Community Engagement

Saturday Family Breakfast Program
Middlebury Community Care Coalition’s newest program provides families in need with a nutritious breakfast followed by educational activities. Students are needed to help play math/science games with children or provide tutoring/homework help on Saturdays from 9:00 – 9:45 a.m. Interested? Email Doug Sinclair, jdsinclair@ripton-coop.net.

Sign up for the next Habitat for Humanity Build: Saturday 11/10
Habitat is doing a build on Saturday, Nov. 10th from 8:30am-12:30pm. The group is meeting at Adirondack Circle at 8:15am. Sign up for the build here. Questions? Email humanity@middlebury.edu.

Interested in education? Enjoy making a difference for others?
Consider being a mentor for a local high school teenager! Middlebury Union High School is ready to kick off its mentoring program, which aims to pair Middlebury College students with local high school students with the aims of providing support to graduate and helping them build their own post-graduation plans. For more information or with questions, please contact Nestor Martinez at 802.443.3010 or email at nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

Put your Latin skills to work in the community: Latin tutor needed
A volunteer is needed to tutor a high school student in Latin I at the Middlebury Union High School Learning Lab. The student is available between 12:50 – 1:30 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays and could meet during those times based on your schedule. Interested? Contact Tammi Beattie, tbeattie@addisoncentralsu.org.

Addison Central Teens Fall Clothing Swap: Volunteers needed on 11/13 & 1/14
Volunteer for the Teen Center on November 13th & 14th at Middlebury Union High School. Tasks may include organizing clothing, working with the high schoolers and assisting students in paying for clothes. If you are interested in volunteering with the Teen Center on one or both of these days, email Co-Director Jutta Miska at jutta@addisonteens.com to coordinate shifts.

Clinton Global Initiative University
Early Application Deadline: November 30th, 2012
CGI U 2013 will be held at Washington University in St. Louis from April 5 – 7, 2013, bringing together nearly 1,200 attendees to make a difference in CGI U’s five focus areas: Education, Environment and Climate Change, Peace and Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health. President Clinton launched the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) in 2007 to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world. Each year, CGI U hosts a meeting where students, youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities come together to discuss and develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges.
Attendees are welcome to apply for EIA Civic Engagement Mini-Grant funding to support their participation!

Student Volunteer Reader Opportunity
Bill Richards, a blind individual who lives in Addison, is seeking a student to serve as a volunteer reader. Interested? Contact Bill at 802-859-2777.

Design a children’s activity for the Middlebury Winter Farmer’s Market!
The Middlebury Winter Farmer’s Market is looking for individuals or groups to sign up to design a children’s activity and volunteer for the “Farm to School” table at the Farmer’s Market on a Saturday (9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) in November, December, March or April at Mary Hogan Elementary School gym. The goal would be for this table to be filled every Saturday of the market with an activity that would help children to better understand and appreciate the food, products, and farmers in their region. Ideas could include a market scavenger hunt, a taste testing of local foods, a presentation of a Farm to School related activity, a seed matching game… your creativity is the limit! Interested? Contact Andrea Scott, NOFA VT Farm to Community Mentor, andrea.scott2955@gmail.com.

Community Film Screenings: Food Stamped and We Have to Talk About Hunger
Thursday, November 8th 7:00 p.m. at the Town Hall Theater – FREE
Hunger Free Vermont, in partnership with Langrock Sperry and Wool, present two award-winning documentaries. Food Stamped follows a couple as they try to eat a healthy diet on food stamps. Vermont-made We Have to Talk About Hunger asks why in Vermont, the healthiest state in the nation, we cannot feed our own. Discussion to follow. Free.

Community Friends
Enjoy making an impact in someone’s life? Want to strengthen the community in which you’ll be spending time? Become a mentor for Community Friends! Since 1960 Community Friends has been matching Middlebury College students with children from Addison County. Mentors and mentees spend time together weekly, exploring whatever interests may arise out of these friendships. Many of the matched pairs often develop wonderful relationships that last throughout the volunteer’s time at Middlebury College and beyond. To find out more about this and other opportunities, please contact Nestor Martinez, Mentoring and Youth Programs Coordinator, at 802.443.3010, nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

Need money for service? Apply to the Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses, pumpkins to carve with Porter hospital residents, or turkeys to cook at the local shelter, we want to help you serve others. Click on “Civic Engagement” here to find our application. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.

Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu, 802.443.3099

Reposted from The Middlebury Campus

by Mia Benjamin ’13 / October 17, 2012

Of all the smells I associate with autumn — crispy leaves, fresh apples, chilly air — one has been conspicuously absent. I will forever equate that smell — the distinct fragrance of pine sawdust — with weekly Habitat for Humanity builds during the fall of my freshman year.

