Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Make A Difference Day in Review

Over 100 students from the University of Northern Iowa took part in Make A Difference Day, the nation’s largest day of service annually, on Saturday, October 24. These students participated in a Highway 20 roadside clean-up with Green Iowa AmeriCorps leading the group. In addition, a group of students collected trash in the College Hill neighborhood following last weekend’s homecoming festivities.

It’s so great to see students making an impact in the Cedar Valley!




Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Veteran’s Day, November 11: Plan to Get Involved

Veterans Day is a public holiday that is dedicated to honoring anyone who has served in the United States military. The holiday began as a day to remember the end of World War I and was declared a holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919. Originally known as Armistice Day, the holiday became Veterans Day in 1954. Observation of the holiday through parades and meetings was envisioned.
Today, many Americans will observe the day by attending ceremonies and parades that are dedicated to honoring the troops for their service. These often allow veterans to speak about their time in the service and give Americans the opportunity to personally thank veterans for their sacrifice.
Veterans have ongoing needs. Some are volunteer opportunities and some are in-kind donations.
The VA Hospital in Iowa City has an ongoing need for a Van Driver to provide transportation to and from the Iowa City VA. Volunteers age 21 and over are needed once per week or as available from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Drivers need proof of insurance, a valid driver’s license, and require a government provided physical and background check.
In-kind donations are quality of life requests. The list below includes such items for Veterans in Iowa’s VA Centers.
Day Program (Out-patient):
Sponsor for morning donuts on Fridays only (program graduation day)
Bingo prizes – personal care items, fruit, candy bars, ball caps, phone cards, etc.
Food and Nutrition:
20” Color TV for Patient Education Bldg.

Nursing Home Care Unit/Palliative Care:
Coffee filters
(Family Room)
Stamps, Envelopes

Rehabilitation Unit:
Videotapes
Sweat pants and shirts (five each)
Stamps – NOT already on envelopes
Binoculars
Coffee Server – an insulated pump pot or nice carafe 

Psychiatric Unit: This is a locked psychiatric unit. They cannot leave to make purchases and many do not have access to money. 
Hangers (plastic) Postage stamps Money for socials (pizza, hot dogs, ice cream, etc.) Phone cards – 30 minutes each Squeeze tubes of lip balm – such as Vaseline DVD’s or VCR Movies (westerns, comedies)
Psychiatric Nursing Home Care: This is a locked psychiatric unit.
Money for special events (chili, ice cream socials, pizza parties, hot dog feeds, root beer floats, etc.)
Stamps – NOT already on envelopes
Phone cards – 30 minutes
Psychiatric/Domiciliary:
Postage Stamps – NOT already on envelopes
5 Movie passes to area theaters – one time a month
$50.00 Money for lunch outings – one time a month
$60.00
Plastic hangers – this is ongoing need due to patient turnover on this unit. Patients do not give these back when they leave.
Socks
Table Games – Inexpensive games (many times these games lose their Pieces over time and need to be replaced) Yahtzee, Monopoly, Cribbage Boards, UNO, Scrabble, Chess, etc.
Crossword or Word Find book
Phone Cards – 30 minute Bldg.

Nursing Home Care Unit: Money for chili, ice cream socials, pizza parties, hot dog feeds, special events
Stamps
Phone Cards

Nursing Home Care Unit: Sweatshirts – large and XL – zipper kind – please no pullovers T-shirts
large Socks, large in the foot – prefer crew style

Recreation Service: Computer Software for patient use – can be bought at Best Buy or Comp USA
Print Artist Deluxe 2003 (29.99)
Maintenance on Bird Aviaries
NHCU - $400.00 a quarter)
6 Packages of Photo paper – 4x6 Glossy
Phone cards
Money donated to cater meals during special occasions
CD players for each unit
CD’s for music libraries on each unit
Money donated for Women Veterans Group “Liberty Belles” for supplies,
Admission prices, and lunches.

