St. Patrick’s Day Dinner to Benefit Hospice Volunteer Services
Thursday, March 15th, 6:00 pm Atwater Dining Hall Suggested Donation $20
The evening will include traditional Irish food, great Irish music and of course a tribute to the wonderful work Hospice Volunteer Services is doing in our local Middlebury Community. We are charging a suggested donation of $20 per ticket and tickets can be purchased online.
Purchase tickets online at: http://irishforhospice.eventbrite.com/
Volunteers needed to help: 1.) Set-up: 3-5 pm 2.) Serve: 5:30-7:30 pm 3.) Clean-up: 8-9 pm.
To volunteer email Katie Dunleavy, kdunleav@middlebury.edu.

Ski at Sugarbush with the John Graham Shelter Playgroup 3/17 or 3/18
Looking for avid skiers who would like to share their love for skiing with kids who are first-time skiers! Through the John Graham Shelter Playgroup, we will be taking advantage of these last couple weekends of Spring skiing to take kids (who may not have the opportunity to ski) to Sugarbush. If you have a Sugarbush pass and would be interested in spending a Saturday (3/10 or 3/17) or a Sunday (3/18) helping teach, email hnapier@middlebury.edu.

Attention Seniors! Great Opportunities with Americorps
Americorps Luncheon Panel Wednesday March 14, 12:15. Coltrane Lounge.
Lunch will be provided, courtesy of the EIA!
Want to make a difference while paying off student loans? Looking for a way to transition into the working world after graduation? Or just want to spend a summer doing service? AmeriCorps is an option! AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 men and women in intensive service each year through more than 15,000 nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country. Opportunities exist all over the U.S., and each targets one of these major impact areas: disaster services, economic opportunity, education, environmental stewardship, healthy futures, and veterans and military families. Join two Middlebury grads and past and present AmeriCorps members for an informal luncheon panel to learn more about AmeriCorps opportunities during your time at Middlebury or for that first job straight out of college!

Middlebury Alternative Break Trips: Burlington Area Burmese community
Spring Break Application deadline March 14, 2012 – Limited space available
Application Spring 2012 Mini-MAlt Participant Application
This student-led trip will depart on Saturday morning, March 24, and return Tuesday afternoon, March 27. Trip participants will be working with Midd ’09 graduate Htar Htar Yu and the Burmese refugee community in Burlington and Winooski. Students will stay with Burmese host families for the three nights and have the opportunity to learn about Burmese culture and share their own culture through interaction with Burmese children and adults, including meals. Our service work will include helping the Burmese with shopping for necessities, assisting them in paperwork for obtaining green cards, helping kids with homework, taking kids on outings, and hosting community suppers. The participant fee is $25; financial aid is available. Please see the attached application for more information.

Last Chance to Become a Community Friend for the Spring Semester!
Community Friends provides children from the community, age 6-12, with college mentors for weekly activities of their choosing. We are still seeking volunteers to be paired with children from Mary Hogan Elementary, Bristol Elementary, and other schools in the county! The due date for applications for the Spring Semester is Sunday, March 25th. Otherwise you’ll have to wait until next year to start a mentoring relationship that could change a child’s life! Don’t wait, and become a mentor today. For an application, or to learn more, visit go/cf, or email Emma Lennon at elennon@middlebury.edu.

Need money for service? Apply to the Service Cluster Board Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses or ingredients to cook meals at the community lunch program, we want to help you serve others. Click on “Service Cluster Board Flex Fund” 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

Democracy in Action: Attend Middlebury Town Meeting tonight
3/5 7:00 p.m., Municipal Auditorium, Gymnasium
On Town Meeting Day citizens across Vermont come together in their communities to discuss the business of their towns. For over 200 years Town Meeting Day has been an important political event as Vermonters elect local officers and vote on budgets. It has also been a time for neighbors to discuss the civic issues of their community, state, and nation.