Unfortunately, building has been put on hold for the last two years while our local Habitat affiliate has been fundraising. Stepping onto the brand new Habitat construction site in Cornwall last Saturday and inhaling the sawdusty scent of new construction restored a little bit of balance in my world.

As a first-year working for Habitat, I appreciated the chance to get to know other students from all across campus with whom I would never have crossed paths with otherwise. There’s something about building a home with someone that’s different from sitting in class or sharing a meal in the dining hall. I found that when you hold the end of a board for someone as they saw it in half or when you problem solve together about how to install a window, the sense of a common goal transcends the awkwardness of first encounters and any differences in age, major or hometown.

So I kept coming back, loving the feeling of returning to campus at noon and already having done something substantial for the day, no matter how little schoolwork would get done later that afternoon.

One Saturday, a smaller number of college volunteers showed up for the build. Initially I was disappointed, but then I spent the morning getting to know two of the retiree volunteers who came with their church group. Working side by side with them, I heard plenty about the grandkids, their own funny college stories and their take on local town politics. Most importantly, I learned why they were there on a chilly Saturday morning lending a hand.

I don’t remember exactly what we were doing — perhaps mudding some drywall or tacking down tar paper — but I do remember the extra meaning their words added to the work. They understood, better than I ever had, that they were not helping to build a house, but rather a home — the beginnings of stable life for a young family that had gotten knocked around by life.

When I began to attend the Addison County Habitat for Humanity meetings, I started getting rides from different members of the board.

One Thursday of each month I am able to learn something new about what motivates each member to donate so much of his or her time and energy to the cause. What strikes me the most about these car conversations is the sense of optimism and responsibility each board member has toward those who are seen as fellow neighbors going through difficult times.

While other charities like Charter House and the Vermont Foodbank address the needs of the least fortunate in our community, Habitat for Humanity reaches out to families silently struggling with difficult housing costs. They provide an opportunity for hard-working, responsible families to become proud owners of a home they’ve built with volunteers.

Every so often, when financial concerns and talk of business bogs down discussion, one of the board members will pause to remind the group of the mission and vision we share. In those moments, I look around in gratitude for the inspiring friends I’ve made and for what they’ve taught me about building strong communities.

Last year, I was amazed to learn from the board that a student named Jennifer Jensen started Habitat for Humanity of Addison County in 1997. From her research on housing needs in Addison County, Jensen found that 21.6 percent of homeowners and 39.9 percent of renters met the federal definition of cost-burdened, paying more than 30 percent of their income for housing costs.

Armed with this information, Jennifer put up flyers around town, challenging the community to come together to form a Habitat affiliate to address those needs. The community responded whole-heartedly — to this day, Habitat for Humanity of Addison County draws from a large committed donor and volunteer base, including students from the College.

The Middlebury Habitat for Humanity group is more than a college club to me. It epitomizes the healthy and dependable relationship between town and college, and the network of support it forms for those community members who have fallen on hard times.

Getting to know dedicated and compassionate older people in the town of Middlebury and the surrounding area has reminded me that community service is not just a high-school résumé builder. Community service is the life-long habit of setting aside a few hours a week to dedicate yourself to strengthening the community you belong to.

It took me several weeks of Habitat for Humanity participation to realize that the community in which students live extends beyond College Street — that there are exciting, wise and passionate people to befriend outside of Bi Hall and Battell Beach.

The truth is that college is not a four-year working vacation from the obligations we have to our neighbors. We are living in the real world right now. For the next four years, or three, or two or one, this is our community. Let’s get to know our neighbors.

Come get sawdust in your hair every Saturday with the Habitat club! Email us at humanity@middlebury.edu.

While Hurricane Sandy storm damage in Vermont was minimal, there are ways for the Middlebury College community to help with relief efforts in the states affected by the storm. The Vermont Community Foundation developed a webpage here to share resources and information about helping out with Hurricane Sandy relief efforts and will continue to update the page as volunteer needs emerge. Red Cross continues to be a leader in immediate disaster response; you can donate funds to the Red Cross and learn more about their efforts here.

The Charter House Winter Shelter opens November 1 and will be home to 4 adults and 6 children. There is a critical need for more volunteers to help staff the facility 24/7. Working in pairs, volunteers typically serve 3-4 hour shifts at times of their choosing.

To volunteer
1) Fill out and submit the volunteer form Charter House Volunteer Application
2) Attend a volunteer training. Dates and times for training sessions for new volunteers are listed below. Training takes about 90 minutes.

Wednesday, November 7 7:30 pm Location: Charter House (27 North Pleasant Street, Middlebury)
Saturday, November 10 9:00 am Location: Charter House (27 North Pleasant Street, Middlebury)
Monday, November 12 9:00 am Location: Charter House (27 North Pleasant Street, Middlebury)
Monday, November 12 4:30 p.m. Location: on-campus in Ross B11 (downstairs from Ross Dining Hall)

To learn more or to request alternative training times, please contact Adam Schiff ’15 (aschiff@middlebury.edu) or Anoushka Sinha ’13 (asinha@middlebury.edu).

