Posts Tagged health

A growing opportunity in the community

Who knew that taking a position at Whatcom Volunteer Center as the Outreach Coordinator would result in funky tan lines, calloused hands and a black and blue fingernail. While my hands may be less than aesthetically pleasing at the moment, I smile every time I think of the project responsible. For the last two months, I have been working side-by-side with Max Morange from the Bellingham Food Bank and several wonderful volunteers to build raised garden beds and make a new gardening project in our community a reality. Read the rest of this entry »

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Have your awards event and eat ice cream too!

I think that one of the best things we do every year, not counting the fundraising events like Human Race, the free CPR/First Aid classes and the matching of volunteers with partner agencies, is the Heart & Hands Awards Ice Cream Social. Read the rest of this entry »

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Volunteers Bloom This Spring

“Is it so small a thing

To have enjoy’d the sun,

To have lived light in the spring,

To have loved, to have thought, to have done…”

– Matthew Arnold

Live, think, do with some of these spring opportunities: Read the rest of this entry »

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Dine Out for Maple Alley Inn – May 4th

Eat out & help to feed people in need; click here for a list of participating restaurants.

The Opportunity Council is having its 10th Annual “Dine Out for Maple Alley Inn” fund raising event on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

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Nonprofit to Know #5: Bikers Fighting Cancer

Ray and Patrick, an unlikely pair both personally battling Cancer. Ray, an 11 year old boy, told his friend Patrick (49 years old) that he wanted to belong to a biker club when he got older. Together, they designed patch with a logo crossing out the grim reaper, came up with a motto, and created a mission for Bikers Fighting Cancer, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children fight cancer. Read the rest of this entry »

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Project Warm-Up Warming Hearts

How many hours would it take you to knit or crochet more than 3,200 pieces of warm items?

3,296 scarves, hats, blankets, mittens to be exact: this is a result of piles and piles of yarn in our entranceway, monthly knitting circles all year long, people coming in and out of our office taking yarn and bringing it back in a finished project. Project Warm-Up is a program run out of our office that collects handmade items to distribute to homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters, programs for parents that have a low-income, people with disabilities, and people with health issues. Read the rest of this entry »

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Nonprofits to Know #3: Communities In Schools

One in three kids in Whatcom County will fail to graduate from high school.  I hope you agree with me that even one high school dropout is a real problem: one we can solve together. Read the rest of this entry »

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What’s All the Buzz About!?

The WVC offices have been abuzz with activity for the past few weeks–Project Homeless Connect is this Thursday; we’re getting the word out about the free CPR/First aid Training on March 20, our Theatre Guild fundraiser happening April 8, the Heart and Hands volunteer awards event coming up the last Sunday in April and the Human Race kickoff on April 20-22. The buzz is from the activity of the many volunteers that make up a large part of the organizing teams. Read the rest of this entry »

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Ferndale Food Bank Director Retires – Thanks Sharon!

“My many years with the Food Bank have been an amazing journey filled with laughter, tears, faith & hope.  I have seen progression from our use of a small facility at the United Church to our own much larger building at the WTA Park & Ride location.  Yet, we continue to grow, and our hope for expansion is in the works.

I am so grateful for the incredible volunteers who give of their time and selves to help our families in need of food. We could not maintain our extremely busy operation without them.

My thanks go out as well to our sponsors and contributors. This community continues to not only step up, but run to the plate when needed.”

–Sincerely, Sharon Robinson

Sharon Robinson celebrated 18 years as Director of the Ferndale Food Bank in January of 2010, and is reluctantly retiring.  She has given 170 to 200 hours a month, every month, for all those years.  She really cares about the outcomes of the program, and works hard to make sure all program recipients are served in the best way possible for their needs. Read the rest of this entry »

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Can’t find a job? Volunteer!

By: Allison Graham, Western Washington University Communications 318 student

Recessions are not fun. They are not fun for the millions of unemployed adults with families to take care of, not fun for people suffering massive pay cuts, not fun for small businesses, and especially not fun for the non-profit sector. When people in the community are lacking money, they naturally donate less to non-profit organizations than they normally would. This is why it is particularly important to spend time volunteering during a recession. Read the rest of this entry »

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