Here’s your chance to volunteer with Farm-to-School programs or community cooking classes…or both!
NOM (Nutrition Outreach and Mentoring) is looking for volunteers on Tuesday 3/6 to work with students of all grade levels at Beeman Elementary in New Haven, in their morning or afternoon classes, to create a menu for cafeteria meals and help with other nutrition-related projects. Can’t make it Tuesday? On Wednesday 3/7 at 4:30, NOM will be cooking dinner with teens at the Addison Central Teen Center in town. Email nom.midd@gmail.com for more information on how to volunteer, or check out go/nom.

MiddVOTE Voter Registration Drive
Thursday, March 8th, 4:30 – 8:00 p.m. Crossroads Cafe
Not registered? We have all the materials and information you need to register in Vermont or your home state. *Bring your state-issued driver’s license or ID* Already registered? Come apply for an absentee ballot.
Don’t miss performances by Riddim, Poor Form, Paradiddles, and Middlebrow!
Hear what fellow Middlebury students have to say about voting here.
Interested in volunteering at the event? Email MiddVote@Gmail.com with the times that you are available.

Register a Relay for Life Team!
Help raise money for cancer research by registering for Relay for Life! Grab your friends, start a team, and have an awesome time at our event on May 4, 2012! Visit go/relay.

Like making homemade ice cream and having dance parties? Join DREAM!
DREAM is a non-profit mentoring organization that connects college mentors with children of affordable housing communities for activities every Friday. The goal is to empower children from these neighborhoods to recognize their options, make informed decisions, and achieve their dreams! The organization recently expanded to a second neighborhood, and is seeking new mentors to join in on their group Fridays! For more info on how to get involved, email Ali Siegel ’12 at absiegel@middlebury.edu. All you have to do is show up!

VSO Co-Chair Application Open
The Volunteer Services Organization is accepting applications for a 2012-2013 co-chair. Interested? Read the attached description, fill out the VOLUNTEER SERVICE ORGANIZATION APPLICATION and email it to vso@middlebury.edu. Deadline: March 12th 5:00 p.m.

Summer Internship Highlight: Addison County Anti-Poverty Internships
Internship Dates: June 11 – August 17, 2012
Applications due March 7, 2012
These four paid internships offer a meaningful opportunity to spend summer fighting poverty in Vermont. This year the internships will take place at the John Graham Homeless Shelter, Middlebury Community Care Coalition Farm-to-Plate program, HOPE, and Addison County Council Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. Apply today: Visit middmojo.com and search for “Middlebury College Civic Engagement.”

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

Four Middlebury College Students, Katie Willis ’12, Kate Strangfeld ’12, Emma Burke ’12, and Lauren Honican ’15, took advantage of a Civic Engagement Mini-Grant to fund their trip to the Just Food Conference in New York City, where they spent two days attending workshops, learning about food issues and achievements, and meeting other like-minded people, all over good food and conversation!  They plan to keep what they learned in mind in their work with food-related initiatives on campus, as well as share ideas and information with others.  For example, check out Kate’s blog post about the event here. 

Some of the students will be volunteering to prepare apples for freezer kits to donate to the Addison County Food Shelf, today Friday 3/2, from 3-5 pm at Weybridge House.  Come to give back to the community, and learn more about the Conference!

For more ways to get your service projects funded, or to learn more about Civic Engagement in the EIA, click here.

American Cancer Society annual fundraiser: With Daffodil Days, YOU can make a difference!
Welcome spring and support the American Cancer Society by purchasing daffodils! Order your bouquets by 4:00 pm on Friday, March 2! To order daffodils by credit card for yourself, a friend or colleague, a cancer survivor, or to make a donation without ordering flowers, please use the Middlebury College Box Office web site via: go/boxoffice. You can also drop off cash or checks at the Box Office, located in McCullough. Please make checks payable to Middlebury College.

Reparative Board members needed!
Addison County Court Diversion & Community Justice Projects, Inc is a non-profit organization that builds safe, healthy communities by embracing restorative practices and working to heal the injury caused by conflict and crime. We are seeking volunteers to serve on Reparative Boards in Addison County. Reparative Boards help those who commit offenses to take responsibility in a meaningful way for the impact of their actions on individuals and the community at large, to empower victims to voice their needs to those who have harmed them, and to build a stronger, more resilient community in the process. If you believe in restorative justice and want to volunteer contact Jennifer@courtdiversion.com for an application, or call 388-3888.