Interested in education? Enjoy making a difference for others?

Consider being a mentor for a local high school teenager! Middlebury Union High School is ready to kick off its mentoring program, which will pair Middlebury College students with local high school students of Middlebury Union High School. College students will provide support in helping students graduate high school and assist them in building their own post-graduation plans.

Attend an interest meeting about the program on Thursday, November 5^th at 5:30 pm in Hillcrest 103. Questions? Please contact Nestor Martinez at 802.443.3010 or at nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

Ryan Kim ’14 received EIA Civic Engagement Mini-Grant funding to attend the City Works (X)po in Roanoke, VA.

On October 18-20th I attended the City Works (X)po in Roanoke, Virginia, a conference centered on the purpose of bringing people together around “Big Ideas for Small Cities”. The conference was founded last year by a local real estate developer, Ed Walker, who is currently taking a “sabbatical” of sorts from his professional career to study as a Loeb Fellow at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. Speakers at the three-day event represented a diversity of professionals, ranging from community organizers to entrepreneurs, and were given anywhere from 15-60 minutes to inspire the audience with their work and great ideas they had had or encountered.

My aim in joining the conference was to broaden my understanding of urban development, to advance my limited knowledge into a more comprehensive perspective. Over the course of the conference, I succeeded wonderfully, in the sense that I had the chance to meet many other attendees who are involved in fascinating lines of work, including owning restaurants, developing commercial property, and providing greater access to low-income housing. Conference participants were given myriad opportunities to mingle, which holistically enhanced the event by encouraging interconnectivity and providing time and space for conversations that reflected and reacted to each day’s presentations.

Simply put, I had a sublime experience. City Works was exceptionally well organized and ceaselessly pulsed with the passion and energy of its couple hundred participants, both speakers and attendees. Though not all ideas shared were applicable to our small town of Middlebury, many of the speakers emphasized the importance of modifying all programs, events, and movements to the specific conditions and needs of one’s community anyway. In this way, there were in fact many small ways that these presentations were relevant to our town. I feel that I have returned to Roanoke energized, invigorated, by a sense of hope that fostering a healthy urban community here is very much within our reach and a real possibility.

Participate in a workday with the Nature Conservancy of Vermont!
Upcoming worksite date: Tuesday, 10/30 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The Nature Conservancy of Vermont is looking for volunteers to join us in removing invasive plants from our Snake Mountain South Natural Area in Bridport. These days are an excellent opportunity to get to know a great conservation organization here in Vermont, give back to your community, and to gain field experience. For these days we will be cutting and clipping non-native invasive shrubs which threaten the health of this beautiful forest. No experience required, just an interest in working hard in a very special place. Snake Mountain South, just south of the often hiked Snake Mountain, is home to rare amphibians and other wildlife, and many rare and uncommon plants and trees. This year, we will be working on top of the cliffs, so you can expect a good workout and stunning vistas. If you are interested in joining The Nature Conservancy on any of these dates please RSVP to Tim Duclos (tim.duclos@tnc.org) or call us at 802-229-4425 ext. 111.

Trick or Treat for Canned Goods
Date: Wednesday, October 31st from 5-8pm
Location: Meet up at ADK (trick-or-treating in Middlebury neighborhoods)
Want to volunteer and trick or treat at the same time? Come help trick or treat for canned goods on Halloween night. The neighborhood will be expecting us so dress up, ring door bells, and gather canned goods. All canned goods will later be donated to the HOPE Food shelter. If interested, please email vso@middlebury.edu.

You can still register to vote in Vermont!
Vermont voter registration deadline: Oct. 31,2012
If you haven’t registered to vote in your home state or requested an absentee ballot there is still time to register to vote in Vermont for the November general election! Fill out a VT voter registration form here and mail it to: Ann F. Webster, Town Clerk, 94 Main Street, Middlebury, VT 05753. If you need an envelope + stamp to mail in your registration or have questions, visit Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator in the Center for Education in Action (Rm. 210, Adirondack House).

Interested in education? Enjoy making a difference for others?
Consider being a mentor for a local high school teenager! Middlebury Union High School is ready to kick off its mentoring program, which aims to pair Middlebury College students with local high school students with the aims of providing support to graduate and helping them build their own post-graduation plans. Attend an interest meeting about the program on Thursday, November 5th at 5:30 pm in Hillcrest 103. Questions? Please contact Nestor Martinez at 802.443.3010 or at nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

Become a Reading Buddy: 3 volunteers still needed! Transportation available from campus.
Bridport Central School is seeking 3 more volunteers to act as Reading Buddies. Volunteers will be asked to commit to one hour each week reading one-on-one with a four-year-old preschool student and completing literacy-related activities. Volunteers are needed either on Tuesdays from 9:45-10:45 or Thursdays from 12:15-1:15. If you are interested or would like more information please contact Beth Bearor, Preschool Teacher, bbearor@addisoncentralsu.org.

