 485-5527.
Marquette Conservation District seeks volunteers to help maintain Trestle Corridor, the native plants garden behind Little Caesars (between Fourth and Fifth Streets) in the city of Marquette. We will be tending the garden from 9 to 11 a.m. every Wednesday, through August. No skills necessary. Wear gloves and dress accordingly. Cancelled if raining. Volunteers are also needed for garlic mustard pulls around Marquette County in May and June; dates, times and locations vary and volunteers will be trained. Call the conservation district at 226-2461, ext. 102.
Marquette Scandinavian Midsummer Committee seeks new members and help for the June 23 festival at Presque Isle Park: collecting flowers and greens, decorating the Midsummer Pole, strong arms to set up the dance floor, and helpers on the day of the festival. Call 228-9453 or 227-6544.
Bell Hospital seeks volunteers for Kids Corner, Gift Shop, and two coffee carts. Kids Corner is an adult-supervised play area at Bell Hospital where children are dropped off for one to two hours while parents attends doctor appointments in the building. There are no feeding or diaper changing responsibilities. Gift shop volunteers are needed to run a register and for customer service. Help also is needed at the Coffee Carts at the hospital and Teal Lake. Call 485-2750.
The Salvation Army of Marquette has volunteer opportunities in the food pantry, thrift store and working with youth at the Rec Center in Gwinn. Call Jane at 226-2241.
Teaching Family Homes seeks volunteers for ongoing efforts, including animal care, classroom tutor, computer technology, environmental, facility maintenance, fine arts, grant writer/research, group home tutor/mentor, office support, publicity and marketing, school librarian, special events volunteer and sports and exercise. Call Lisa Burtch, volunteer coordinator, at 249-5437.
American Cancer Society Resource Center seeks volunteers at its Peninsula Medical Center office to hand out literature and help patients organize information during treatment. All services are free, and the American Cancer Society Resource Center is volunteer staffed. Call 475-9897 or stop by the resource center, Suite 110 of the Peninsula Medical Center off the Fair Avenue entrance. Call 225-3507 prior to visiting.
The Hiawatha National Forest and Superior Watershed Partnership in Marquette seek volunteers to help out at the greenhouse at 1030 Wright St., Marquette. Email srborealis@peoplepc.com.
Girl Scouts seeks volunteer camp staff for Camp Nesbit, a resident camp July 8-14 and July 15-21. Openings include waterfront, kitchen, program and unit staff. Other camp staff opportunities are available throughout the Northern Wisconsin/Upper Michigan area. Applications for one or two weeks are available at www.gsnwgl.org. Call 888-747-6945 if application assistance is needed.
Grandparents Teach, Too seeks retired teacher volunteers to help provide hands-on workshops for parents and grandparents. The workshops help adults prepare young children to succeed in school and a lifetime of learning. Workshops are held in schools, libraries, hospitals, churches, and bi-monthly at the Marquette County Community Detention Center. Volunteer commitment is flexible. Email Iris Katers at grandparentsteach@gmail.com, or call 228-9183.
Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Marquette and Alger counties seeks Big Brothers for its community program in Marquette, Munising, Gwinn/Sawyer and Ishpeming areas. Big Sisters are needed in the Gwinn/Sawyer and Ishpeming areas. BBBS also has a boy in Ishpeming and a girl in the Harvey area waiting for matches in the SWIM Program, which matches children with type 1 diabetes to a mentor who also has type 1 diabetes. Call Monika Toth at 475-7801.
Marquette Adult Day Services seeks volunteers to bring their special talents to its program for people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Examples include playing music, singing, arts or crafts projects, massage or yoga. Call 226-2142.
Upper Peninsula Home Health, Hospice and Private Duty seeks hospice volunteers to provide a needed break for caregivers. Call 485-4545 for information on an upcoming training.
Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes seeks volunteers to serve as troop leaders and assistant leaders, and to provide cookie program support and other program support. Long term and short term positions are available. Apply online at www.gsnwgl.org. For more information call Jill Rady 888-747-6945, ext. 6014, or email jrady@gsnwgl.org.
The Camp Star bereavement camp seeks volunteers. The camp for children grieving the loss of a loved one will be held Aug. 10-12 at Bay Cliff Health Camp in Big Bay. Volunteers of all ages are needed to help with activities, crafts and planning, and to co-lead groups. Camp Buddies, high school seniors through age 25, are needed to be a companion and friend of campers. Visit www.facebook.com/UPCAMPSTAR, call Sarah Harnett at 225-3420, or email sarah.harnett@ mghs.org.
Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks Big Brothers for boys throughout Marquette County. The time commitment is four to six hours per month. Activities may include fishing, bicycling, seeing a movie or just hanging out together. Call 475-7801 or visit www.bbbsmqt.org.
The K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum seeks volunteer attendants from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Volunteers would escort museum visitors through the museum, answer questions and run the museum store. Intensive training is available. The museum is located at 402 Third St., K.I. Sawyer. Call Bob Vick at 362-3531.
The Ishpeming Senior Center seeks a retired or semi-retired nurse to take blood pressures during walk-in blood pressure clinics offered 1 to 3 p.m. the third Friday of each month. Call Elyse Bertucci at 485-5527.
The Forsyth Senior Center seeks kitchen volunteers to help prepare senior meals for the congregate meal site and for the homebound. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Volunteers receive free lunch. Call 346-9862.
The RSVP Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Program seeks volunteers 55 or older from the Marquette, Ishpeming, Negaunee and Gwinn areas to provide seniors with rides to medical appointments. A good driving record is required and mileage reimbursement is available. Call 485-1782.
Great Lakes Recovery Centers seeks volunteers age 21 or older with good driving records to transport clients to appointments using an agency vehicle. Call 228-7611. GLRC also seeks one or two volunteers to assist with general office duties at its Marquette administrative office. Ideal for senior or college student/intern, flexible schedule. Call 228-9699, ext. 15.
Messiah Lutheran Church in Marquette seeks adult volunteers to provide supervision, guided study, tutoring, discussion and fellowship to children age 5 and older. Volunteers are needed from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call 225-1119.
The Women's Center and Harbor House seek volunteers to answer crisis calls, provide crisis intervention and support advocacy services. Other opportunities available, training provided. Call 226-6611.
The Peninsula Arts Appreciation Council seeks volunteers for the Vista Theater Thrift Shop in Negaunee, to cashier, sell tickets from a computer program, do simple cleaning of the building, sort and hang clothes. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call 475-7188.
The nonprofit Divine Consign and Donated Furniture store in Marquette seeks clerks 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, and for furniture pickup. Proceeds benefit Father Marquette Catholic Schools. Call 458-4406.