Betasab: Seeking Assistant to the Executive Director
Volunteer needed 3 – 6 hours per week, starting immediately
Betasab, Inc. is a newly licensed non-profit. We are opening group homes for orphaned and vulnerable children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and are dedicated to sustainable community development in Ethiopia. Started by Claudia Cooper, a Middlebury professor, we are looking for a self-sufficient student volunteer to assist in running the program. On-going volunteer work, and subsequent internships and/or work opportunities locally and in Ethiopia possible. Tasks will include: Development work—Identifying and contacting potential donors, assisting with grant research and applications, planning a fundraiser (use your imagination), assisting with web based marketing and website management. Program work –assisting with program development (including developing curricula for the children and income generating development projects for the community), and refining the Betasab Volunteer Program. Interest in Africa a must, experience helpful but not required. Please contact Professor Claudia Cooper ccooper@middlebury.edu for more information.

Public Service Leadership Award Nominations due March 2nd
Take a few minutes to nominate a peer you volunteer with for a Public Service Leadership Award—it is a meaningful way to recognize their commitment to service! You could nominate a co-leader or an individual who has been particularly active in your organization. Nominate someone today here. Deadline: March 2, 2012. Questions? Email me (jcalkins@middlebury.edu).

Summer Internship Highlight: Addison County Anti-Poverty Internships at John Graham Shelter and HOPE
Internship Dates: June 11 – August 17, 2012
Info sessions: Tues 2/28 6:00 p.m., Wed 2/29 12:15 p.m. in the Center for Education in Action
These two paid internships offer a meaningful opportunity to spend summer fighting poverty in Vermont. This year the internships will take place at the John Graham Homeless Shelter (Vergennes) and HOPE (Middlebury). Apply today: Visit middmojo.com and search for “Middlebury College Civic Engagement.” Applications due March 7, 2012.

Juntos Volunteer Application volunteer application
¡Juntos! is a student volunteer organization that strives to meet the needs of the Latin migrant worker population of Addison County. We foster relationships at both the individual and community level through social and educational programs. Interested in volunteering this semester? Fill out the volunteer application attached to this email. Deadline 3/2. Questions? Email Rachel Sider, rsider@middlebury.edu. Program descriptions:
Compañeros/ESL Program: Our oldest and most established volunteer option, the ‘Compañeros’ program is an opportunity to become more integrated and involved in the lives of the migrant community in Addison County as student pairs are matched with a local migrant farm workers to not simply to teach basic English skills but to develop a strong relationship and provide support through the Spanish language.
Community Outreach Events: A more flexible volunteer position, this opportunity allows for Spanish-speaking students to cater to the needs of the migrant community on a case-by-case basis often providing translation services, tutoring a child in English, and engaging with workers and their families at the Spanish masses and community events organized by Juntos.
Vecinos: This program partners Middlebury students with migrant families or children in Addison County. The students work primarily with the mothers and their children each week on the needs of that particular family, reading with the children in English and Spanish, and serving as mentors.

Need money for service? Apply to the Service Cluster Board Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses or ingredients to cook meals at the community lunch program, we want to help you serve others. Click on “Service Cluster Board Flex Fund” 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

February 20, 2012 World Day of Social Justice
“Social justice is more than an ethical imperative, it is a foundation for national stability and global prosperity. Equal opportunity, solidarity and respect for human rights — these are essential to unlocking the full productive potential of nations and peoples..” ~Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Message for the 2011 World Day of Social Justice

Did you miss the Student Activities Fair? Attend an informational welcome meeting to get involved with these student organizations!
DREAM Monday 2/20 6:00 pm Laforce 121
Page 1 Tuesday 2/21 5:30pm Ross B11
Community Friends Wednesday 2/22, 7:30 pm, Ross B11
Relay for Life Team Captain’s Meeting Wednesday, 2/22 7:30 p.m. Hillcrest 103
NOM Wednesday 2/22, 8:00 pm Ross B11
Juntos Wednesday, 2/22 8:30 p.m. Bihall 219
College for Every Student Thursday, 2/23 7:00 p.m. Ross B11
VSO Sunday, 2/26 3:00 pm Forest East Lower Lounge

Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Trip: Application deadline 2/24
Habitat Spring Break 2012 Application
10 Middlebury students will build with Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity in North Carolina over spring break. We will be leaving Friday, March 23rd, and traveling by one 15-passenger College van to Maryland, where we will spend the night at a Middlebury family home. On Saturday the 24th, we will drive to Asheville. During each workday (Monday-Friday) we will spend about 8 hours working on Habitat homes in the Asheville area, doing everything from constructing walls to painting. In the evenings, we hang out, play games, watch movies, cook dinner for ourselves, and have outings in the beautiful Asheville area! We drive back to Maryland on Friday, March 30th, spend the night again, and return to Middlebury on Saturday, March 31st.Fill out the attached application and drop it off in Rm. 210 of the Center for Education in Action, Adirondack House. Questions? Contact Mia Benjamin, mrbenjamin@middlebury.edu.

Charter House Homeless Shelter Training Session
Thursday, January 23th 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Laforce Rm. 121
The Charter House homeless shelter provides shelter for the homeless in Middlebury and is completely staffed by volunteers. Volunteers are needed around the clock, for shifts of 2 to 4 hours. Scheduling is flexible. Attend this training session and sign-up to volunteer. Questions? Contact Yuan Lim, ylim@middlebury.edu.

Migrant Education: Volunteers needed for game day 2/22
3-4 volunteers are needed to help out with a game day activity at Bridport Elementary school from 12:30 – 3:00 p.m. on February 22rd. Volunteers will be helping with English Language Learner students in pre-kindergarten through 6th grade. Contact Carol Wood, bizaad@comcast.net to sign-up. Need transportation? Apply to the Service Cluster Board Flex Fund to fund a college vehicle or get gas mileage covered.

Culinary Tutor Needed
Vermont Adult Learning is looking for a tutor to work with a student in basic culinary arts. We have a kitchen on the premise and will supply all the materials, we are just in need of someone who is willing to work with our high school aged student in cooking and baking one to two times a week. Vermont Adult Learning (VAL) provides adults with essential skills education to further their educational, employment and personal goals in order to expand their options and capabilities in the family, community and workplace. Please contact Alison at Vermont Adult Learning if you are interested in helping out: abromage@vtadultlearning.org

Volunteer to teach a foreign language at the Monkton Central School World Language Program
Information session: Wednesday, Feb. 22 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Twilight Hall Room 301.
Do you love speaking a foreign language? You do NOT need to be proficient.
Do you like working with children, Kindergarten through grade 6?
If you answer “yes” to both questions, then you are a perfect candidate to volunteer for the World Language Program at the Monkton Central School. Monkton Central School, a K-6 elementary school in rural Vermont (located about 18 miles north of Middlebury) , is part of the Addison Northeast Supervisory Union. Since 2002, there has been a successful program at Monkton Central School in which Middlebury College students volunteer to teach a foreign language and culture 6 times, once a week, for 50 minutes. The program is a valuable complement to the academic curriculum , and is strongly supported by the PTO, the school principal and the teachers…and is thoroughly enjoyed by Middlebury and Monkton students.
Attend the information session to learn more! Questions? Contact Hildgund at pgrant@together.net.

Volunteer Services Organization: Caller/Musician needed
Hope your first week back is going well! I just wanted to see if we have anyone (or if anyone knows of someone else) who can either play country music and/or knows how to lead a square dance. Specifically, we are looking for callers/musicians in order to organize a square dance with the residents at Helen Porter. Our volunteers had such a great time doing this last year, so please let me know if you or someone else you know is up for the job (we would be willing to pay)! Interested? Email vso@middlebury.edu.

United Way: Interested in fighting social injustices like homelessness, poverty, hunger, and health?
Collaborate with others students in compiling data and statistics on these injustices in Addison County for United Way of Addison County. Interested? Contact Anne Yoon, ayoon@middlebury.edu.

Use your math skills to help a high school student: AP Calculus volunteer tutor opportunity
Middlebury Union High School Student needs help preparing for an AP Calculus exam. The student is available 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Monday – Friday and a tutor would ideally meet with the student once a week through May. Interested? Contact Learning Lab coordinator Jim Burnett, jburnett@addisoncentralsu.org, 802.382.1103.