Addison Central Teens Fall Clothing Swap: Volunteers needed on 11/13 & 1/14
Volunteer for the Teen Center on November 13th & 14th at Middlebury Union High School. Tasks may include organizing clothing, working with the high schoolers, and assisting students in paying for clothes. If you are interested in volunteering with the Teen Center on one or both of these days, email Co-Director Jutta Miska at jutta@addisonteens.com to coordinate shifts.

Clinton Global Initiative University
Early Application Deadline: November 30th, 2012
CGI U 2013 will be held at Washington University in St. Louis from April 5 – 7, 2013, bringing together nearly 1,200 attendees to make a difference in CGI U’s five focus areas: Education, Environment and Climate Change, Peace and Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health. President Clinton launched the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) in 2007 to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world. Each year, CGI U hosts a meeting where students, youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities come together to discuss and develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges.
Attendees are welcome to apply for EIA Civic Engagement Mini-Grant funding to support their participation!

Great hands-on winter term internship opportunity: Apply via MOJO by November 9th
A meaningful opportunity to see urban education reform at work! This internship provides teaching and learning opportunities at the Paul Cuffee School in Providence, RI. The Paul Cuffee School is a public charter school, currently serving 625 to 700 students in grades K-11. The majority of the school population is from the city of Providence; most are students of color and live below the poverty level and for many English is a second language. The school is one of the top performing charter schools in the state and is a model for urban school reform initiatives. Two Middlebury students can participate. Over J-Term each student will be assigned to work as an intern with a classroom teacher in the elementary, middle school or high school program. Tasks will vary but may include: observing classes, tutoring, directing small-group work, working with special education students, working in the computer lab and working with outreach programs. Students will spend five full days at the school each week, keep a journal, and complete a formal essay about their experience. You will receive credit for this internship. A food stipend will be provided to students, and local housing will be arranged through Midd alums.

Writing Tutors Needed: Middlebury Union High School World Literature Course
Middlebury Union High School is seeking 3-4 volunteer writing tutors to help 11th and 12th grades students in World Literature. It would be ideal if the college volunteer and high school student determine a mutually agreeable time once a week to help generate, develop, and revise current writing assignments. Interested? Email teacher Kate Carroll, kcarroll@addisoncentralsu.org.

Put your math skills to work in the community: Calculus tutor needed
A volunteer is needed to tutor a high school student in Calculus at the Middlebury Union High School Learning Lab. The student is available between 8:45 – 10:10 a.m. Monday – Friday and could meet during those times based on your schedule. Interested? Contact Jim Burnett, jburnett@addisoncentralsu.org.

Native Spanish speaker or individuals with Spanish skills needed
Consider becoming a mentor for a local Spanish-speaking child! Community Friends, a campus-based mentoring program that matches Middlebury College students with children of Addison County ages 6-12, is seeking a willing volunteer to be a mentor for a Latino child that is in need of different experiences. Take him to a hockey game, practice your Spanish together while taking a walk! The possibilities are endless. You could be an important part of this child’s life by simply meeting up and being yourself on a regular basis! Flexible meeting times, and different ways of transportation are available at no cost. For more information about the program, or to apply to be either one of these or another child’s mentor, please visit our website (go/cf), get in contact with a student coordinator or contact Nestor Martinez ’10 (nmartinez@middlebury.edu).

Gym partner and friend needed
A community member is seeking a gym partner and college student friend. This individual is an enthusiastic young woman with a cognitive delay as a result of chronic heart problems. Interested? Email Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu.

Need money for service? Apply to the Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses, pumpkins to carve with Porter hospital residents, or turkeys to cook at the local shelter, we want to help you serve others. Click on Civic Engagement Funding here to find our application. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.

Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu, 802.443.3099

Get trained to volunteer at the Charter House Homeless Shelter
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 24th, 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Ross Basement B11
The Charter House winter housing facility that serves as an emergency home staffed 24/7 by trained volunteers who provide a warm, welcoming environment for families in stress. Attend this training over October Break to learn more about volunteering at the Charter House. Contact Adam Schiff, aschiff@middlebury.edu if you have any questions or would like to be notified of future training dates.