Music Therapy:
50+ - Blank audio cassette tapes (90 minutes long-given to vets to record)
50+ - Blank audio cassette tapes (110 minutes long-given to vets to record) (Sony or TDK brand)
50+ - Blank audio cassette tapes (120 minutes long-given to vets to record) (Sony or TDK brand)
50+ - Blank CDs for recording music from personal stock or from Library for veterans to use in music clinic (Memorex or Maxell) MUST BE CDR AND SAY FOR “DIGITAL AUDIO”
6-Nice Sony headphones for use at stationery stereo systems in music clinic Guitar strings – both nylon and steel – preferably light gauge
Guitar picks – thin and medium
Small radios that have nature sounds on them
Any type of hat, costume, funny shirts, and props that could be used for skits.
Monetary donations to the Creative Arts Account on station – used for local Creative Arts shows, props, costumes, music, treats, and help with travel for veterans to the festival each year.
Monetary donations to music in general for buying supplies, CDs, instruments, or special treat for veterans in music groups or in music clinic.
Walkman Heavy duty stapler AA Batteries
CD Burner
DVD Player (Sony) Community Support

Outpatients on limited income: These items are used by patients who are moving into the Knoxville area to continue outpatient treatment at the VA. Many of these patients are on a limited income. Community Support would be happy to take GOOD USED ITEMS!!
Postage Stamps
Garbage bags
Alarm Clocks
Gloves,
Scarves, and winter gloves in large or XL
Pillows – bed
Can openers - handheld
Billfolds
Blankets
Canned food items
Full and queen sheet sets – If used, PLEASE mark with size!
Bath towels and wash rags
Dish towels, dish rags
Phone cards – 60 minute Full size – no trial size please –
Shampoo,
Shaving Cream,
Deodorant,
Aftershave
Razors
Laundry Soap – powdered
Toilet Paper
Socks
On this Veterans Day, let us remember the service of our veterans, and let us renew our national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can live free”.
Dan Lipinski


Find a way to put action behind our gratitude. The needs of our veterans are enormous.







Monday, October 12, 2015

Make A Difference Day With Green Iowa AmeriCorp

Millions of volunteers will unite to improve the lives of others in their communities on Make A Difference Day. The Day, October 24, is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley is hosting an upcoming event to celebrate Make A Difference Day:
 
Students at the University of Northern Iowa will partner with the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley and Green Iowa AmeriCorps to clean the Cedar Valley. Groups of students will participate in roadside clean-ups throughout Black Hawk County on Saturday, October 24 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Registration is open to all UNI students, faculty and staff here

Green Iowa AmeriCorps is coordinated by the University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Energy & Environmental Education providing residential energy audit services to under-served communities across Iowa, weatherization services with free materials for low-income, elderly, veterans and persons with disabilities, and energy-related education programs to engage communities in volunteer generation. The organization was founded in 2009 to address conservation and sustainable usage of energy resources in several Iowa communities as they struggled to rebuild from the devastating floods of 2008. Since the start of the flood recovery, Green Iowa AmeriCorps has been an active community partner. Other involvement in the community includes deconstruction projects, creating energy educational programs for all ages, and assisting in the development of energy-related community events. With the addition this year of the new site in Fairfield, Green Iowa AmeriCorps now have six sites spread throughout Iowa in Black Hawk, Dubuque, Jefferson, Linn, Polk, and Winneshiek counties.

Visit www.vccv.org to learn about these opportunities. For more information regarding Make A Difference Day opportunities, call 319-272-2087 or email the VCCV.



Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley serves 144 member agencies with more than 130 volunteer opportunities throughout Waterloo, Cedar Falls and the Cedar Valley.
 
October 7 - 10
Annual Halloween Hikes
Hartman Reserve Nature Center
 
October 10
Spooks, Spokes, & Sneakers
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa
 
October 24
Water Quality Monitoring
Black Hawk Soil and Water Conservation District
 
Ongoing
 
Domestic Violence Victim Advocate
Waypoint Services
 
Community Service Volunteer
Black Hawk County – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
 
Refugee Driver
Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Dubuque
 
Mobile Produce Assistant
Waterloo Mobile Produce
 
Hospice Volunteer
UnityPoint Hospice
 
Program Internship
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa
 
Reading Buddies
Waterloo Community Schools
 
Volunteer Baker
Country View 


Driver 
Northeast Iowa Food Bank
 
Barn Assistant
Aspire Therapeutic Riding Program
 
Office Assistant
Care Initiatives Hospice

 
To view a full list of available volunteer opportunities, visit www.vccv.org