Need money for service? Apply to the Service Cluster Board Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses or ingredients to cook meals at the community lunch program, we want to help you serve others. Click on “Service Cluster Board Flex Fund” 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

Migrant Education: Volunteers needed for game day 2/23
3-4 volunteers are needed to help out with a game day activity at Bridport Elementary school from 12:30 – 3:00 p.m. on February 23rd. Volunteers will be helping with English Language Learner students in pre-kindergarten through 6th grade. Contact Carol Wood, bizaad@comcast.net to sign-up. Need transportation? Apply to the Service Cluster Board Flex Fund to fund a college vehicle or get gas mileage covered.

Love working with children? Gardening? Cooking?
If you said yes to one or more of these, then NOM’s new farm-to-school program will be just the opportunity for you! NOM (Nutrition Outreach and Mentoring) will begin its farm-to-school efforts on Tuesday, February 14th (Valentine’s Day!) from 11:30-12:00 and/or 12:00-12:30 at Beeman Elementary. Volunteers will be helping with “taste tests” during lunch period, to introduce kids to foods that they perhaps have never tried before. Transportation will be provided. For more information, email Emma Burke ’12 at nom.midd@gmail.com. NOM will also continue its regular programming, hosting cooking classes at the Charter House and local Teen Center, and volunteers are needed to help with these events as well!

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 this semester, plan to take the last September defensive driving 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: February 15 9:00 a.m.

Volunteer to teach a foreign language at the Monkton Central School World Language Program
Information session: Wednesday, Feb. 22 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Twilight Hall Room 301.
Use your foreign language skills to volunteer for the World Language Program at the Monkton Central School. Monkton Central School, a K-6 elementary school in rural Vermont (located about 18 miles north of Middlebury), is part of the Addison Northeast Supervisory Union. Since 2002, there has been a successful program at Monkton Central School in which Middlebury College students volunteer to teach a foreign language and culture 6 times, once a week, for 50 minutes. The program is a valuable complement to the academic curriculum , and is strongly supported by the PTO, the school principal and the teachers…and is thoroughly enjoyed by Middlebury and Monkton students.
Attend the information session to learn more! Questions? Contact Hildgund at pgrant@together.net.

Mentors Needed
Two Bristol teens are looking for college students to spend time with. One is a 7th grade girl who enjoys rollerblading and swimming and would benefit from having an energetic female mentor. The other, an 8th grade boy, seeks an equally active and energetic male mentor with whom to explore the outdoors, bowl, bike, and play pool. Both live immediately outside of downtown Bristol, and would love college role models! For more information, please contact Emma Lennon, Mentoring and Youth Programs Coordinator, at elennon@middlebury.edu.

BECOME A MENTOR—JOIN DREAM!
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 on Friday afternoons. The only requirements are enthusiasm and energy to spend time with kids!
For more information, email Ali Siegel ‘12 at absiegel@middlebury.edu, and check out DREAM’s website at www.dreamprogram.org.

Missed National Mentoring Month this January? Don’t worry, you can still become a mentor!
January was National Mentoring Month, the time each year when our nation spotlights the importance of mentors and the need for every child to have a caring adult in his or her life. Now that J-Term is over and the new semester has begun, why not make one of your New Year’s Resolutions to become a mentor? Community Friends, a campus-based mentoring program that matches Middlebury students with Addison County children ages 6 to 12, is seeking mentors! Your mentee and you make your own schedule and together plan how you want to spend your time. For more information, or to apply, visit go/cf or email Emma Lennon at elennon@middlebury.edu.

Need money for service? Apply to the Service Cluster Board Flex Fund to finance your initiatives!
Whether it is transportation expenses or ingredients to cook meals at the community lunch program, we want to help you serve others. Click on “Service Cluster Board Flex Fund” here to find our application. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.

Kid-initiated community service club: Volunteer advisor needed!
Young volunteers (2nd – 5th graders) created an organization called Hand in Hand with the mission of connecting young people through service projects. College student volunteers are needed to support this kid-initiated project by meeting with the group regularly at Ilsley Library and supporting their organization and community service ideas! Interested? Contact Kathryn Laliberte kathryn.laliberte@ilsleypubliclibrary.org.