Participate in a workday with the Nature Conservancy of Vermont!
Upcoming worksite date: Tuesday, 10/30 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The Nature Conservancy of Vermont is looking for volunteers to join us in removing invasive plants (primarily buckthorn) from our Snake Mountain South Natural Area in Bridport this fall. These days are an excellent opportunity to get to know a great conservation organization here in Vermont, give back to your community, and to gain field experience. For these days we will be cutting and clipping non-native invasive shrubs which threaten the health of this beautiful forest. No experience required, just an interest in working hard in a very special place. Snake Mountain South, just south of the often hiked Snake Mountain, is home to rare amphibians and other wildlife, and many rare and uncommon plants and trees. This year, we will be working on top of the cliffs, so you can expect a good workout and stunning vistas. If you are interested in joining The Nature Conservancy on any of these dates please RSVP to Tim Duclos (tim.duclos@tnc.org) or call us at 802-229-4425 ext. 111.

October 23rd: College Defensive Driving Class [Required to drive campus vehicles!]
This program is required for anyone who wishes to rent a College passenger or 15-passenger vehicle. If you might want to use a campus vehicle for volunteering in 2012-2013 get prepared by taking this class! There is no cost for the class but a driving orientation (a 1 hour review on the road) is required for 15-passenger Vans and larger vehicles. Class time is about 2 Hrs. REMINDER: A valid state license is required to take the class. Individuals wanting a 15-Passenger Van license must have 3 years of driving experience. To sign up email Ed Sullivan, Sullivan@middlebury.edu. Upcoming class: October 23rd 4:00PM at Hillcrest 103 (The Orchard Room).

JOIN IN ON A FARM SERVICE DAY!
WHEN: Saturday, October 27th. We’ll meet at ADK circle at noon, arrive at the farm by 1pm and work until we’re worn out (not past sun set).
WHERE: Evening Song Farm south of Rutland. The owners lost the entire farm last year due to Irene and are still working to rebuild their infrastructure on a new location. As winter approaches, there is a lot of work to be done and extra hands are needed. During this particular weekend, the farm needs help spreading mulch over a quarter acre of garlic and harvesting winter root crops.
WHO: Anyone and everyone. Invite your friends!
RSVP: Please email Avery McNiff, amcniff@middlebury.edu, if you are interested in helping out by Wednesday, October 24th so we can arrange transportation.

Can’t wait to try out your costume before Halloween? Have some time to spare?
The Dance Marathon committee will be volunteering at the Halloween Dance at the Teen Center in town on Friday night (9/27). We would love volunteers to help us with this event, or other community service initiatives throughout the semester. The teen center especially needs volunteers for the later shift from 9:30pm to 11:15pm but also from 7:45pm to 9:45pm. Dance Marathon takes place over J-term and will raise money for family with patients at the Vermont Children’s Miracle Network Hospital at Fletcher Allen. To get involved contact middleburydancemarathon@gmail.com.

Writing Tutors Needed: Middlebury Union High School World Literature Course Middlebury Union High School is seeking 3-4 volunteer writing tutors to help 11th and 12th grades students in World Literature. It would be ideal if the college volunteer and high school student determine a mutually agreeable time once a week to help generate, develop, and revise current writing assignments. Interested? Email teacher Kate Carroll, kcarroll@addisoncentralsu.org.

Volunteer/Intern positions available: Explore educational experiences on the mountain
Curious about the experiential educational opportunities in the outdoor environment? Comfortable handling challenging situations related to leading a group of children or your peers outside in the winter weather? Willing to commit time for training …and then be available for assisting with PE classes at the Bowl over Jterm or weekend series with locals? Both paid positions as well as volunteer/intern situations available. Email the Middlebury College Snow Bowl Snow School (sbsc@middlebury.edu) for more information.

Trick or Treat for Canned Goods
Date: Wednesday October 31st from 5-8pm
Location: Meet up at ADK (trick-or-treating in Middlebury neighborhoods)
Want to volunteer and trick or treat at the same time? Come help trick or treat for canned goods on Halloween night. The neighborhood will be expecting us so dress up, ring door bells, and gather canned goods. All canned goods will later be donated to the HOPE Food shelter. If interested, please email vso@middlebury.edu.

Community Friends
Really enjoy playing soccer, baseball and other sports? Want to feel like you’re making a big difference for someone else? Consider becoming a mentor for a local 8 year old boy! Community Friends, a campus-based mentoring program that matches Middlebury College students with children of Addison County ages six twelve, is seeking a willing volunteer to be a mentor for a child that is in need of “someone that he feels comfortable and trusts to talk with.”. Take him to a hockey game, talk about the world while taking a walk. The possibilities are endless! You could be an important part of this child’s life by simply meeting up and being yourself on a regular basis! Flexible meeting times, no car required, and alternate ways of transportation are available at no cost. For more information about the program, or to apply to be either one of these or another child’s mentor, please visit our website (go/cf), get in contact with a student coordinator or contact Nes Martinez ’10 (nmartinez@middlebury.edu).

