Mayors’ Top Teen Outcome

The 14th annual Mayors' Top Teen Awards and Mother Moon Service Scholarships were presented by the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley April 19 at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center. The awards program recognizes outstanding youth volunteers in the Cedar Valley.

Criteria included demonstrating excellence in volunteerism in the Cedar Valley and a setting a good example as a role model for others. Teens ages 13-18 are eligible for the award.

The 2012 nominees were Alexxis Bennett, Abigail Burgart, Margaret Creeden, Sara Gabriele, Kyndal Gardner, Emily Gerst, Abby Greenwood, Carissa Herkelman, Trent Heth, Alexander Hottle, Dalila Husidic, Caroline Hutcheson, Elijah Kautz, Macy Kosar, Gabrielle Larson, August Magee, Hannah Mallaro, Lindsay McGonegle, Michael Niedert, Jr., Stephanie Nielsen, Anne Nora, Lindsey Powell, Berenice Real-Ibarra, Rachel Reiter, Courtney Richman, BreAnna Rockett, Amari Smith, William Shirey, John Stone, Rene Van Daele, Jamie Wandshneider, Yan Wang, and Emily Wynthein

Mayors’ Volunteer Awards Results

The 34^th annual Mayors' Volunteer Awards were presented by the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley April 19 at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center. The awards program, which recognizes outstanding volunteers in the Cedar Valley, included a luncheon with 135 attendees. Award categories this year included the Volunteer Award, the Outstanding Emerging Volunteer Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

The 2012 nominees were Lana Adams-Herr, Bill Atkins, Loraine Atkins, Joe Barry, Shea Bartz, Russ Bentley, Robert Bradshaw, Beverly Brumbaugh, Robbin Burns, Carl Carey, Marv Cook, Jack Geist, Penny Gerholdt,Robert Greenwood, Barbara Gregersen, Rod Hamer, Pearl Hanson, Judith Harrington, Chris Holahan, Randy Kraayenbrink, Jerry Kramer, Joan Loslo, Joy Mellinger, Jackie Mostek, Tom Nicol, Bob Osgood, Gale Quirk, Shawna Rowe, Adam Standiford, Rebecca Thompson, Deb Vannoni, Lee Vander Weide, Kyle Weber, and Daniel Yehieli.

Weekly Volunteer Opportunity Update

• The Grout Museum District needs volunteers to help 3rd grade students with a mapping activity at the Grout Museum on Friday, May 4 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. It will also be offered at the Cedar Falls Library on Friday, May 11 and/or Friday, May 18 from 10:45 a.m. -12:45 p.m. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

• Lou Henry Elementary needs volunteers for their Fun Fair on May 18. Volunteers will help at the various game booths. There are two shifts, 5-6:15 p.m. and 6:15-7:30 p.m. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

• The Healthy Cedar Valley Coalition seeks “Garden Brigade” volunteers for community gardens sites throughout the Cedar Valley. Volunteer opportunities include soil preparation, planting, watering, weeding, and harvesting. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least 2 hours per month. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters is looking for dedicated and compassionate people to serve on its Board of Directors. Board members support the agency through setting policy and procedures, expanding the agency's network of friends and contributors, and advocating for our work in the community. Board meetings are held the second Monday of each month from 4 – 6 p.m. Volunteers age 21 and over are welcome.

For more information or to volunteer, call 272-2087.

Why Nonprofits Should Love Pinterest

Nell Edgington writes a blog called Social Velocity which is a management consulting firm that helps nonprofits grow their programs, bring more money in the door and use resources more effectively. I often find value in her blogs and want to share her thoughts on Pinterest, one of my favorite social media sites.

Nell writes…

I am far from a social media expert, but I have grown to love some social media tools. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn have been my favorites, while I still haven’t seen the value of Google+ (although if someone wants to convince me, I’m all ears). But the newest social media darling, Pinterest is fast becoming my favorite. And I think it holds an enormous opportunity for nonprofits.

