Volunteer opportunities
The People Educating People volunteer program at College of DuPage needs fall classroom tutors to help adult students learn English as a second language, reading, writing or basic math. Volunteers work once or twice a week for two or three hours a session. The next training series for tutors will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July 22 and 29 at the College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. The deadline to register for the classes is July 7. For more information, call Joan Morris at 630-942-3788.
Working Wardrobe will hold a new volunteer orientation from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Working Wardrobe’s office, 312 S. Westmore St., Lombard. Working Wardrobe promotes economic self-sufficiency by providing interviewing and business attire for women preparing to enter the job market. Volunteers are needed to serve as “personal shoppers” for clients and to provide inventory management, fundraising and office administration. To register, call 630-691-1455. For more information, visit www.workingwardrobe.org.
The Salvation Army of Oakbrook Terrace is seeking donors to provide scholarships for children to attend its summer day camp. Children participate in a wide range of activities including arts and crafts, music and theater, recreation, education and foreign language and computer classes. A donation of $30 provides one week of day camp for a child. For more information, call Lisa Jordan at 630-629-4955.
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The Triton College Retired Senior Volunteer Program is seeking volunteers age 55 and older to serve in its new Conversational English Speaking (CES) program. Volunteers help individuals who speak little or no English improve their conversational English skills so they can confidently speak at schools, businesses, medical facilities, government agencies and more. Volunteers will complete a free training program and then meet with one or two student participants at a time. For more information, call 708-456-0300, ext. 3499.
CASA Kane County, which trains people to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers for abused and neglected children, will hold an accelerated, evening-only training class in July. CASA Kane County always needs new advocates to keep up with the growing demands of the court system. Volunteers are assigned one case at a time and provide consistency to children whose worlds have been turned upside down. For more information, call Deb McQuaid at 630-444-3110 or visit www.casakanecounty.org.
Ginger Creek Community Church will sponsor “Operation Helping Hands” to work on much needed projects at organizations that support the needy, disabled and elderly in the Fox Valley area Saturday in Aurora. For more information, call Brian Basilico at 630-692-1431.
The Humanitarian Service Project (HSP) needs volunteers to assemble birthday packages for shipment to children participating in the Children’s Birthday Project from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in the HSP center, 1425 S. Neltnor Blvd., West Chicago. Also, volunteers are needed to sort food for low-income seniors and families. For more information, call 630-231-1542.
The Hanover Township clerk’s office and local veterans groups will hold a 24-hour “Support Our Troops Marathon” from noon Friday to noon Saturday in the Hanover Township office, 250 S. Illinois Highway 59, Bartlett. Needed items include canned goods, canned snacks, cereal bars, gum and mints, dried fruit, phone cards, pain relievers, body wash, CDs and DVDs, disposable cameras and men’s magazines. For a complete list, call 630-837-0301, ext. 2126.
Those making a difference
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago recently named Downers Grove resident Thomas Bennington Jr. the 2006 United Way Volunteer of the Year. Bennington chairs United Way’s Zone Advisory Committee responsible for funding decisions in the suburbs. Bennington, an elected member of the DuPage County Board and chairman of the Public Works Committee, provided a valuable link between United Way and a number of DuPage-area policy experts and resources when Hurricane Katrina evacuees sought health and human services support throughout the county last fall.
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