Join DREAM! Become a Mentor!
The DREAM Program is a non-profit mentoring organization that builds communities of families and college students that empower children from disadvantaged circumstances to recognize their options, make informed decisions, and achieve their dreams! DREAM is looking for new mentors to visit the children of the Pine Meadow and John Graham Court Neighborhoods in Middlebury Friday afternoons. The only requirements are enthusiasm and energy to spend time with kids! Among some of the planned activities this year are a Halloween Party, a “Science Day” and a mentor-mentee culminating event (ropes course and a visit to a local pizzeria have been some of past years events). If you think you’d like to be a part of this or to help plan some of these events, please email Simran Sabharwal at ssabharwal@middlebury.edu.

Speak Fuzhou, or know someone who does?
Local ELL instructor is in search of a Fuzhou speaker to help orally interpret some forms for a local family. For some information, please contact Nes Martinez at nmartinez@middlebury.edu or call 802.443.3010.

Creative Website Design Assistance Needed!
Lynn Slaughter-Naves is working on a website project at the Monterey Institute of International Studies along with EWAY Entertainment & Foundation. The website would aid women’s self-defense training programs in developing countries around the world; connecting these programs with each other and with potential partners and donors. They are currently looking for a student volunteer with website-building expertise, someone who would like to develop their portfolio and help strengthen women’s international security programs in the process. Contact Lynn (lslaughternaves@miis.edu) to learn more details!

Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu, 802.443.3099

MiddAction
Like food? Join Nutrition Outreach and Mentoring (nom) in Cooking at the Teen Center tomorrow (Wednesday)
Date: Wednesday, 10/17 from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Location: Addison Central Teens (located close to campus – right by Twilight Hall!)
Nom is looking for volunteers to teach teens how to cook. The group will be making a collection of appetizers and volunteers eat with the teens, too! If you are passionate about food and food education and want to connect to members of the community, this opportunity is for you! Email Nes Martinez at middlebury.nom@gmail.com to sign up to participate.

Get trained to volunteer at the Charter House Homeless Shelter
Training Date and Time: Thursday, Oct. 18 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Location: Ross Basement B11
The Charter House winter housing facility that serves as an emergency home staffed 24/7 by trained volunteers who provide a warm, welcoming environment for families in stress. Attend this training to learn more about volunteering at the Charter House. Contact Adam Schiff, aschiff@middlebury.edu if you have any questions or would like to be notified of future training dates.

Can’t wait to try out your costume before Halloween? Have some time to spare?
Come be a chaperone for the Addison Central Teen Center Halloween Dance on Friday 10/19 at the Town Hall Theater. Come hang out for a shift between 8-11pm, have some treats, get into the spirit of Halloween! Best of all, check out the neat costumes! For more information, please contact Jutta Miska at jutta@addisonteens.com or call ACT at 802.388.3910

Tropical Storm Irene Long Term Recovery: Volunteer Worksite Opportunity
Date: Saturday, October 20th, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Brandon, VT (only 16 miles from Middlebury!)
The Rutland County Long Term Recovery Committee is sponsoring a volunteer project to benefit the Brandon Town Players. The storage area for their props and supplies were flooded and now need to be removed so the building can be demolished. Volunteers will shovel out silt that covers the props and stage materials. Interested? Email Ashley Calkins, jcalkins@middlebury.edu. Ashley will set up a carpool of interested students and can provide supplies including shovels and gloves. Refreshments and water will be provided.

Participate in a workday with the Nature Conservancy of Vermont!
Upcoming worksite dates: Saturday 10/20, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and Friday 10/26, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
The Nature Conservancy of Vermont is looking for volunteers to join us in removing invasive plants (primarily buckthorn) from our Snake Mountain South Natural Area in Bridport this fall. These days are an excellent opportunity to get to know a great conservation organization here in Vermont, give back to your community, and to gain field experience. For these days we will be cutting and clipping non-native invasive shrubs which threaten the health of this beautiful forest. No experience required, just an interest in working hard in a very special place. Snake Mountain South, just south of the often hiked Snake Mountain, is home to rare amphibians and other wildlife, and many rare and uncommon plants and trees. This year, we will be working on top of the cliffs, so you can expect a good workout and stunning vistas. If you are interested in joining The Nature Conservancy on any of these dates please RSVP to Tim Duclos (tim.duclos@tnc.org) or call us at 802-229-4425 ext. 111.

Student Panel on Poverty Studies Internships
Thursday, Oct. 18th 7:00 p.m. Axinn Rm. 219
This summer seven Middlebury students helped tackle issues of poverty through paid internships in Washington D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, and, locally, in Addison County (VT). Come hear about their experiences working with immigrant services, emergency housing, farm to table and gleaning initiatives, social services for women and children, and environmental education in coal country. For students interested in poverty studies at Middlebury, Tiffany Sargent (EIA) and Professor James Davis (Religion) will be on hand to share information about these annual internship opportunities, as well as about Middlebury’s exploration of a Privilege and Poverty program as part of the Shepherd High Education Consortium on Poverty. Sponsored by EIA Civic Engagement.