Pinterest is a social media network based on images. If you find a recipe, a blog post, a pair of pants, a living room set, you can “pin” it to a board and share it with your followers. Similarly, if you see something someone else has “pinned” you can “repin” it to your board. Picture an enormous blank wall with individual bulletin boards organized by your interests.

For example, I currently have 12 “boards”. Some are not work-related like “Home” and “Healthy Recipes.” But the rest are directly related to Social Velocity and my passion for social innovation and the nonprofit sector, like “Nonprofit/Social Change Books,” “Nonprofit Campaigns,” “Cool Infographics,” and “Nonprofit Media.” That last board is actually a shared board among 40+ people and organizations where we can all add to and edit the
board.

There are several things about Pinterest that I love. For fun last Saturday night I spent a couple of hours there just scanning and pinning (sad, huh?).

There have been many articles about the potential of Pinterest for companies. People can pin images of particular products and encourage their friends and followers to purchase. What a boon to business!
But I think Pinterest is a particularly powerful opportunity for nonprofits for several reasons:

• Nonprofits are naturally image-based. The every day work that nonprofits are involved in lends itself to compelling images: a child laughing while reading a good book, a hug from a case worker to their client, a new home, a beautiful piece of land conserved, an endangered animal. Include a compelling picture in every story you create about your nonprofit and pin it on Pinterest. You can also pin images from other places that relate to your passion and your mission.
• Nonprofits easily connect to passion. I don’t care how much you love that new vacuum cleaner, you cannot be as passionate about it as you are about the child you are tutoring. People launch nonprofits or donate to nonprofits because an issue really hits them at the core. They may have had a loved one die of a terrible disease, or they may absolutely love border collies. What the social change sector has in spades is passion. Pinterest is a natural place to share that passion and convince others of its worth.
• Female donors are a large and growing force. If you want to attract more of this increasingly influential philanthropic force you better find them where they are, and right now that’s Pinterest. 68% of Pinterest users are female. And they spend a lot of time there. You want to be part of that.
• Nonprofits are all about good story-telling. Pinterest is a natural place for storytelling. The Chronicle of Philanthropy has put together a great gallery of ways nonprofits tell their stories through data visualizations. Although the gallery isn’t on Pinterest, all of these images should be and probably will be soon. Images tell such a better story than words, and nonprofits have so many great stories to tell. Use Pinterest to do it.

If you want a quick guide to getting started on Pinterest, check out this great HubSpot post, although it’s focused on businesses, it definitely applies to nonprofits.

Get out there and give Pinterest a try. I think you’ll like it.

Thanks Nell!

Doing Good Together... Gratitude

Doing Good Together, a Minneapolis based E-Newsletter comes up with great ideas to engage children in service. This month the topic is gratitude and how to help your children understand and live the concept.

It's a familiar challenge: Getting children to feel appreciation for what they have (rather than complaining about what they don't!). Some of that self-centeredness is developmental; young children are, by nature, selfish. But research tells us we can cultivate gratitude in children. It can be a powerful antidote to the sense of entitlement that seems to permeate our culture, and can lead to better mental and physical health for a child, besides. And when you cultivate gratitude in your child, you're likely to experience a sense of thankfulness -- and delight -- in your own life as well.

The Practice of Gratitude

Make a Difference...... 

1. Start a thankfulness ritual. At dinner, breakfast or just before bed have each family member share three things that made them happy, or that they're thankful for. 

2. Track your gratitude. Doing this creatively can make your efforts more focused and fun.

· Keep a family gratitude journal. Decorate a spiral notebook where everyone can write or draw things they appreciate. Choose a day (perhaps Thanksgiving) to read all the entries aloud.

· Create a gratitude jar. Place a glass jar alongside colorful strips of paper and fun pens on your kitchen table. Family members can deposit their gratitude ideas in the jar. (Or, alternatively, hang them on a tree branch.) Invite visiting family and friends to contribute as well. When the jar is full, read them to one another, and then make the strips into a paper chain. Hang the chain from your kitchen ceiling or along a window.

· Cover a window or wall with sticky notes, each expressing appreciation for something.

3. Focus on thank-yous. Encourage your children to write notes, not just for presents, but also for the people who make a difference in their lives - teachers, coaches, babysitters, bus drivers, etc.