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

RU12? Community Center seeking Development Committee Action Team members
RU12? Community Center celebrates, educates, and advocates with and for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) Vermonters. The community center is looking for volunteers to join their Action Team. There is a flexible commitment ranging from participating in advertising and outreach to hosting an event. Find out more here. Attend their volunteer recruitment session on January 29th at 11:00 a.m. to learn more.

Community Friends Weekly Feature – 1/24/2012
Want to help a young person realize her full potential? Community Friends, a campus-based mentoring program that matches Middlebury students with Addison County children ages 6 to 12, is seeking a big sister for a 9-year-old girl in Bridport. She loves animals, and could use a mentor to explore new interests and a more active lifestyle. If you are creative and like to be active, you could easily be a role model for this young girl just by meeting with her each week and being you. Flexible meeting times; only requirement is enthusiasm and a willingness to build a meaningful relationship! For more information on our program and/or how to apply to be this or another child’s mentor, please see our website (go/cf) or contact Emma Lennon (elennon@middlebury.edu).

Need money for service?
Apply to the Service Cluster Board Flex Fund to finance your initiatives! Whether it is transportation expenses or ingredients to cook meals at the community lunch program, we want to help you serve others. Click on “Service Cluster Board Flex Fund” here to find our application. Email scboard@middlebury.edu for more information.

Kid-initiated community service club: Volunteer advisor needed!
Young volunteers (2nd – 5th graders) created an organization called Hand in Hand with the mission of connecting young people through service projects. College student volunteers are needed to support this kid-initiated project by meeting with the group regularly at Ilsley Library and supporting their organization and community service ideas! Interested? Contact Kathryn Laliberte kathryn.laliberte@ilsleypubliclibrary.org.

Apply today: Spring Break Service Trip to New Orleans
Join a growing movement of over 30 + other Middlebury students doing service during spring break in sunny New Orleans! Have a blast, meet new friends, and serve communities STILL desperately in need of volunteers to revitalize poor neighborhoods 6 years after Hurricane Katrina. E-mail asawamura@middlebury.edu to sign up or to request more info. DEADLINE: Friday, February 17, 2012.

January is National Mentoring Month! Get involved by joining Middlebury College DREAM
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 mentors for their Friday events, which range from arts and crafts to sports and games! Spend a couple of hours on a Friday afternoon this J-Term with DREAM…and have fun while making a difference! For more information, contact Ali Siegel ’12 at absiegel@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

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“Happiness comes from the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, and what the world needs. We’ve been told time and again to keep finding the first. Our schools helped developed the second. It’s time we put more thought on the third.” ~ Oliver Segovia

 Successful Day of Volunteering in Commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr.

January 23, 2012

Martin Luther King Jr. once said: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is ‘What are you doing for others?’” On Saturday, over 60 Middlebury College students embodied King’s quote as they participated in over 200 hours of community service. The Day of Service was planned in conjunction with Middlebury’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration and under the guidance of Ashley Calkins, Community Engagement Coordinator at Civic Engagement in the Center for Education in Action.

Throughout the day, students participated in a plethora of service opportunities on campus and around the community. Volunteers were involved at HOPE (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects), Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, VSO Project Independence, VSO Mothers Without Borders, the John Graham Shelter, and at the Ilsley Library with DREAM. Service activities will continue next weekend with Xiao Pengyou.

Sporting the “Make it a Day On, Not a Day Off.” shirts, volunteering ranged from apple-peeling, coring and bagging at the HOPE worksite, to providing talented musical entertainment at Helen Porter. Students immersed themselves in activities with elderly residents such as playing pool, board games, and read-ins, invigorated their creative minds with the crafting of Brady blankets for local hospitals, and led craft activities for children at the local library.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service provided students with the opportunity to step off campus, whether literally or figuratively, and step into a place where community involves a diversity of life experiences. From aiding the elderly to educating the young, from providing food to providing warmth, Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service provided as a successful time to do something for others in the greater community.