Local J-Term internship opportunity at the Charter House emergency winter shelter – application due 10/21
Spend your January Term interning at the Charter House Emergency Winter Shelter in Middlebury, which provides emergency housing to individuals and families through the winter months. Interns will support the management staff of the Charter House Emergency Winter Shelter in meeting client needs, maintaining a spirit of welcome and community within the building, and staffing the Shelter. Interns will gain an in-depth understanding of how The Middlebury Community Care Coalition and the broader community support the transition of homeless families to stable housing. Visit go/internships and click on “Winter Term” for information on receiving course credit for this internship. Visit MOJO and search for “Charter House” to find more information and apply for the internship.

Teach Spanish with the Monkton Central School World Language Program
The Monkton Central School World Language Program is looking for one additional volunteer who would like to team-teach Spanish to a 5th and 6th grade class on Tuesdays 1:15 – 2:15 p.m. In this program, volunteers come to the Monkton Central School 6 times in the fall to teach foreign language in an elementary school classroom. Each session is 50-60 minutes long and should be fun for you and the kids. They love playing games, singing songs, learning basic vocabulary, and exploring the culture. Transportation is available. If you are available Tuesdays 1:15-2:15pm starting 10/23 for 6 weeks, please email Jen Stanley, jstanley@wildblue.net. We will begin a new volunteer session in February. Email Jen Stanley if you would like to be notified when those volunteer openings are available.

You can still register to vote in Vermont!
Vermont voter registration deadline: Oct. 31, 2012
If you haven’t registered to vote in your home state or requested an absentee ballot there is still time to register to vote in Vermont for the November general election! Fill out a VT voter registration form here and mail it to: Ann F. Webster, Town Clerk, 94 Main Street, Middlebury, VT 05753. If you need an envelope + stamp to mail in your registration or have questions, visit Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator in the Center for Education in Action (Rm. 210, Adirondack House).

Gym partner and friend needed
A community member is seeking a gym partner and college student friend. This individual is an enthusiastic young woman with a cognitive delay as a result of chronic heart problems. Interested? Email Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu.

Community Friends
Have a scooter and want to ride it around? Want to teach a boy some new moves in his favorite sport? These are some of the things you could be doing right now with a child from Addison County! Community Friends, a campus-based mentoring program that matches Middlebury College students with children of Addison County ages six to twelve, is seeking a “supportive, caring adult” for this child. Take a walk, read books together, do some arts and crafts, play mini-golf at Whirlie’s World! The possibilities are endless. You could be an important part of this young boy’s life by simply meeting up and being yourself on a regular basis! Flexible meeting times, no car required, and alternate ways of transportation are available. For more information about the program, or to apply to be this or another child’s mentor, please visit our website (go/cf), get in contact with a student coordinator or contact Nestor Martinez ’10 (nmartinez@middlebury.edu).

Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu, 802.443.3099

October 9: College Defensive Driving Class [Required to drive campus vehicles!]
This program is required for anyone who wishes to rent a College passenger or 15-passenger vehicle. If you might want to use a campus vehicle for volunteering in 2012-2013 get prepared by taking this class! There is no cost for the class but a driving orientation (a 1 hour review on the road) is required for 15-passenger Vans and larger vehicles. Class time is about 2 Hrs. REMINDER: A valid state license is required to take the class. Individuals wanting a 15-Passenger Van license must have 3 years of driving experience. To sign up email Ed Sullivan, Sullivan@middlebury.edu. Upcoming class: October 9, 9:00 a.m., Mitchell Green Lounge

Participate in E2 Environment & Equity Student Leadership Conference
Oct. 20th, 2012 (workshop) and Jan. 21, 2013 (conference) at ECHO Museum in Burlington
Student teams are invited to participate in the January 2013 E2 Environment & Equity Student Leadership Conference, which will explore the intersection of social justice and environmental sustainability. Teams of 5 or more people will gather on Oct. 2012 to learn and teach each other about environmental and social justice issues, and local service opportunities, and strategies for effecting change. Participants will have the opportunity to develop a project or workshop to present to the public as part of a community-wide MLK Jr. Day Environment and Equity Summit, and network with other Vermont environmental and social justice student groups. Registration is free, and transportation support from Middlebury to Burlington can be provided. Interested? Contact Ashley Calkins, jcalkins@middlebury.edu. Individuals or groups are welcome to contact me! More information here.

Applications due Wednesday (10/10) for February Middlebury Alternative Break Trips!
All students are welcome to apply to participate in the student-led MAlt trips over February Break! This year’s trips will focus on border and immigration issues (El Paso, TX), cultural and environmental awareness (Cherokee Nation), conservation in El Yunque National Forest (Puerto Rico), women’s empowerment (Dominican Republic), and the US prison system (New York).
Find more information and the application here.