4. Model gratitude. Compliment the chef when you have a nice meal out, express gratitude to a friend who lends a hand; thank your spouse for cleaning the bathroom, and express appreciation for that crazy, mild winter. Especially thank your children when they do something you appreciate. You'll you notice them following your example.

5. Slow down. This is probably the most difficult step, but it's hard to be grateful if you're rushing around. Take time to realize how much you appreciate the things one might easily take for granted - clean water from the tap, the smell of a flower, a warm house, a new pair of shoes. Express your thankfulness out loud so your children become attuned to the value of gratitude for everyday wonders.

Talk About It…

Here are ways to talk about gratitude with children.

• Start a dinner ritual that begins with the question, "Who have you helped today and who has helped you?“ This inspires gratitude for what others have done for you, while also motivating each family member to reach out. 
• In one minute, see if you can brainstorm 20 things you're grateful for - perhaps before you get to school in the morning.  
• Finally, be aware of "reverse envy." When you talk about the importance of being grateful because you have so much more than others, it may inspire guilt rather than gratitude. Focus on positive appreciation, rather than making comparisons.

Enter for a Chance to See Your Big Idea Win a $5,000 Grant!

BE BIG™ is a national campaign that invites everyone, big and small, to take action and raise awareness for how Clifford's BIG Ideas (Share, Be Kind, Help Others, Be a Good Friend, Play Fair, Have Respect, Be Truthful, Believe in Yourself, Work Together and Be Responsible) can make the world a better place.

As part of the BE BIG campaign, the contest will award $10,000 in community grants* to the BIGGEST ideas that best demonstrate Clifford's BIG Ideas! 

 

Scholastic and HandsOn Network will work with the winners to bring their Big Ideas to life!  Everyone is invited -- parents, kids, teachers or community leaders -- to submit their ideas now through June 22, 2012.

 

For contest entry forms and official rules visit www.scholastic.com/cliffordbebig/contest

 

 

 

Today is Global Youth Service Day!

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley and the Boys and Girls Club of the Cedar Valley will lead young people in Global Youth Service Day, an annual campaign that celebrates and mobilizes the millions of children and youth who improve their communities each day of the year through service and service-learning. Established in 1988, Global Youth Service Day is the largest service event in the world, and the only day of service dedicated to children and youth. GYSD is celebrated each year in over 100 countries.

Each year, millions of children and youth around the world work together with schools, youth organizations, nonprofits, community and faith-based organizations, volunteer and national service programs, government agencies, faith communities, and other individuals to address the world’s most critical issues and change their communities on Global Youth Service Day.

The Boys and Girls Club of the Cedar Valley and the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley have planned a simple activity that will contribute to the well being of our community. The Great Sweep is an activity for young people of all ages and is designed to “spring clean” Lincoln Park and downtown Waterloo. Youth are asked to meet at Lincoln Park at 3:30 on April 20 and they will clean Lincoln Park, 4^th Street, 5^th Street, and Park Avenue from the park to the river. The event will conclude at 5:00 p.m.  All materials needed for the project will be provided.

Many communities use Global Youth Service Day as a component for youth service. “Because of the economic downturn, needs in our community are particularly great right now. Addressing the challenge of mobilizing youth and resources to solve community problems will take a sustained effort, and we hope many who are serving on April 20 will make an ongoing commitment to serve throughout the year, said Jean Seeland, Program Coordinator.

Global Youth Service Day is held during National Volunteer Week, April 15 – 21. Through programs such as this, volunteers are recognized for the tremendous impact they are making on our country's most critical challenges year-round.

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley works to promote and support effective volunteerism and to serve as the resource and coordination center for volunteers and community partnerships.

Please contact Jean Seeland at the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley to express an interest in the project. To secure additional volunteer opportunities call the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at 272-2087. Volunteer opportunities may also be accessed at www.vccv.org or Volunteer Solutions.