Local J-Term internship opportunity at the Charter House emergency winter shelter – Application due 10/21
Spend your January Term interning at the Charter House Emergency Winter Shelter in Middlebury, which provides emergency housing to individuals and families through the winter months. Interns will support the management staff of the Charter House Emergency Winter Shelter in meeting client needs, maintaining a spirit of welcome and community within the building, and staffing the Shelter. Interns will gain an in-depth understanding of how The Middlebury Community Care Coalition and the broader community support the transition of homeless families to stable housing. Visit go/internships and click on “Winter Term” for information on receiving course credit for this internship. Visit MOJO and search for “Charter House” to find more information and apply for the internship.

Put your math skills to work in the community: AP Calculus tutor needed
A volunteer is needed to tutor a high school student in AP Calculus at the Middlebury Union High School Learning Lab. The student is available between 1:35 – 2:55 p.m. Monday – Friday and could meet during those times based on your schedule. Interested? Contact Jim Burnett, jburnett@addisoncentralsu.org.

Gym Partner Needed
A community member is seeking a gym partner and college student friend. This individual is an enthusiastic young woman with a cognitive delay as a result of chronic heart problems. Interested? Email Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu.

Staying in Middlebury over October Break? Volunteer with the Nature Conservancy of Vermont!
Upcoming worksite dates: Friday, 10/12, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. and Saturday, 10/13, 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM.
The Nature Conservancy of Vermont is looking for volunteers to join us in removing invasive plants (primarily buckthorn) from our Snake Mountain South Natural Area in Bridport this fall. These days are an excellent opportunity to get to know a great conservation organization here in Vermont, give back to your community, and to gain field experience. For these days we will be cutting and clipping non-native invasive shrubs which threaten the health of this beautiful forest. No experience required, just an interest in working hard in a very special place. Snake Mountain South, just south of the often hiked Snake Mountain, is home to rare amphibians and other wildlife, and many rare and uncommon plants and trees. This year, we will be working on top of the cliffs, so you can expect a good workout and stunning vistas. If you are interested in joining The Nature Conservancy on any of these dates please RSVP to Tim Duclos (tim.duclos@tnc.org) or call us at 802-229-4425 ext. 111.

Make an impact in a child’s life: Become a mentor for Community Friends
Enjoy making an impact in someone’s life? Want to strengthen the community in which you’ll be spending time? Become a mentor for Community Friends! Since 1960 Community Friends has been matching Middlebury College students with children from Addison County. Mentors and mentees spend time together weekly, exploring whatever interests may arise out of these friendships. Find more information and an application here. Questions? Contact Nestor Martinez, Mentoring and Youth Programs Coordinator, at 802.443.3010, nmartinez@middlebury.edu.

Like food? Join Nutrition Outreach and Mentoring (nom) in Cooking at the Teen Center
Date: Wednesday, 10/17 from 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Nom is looking for volunteers to teach teens how to cook on Wednesday, Oct. 17 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. The group will be making a collection of appetizers and volunteers eat with the teens, too! If you are passionate about food and food education and want to connect to members of the community, this opportunity is for you! Email Nes Martinez at middlebury.nom@gmail.com to sign up to participate.

11/1-11/2 Virtual Conference Opportunity: Literacy as a National Priority
Registration is now open for the Read.Write.Act. Virtual Conference here. The annual Read.Write.Act Virtual Conference, connects college students at campus-based literacy groups from around the country with content specialists, community-based literacy organizations and other leaders in literacy who are committed to creating a more just society by engaging young people in literacy education. Virtual conference sessions will be held on Thursday, Nov. 1 – Friday, Nov. 2: Full schedule for Thursday, November 1st, Full schedule for Friday, November 2nd, Full schedule for Saturday, November 3rd. Student fee for Thursday and Friday: $25. Funding available from EIA Civic Engagement to support attendance, if you are interested email Ashley Calkins, jcalkins@middlebury.edu.

Volunteer in a “Website English” class: WordPress-experienced individual needed
The Diversified Occupations Program’s class called “Website English” gives students the opportunity to learn how to create, maintain, and write content for their WordPress-based webpage (http://doprogram.org). A volunteer is needed to be an occasional helper in the classroom, or act as a contact for questions about trouble-shooting their WordPress website. Interested? Email teacher Ian Hoefle, ihoefle@addisoncentralsu.org.

Need money for service? Apply to the Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses, pumpkins to carve with Porter hospital residents, or turkeys to cook at the local shelter, we want to help you serve others. Visit go/funding to find our application. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.

Questions? If you have questions about any of these volunteer opportunities or want to learn more ways to get involved in the local community, contact Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator, jcalkins@middlebury.edu, 802.443.3099