Weekly Volunteer Opportunity Update

• On Saturday, April 28, the Cedar Valley Volunteer Emergency Club will assist with traffic control for the March of Dimes' March for Babies from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

• The Grout Museum District needs volunteers to help 3rd grade students with a mapping activity at the Grout Museum on Friday, May 4 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. It will also be offered at the Cedar Falls Library on Friday, May 11 and/or Friday, May 18 from 10:45 a.m. -12:45 p.m. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

• Lou Henry Elementary needs volunteers for their Fun Fair on May 18. Volunteers will help at the various game booths. There are two shifts, 5-6:15 p.m. and 6:15-7:30 p.m. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

• The Healthy Cedar Valley Coalition seeks “Garden Brigade” volunteers for community gardens sites throughout the Cedar Valley. Volunteer opportunities include soil preparation, planting, watering, weeding, and harvesting. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least 2 hours per month. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

For more volunteer information call 272-2087.

The Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo Celebrates National Volunteer Week

Employees from the Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo spent time at Country View Care Facility to celebrate volunteerism during National Volunteer Week. Volunteers played a variety of card and table games with residents. Thank you, Isle Casino Hotel employees, for being such fantastic volunteers for the Cedar Valley!

To volunteer locally, call the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at 272-2087.

Tax Benefits for Volunteering

Volunteers can deduct certain expenses if not reimbursed by the non-profit organization. Although volunteers receive economic, social and personal benefits from volunteering, most cited personal benefits as the greatest reason to volunteer. Tax benefits to volunteers may vary by state.

Benefits

Highlight benefits of volunteering, even beyond the sense of caring and helping. Volunteers can:

· Learn something new

· Improve their health

· Make new friends

· Improve job skills

· Build confidence and self-esteem

· Get academic credit

· Receive tax deductions

Know the rules governing deductions and what expenses volunteers may deduct on their taxes. To qualify, your unreimbursed out-of-pocket expenditures must relate directly to the charity. Additionally, you must itemize your deductions on your tax return. Be sure to keep accurate records, including receipts, canceled checks, and other proof of expenses and charitable gifts, as these will be essential to support your deductions.

Examples of deductions include:

· Incidental expenses such as postage stamps or computer paper

· Uniforms if they aren’t suitable for normal wear

· Hours spent volunteering

· Transportation by car, including mileage and parking fees but not maintenance or insurance

· Overnight travel

Note, consult a tax professional or www.irs.gov for specific questions. Be cautious with unique situations such as conferences/conventions or voluntourism trips.

Think creatively about volunteering in the face of ever-rising gas prices. Make the rising costs of volunteering visible.

· Express appreciation for the extra financial donation every volunteer makes who drives without reimbursement of expenses (this should show up on the organization’s donor list!).

· Do whatever you can to find money to reimburse volunteers for gasoline and other transportation costs – whether through a designated fundraiser, a corporate donor, or a line item in the agency’s budget.

· Convene interested people in forming car pools – among volunteers, among employees and volunteers, and among the volunteers and employees in other nearby organizations.

· Ensure that meetings are essential. Fewer but longer face-to-face meetings or online options such as listserv exchanges might be good alternatives.

· Examine the requirements for a pre-set number of hours of training to see if they really do have to occur on-site with a group. Explore other options such as independent learning through video or online training.

· Collaborate with other agencies (perhaps more shared office space) and coordinate of calendars. Can events be held concurrently or sequentially to allow participants to carpool or at least to make only one trip instead of several?

· Create volunteering opportunities for parents chauffeuring children to sports or classes. Instead of making two trips, they can do some new volunteer work while waiting for the kids to be ready to go home.

· Target recruitment efforts to local people who can walk or bike to the site or who are in the area everyday anyway (for work or school) and can piggyback volunteer time onto a commute they already make often.

Reference: http://www.nationalserviceresources.org

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

April 09, 2012

Presidential Proclamation -- National Volunteer Week, 2012

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK, 2012

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

    
Our Nation has been profoundly shaped by ordinary Americans who have volunteered their time and energy to overcome extraordinary challenges. From the American Revolution and the Seneca Falls Convention to the everyday acts of compassion and purpose that move millions to make change in their communities, our Nation has always been at its best when individuals have come together to realize a common vision. As we continue to pursue progress, service and social innovation will play an essential role in achieving our highest ambitions -- from a world-class education for every child to an economy built to last. During National Volunteer Week, we pay tribute to all who give of themselves to keep America strong, and we renew the spirit of service that has enriched our country for generations.

That spirit lives on today in countless acts of service around our country. When one of the deadliest tornados in our Nation's history touched down in Joplin, Missouri, in May 2011, thousands of volunteers stepped forward to serve their fellow citizens. They turned a university into a hospital. They repurposed doors for stretchers. They rushed food to those in need and filled trucks with donations. To date, they have committed more than half a million hours to bringing support and shelter to a community during a time of profound hardship and heartache. In Joplin and across America, we see the transformative power of service -- to unite, to build, to heal.

My Administration remains steadfast in our commitment to empower more Americans with tools to shape their communities. During my first 100 days in office, I was proud to sign the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, a landmark national service law that laid out a strategy to link service with innovation, established the groundbreaking Social Innovation Fund, and charted the expansion of AmeriCorps. Last month, we launched FEMA Corps, a new service corps that will enhance our national capacity for disaster response and prepare its members for careers in emergency management. Through United We Serve and national service days, we continue to connect individuals young and old to new opportunities to reinvent their world through service -- from fighting hunger and expanding access to healthy, affordable food to mentoring young people and fostering literacy. In all of these efforts, we are reminded how volunteer work can expand opportunity not only for those in need, but also for those who give. Service can teach valuable skills that pave the way to long-term employment and stay with volunteers throughout their careers and lives.

Service is a lifelong pursuit that strengthens the civic and economic fabric of our Nation. With every hour and every act, our lives are made richer, our communities are drawn closer, and our country is forged stronger by the dedication and generous spirit of volunteers. I encourage every American to stand up and play their part -- to put their shoulder up against the wheel and help change history's course. To get started on a project near you, visit www.Serve.gov.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 15 through April 21, 2012, as National Volunteer Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week by volunteering in service projects across our country and pledging to make service a part of their daily lives.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

For volunteer opportunities visit www.vccv.org or Volunteer Solutions, or call 272-2087. 

Global Youth Service Day – April 20, 2012

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley and the Boys and Girls Club of Black Hawk County will lead young people in Global Youth Service Day, an annual campaign that celebrates and mobilizes the millions of children and youth who improve their communities each day of the year through service and service-learning. Established in 1988, Global Youth Service Day is the largest service event in the world, and the only day of service dedicated to children and youth. GYSD is celebrated each year in over 100 countries.

Each year, millions of children and youth around the world work together with schools, youth organizations, nonprofits, community and faith-based organizations, volunteer and national service programs, government agencies, faith communities, and other individuals to address the world’s most critical issues and change their communities on Global Youth Service Day.

The Boys and Girls Club of Black Hawk County and the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley have planned a simple activity that will contribute to the well being of our community. The Great Sweep is an activity for young people of all ages and is designed to “spring clean” Lincoln Park and downtown Waterloo. Youth are asked to meet at Lincoln Park at 3:30 on April 20 and they will clean Lincoln Park, 4^th Street, 5^th Street, and Park Avenue from the park to the river. The event will conclude at 5:00 p.m. All materials needed for the project will be provided.

Many communities use Global Youth Service Day as a component for youth service. “Because of the economic downturn, needs in our community are particularly great right now. Addressing the challenge of mobilizing youth and resources to solve community problems will take a sustained effort, and we hope many who are serving on April 20 will make an ongoing commitment to serve throughout the year, said Jean Seeland, Program Coordinator.

Global Youth Service Day is held during National Volunteer Week, April 15 – 21. Through programs such as this, volunteers are recognized for the tremendous impact they are making on our country's most critical challenges year-round.

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley works to promote and support effective volunteerism and to serve as the resource and coordination center for volunteers and community partnerships.

Please contact Jean Seeland at the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley to express interest in participating. To secure additional volunteer opportunities call the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at 272-2087. Volunteer opportunities may also be accessed at www.vccv.org or Volunteer Solutions.