Volunteer Opportunities

Ring the bells

The Salvation Army needs bell ringers for its annual Red Kettle Christmas Campaign. Two hour shifts begin on Nov.12 and run Mondays through Saturdays. Volunteers can contact Jim Evers at jimevers@usc.salvationarmy.org or at 764-0962, or sign up online at ringbells.org.

Read to children

Join the United Way and Child Care Aware in supporting the development and learning of young children. Volunteers are needed to spend 30 minutes a week reading to children and guiding related activities using literacy kits (识字工具包) provided by Childcare Aware of Eastern Kansas. A two-hour literacy training will be provided. To ensure continuity for the children in the program, we are asking that volunteers make a six-month commitment. Please contact Shelly at 865-5030, ext. 301 or at volunteer @unitedwaydgco.org.

Garden with a neighbor

Douglas Country Housing Inc. is looking for volunteers to assist a senior man in need of help with an overgrown garden before winter arrives. One to two hours of your time will make a huge difference in someone’s quality of life. No previous gardening experience is required. Please e-mail rsovista@ldcha.org or call 842-1533.

Feed your friends

Just Food fights hunger in our community. Help Just Food kick off the holiday season by packing Thanksgiving meal boxes for families in need. Every year Just Food provides Thanksgiving meals to families in Douglas Country that will otherwise go without. Your help is needed for distributing these meals in advance of Thanksgiving. Help is needed on the following days and times:

9 a. m. –7 p. m. Monday, Nov. 21.

9 a. m. –7 p. m. Tuesday, Nov. 22.

The maximum number of volunteers is 15 at a time. To sign up, click here.

Seventeen young turtles raised from eggs saved from the smashed bodies of mothers killed on roads got their release back into the wild by a class of kindergartners.

It was part of a program that has saved thousands of turtles and returned them to the wild over the past 25 years. The turtles were either raised from the eggs of their dead mothers or were themselves rescued from roads, storm drains or other dangerous places over the years.

“It’s a great community connection,” said Lisa Ferguson, director of research and conservation at the Wetlands Institute, which runs the program along with Stockton University and Stone Harbor schools. “It shows how conservation works, and that everyone has a part to play, from adults down to kindergarten students.”

The turtle release took place during egg-laying season, when turtles come up out of the wetlands onto dry land to lay eggs, thus exposing themselves not only to natural predators, but also to the far more deadly threat of motor vehicles.

Aside from caring for injured live turtles, the Wetlands Institute harvests eggs from females killed on the road and incubates (孵化) them at 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), a temperature that will ensure they develop as females (egg temperature determines the sex of these turtles, Ferguson said).

When they have grown enough in their first year, they are ready for release into the wetlands surrounding the institute. That’s where the kids come in. Kindergartners from Stone Harbor schools get to know the turtles as they grow. They give them names, draw posters of them, and even bake and sell cookies to raise money for turtle conservation.

When it was time to set them free, some eagerly grasped the turtles from behind; others were more quiet to get up close and personal with squirming turtles and squishy mud, but each student seemed excited to see the turtles paddle away into the shallow water.

In May 2019, a friend who had previously been involved in the Restless Development Sierra Leone Business Brains project encouraged me to apply for the “Saving Lives II” project. Seeing this as an opportunity to move closer to my ambition of working in the medical field in the near future, I eagerly seized the chance. Fortunately, my performance during the interview led to me being awarded the role.

Following the basic training, I was sent to volunteer in Kurubonla, a remote community located in the northern region of Sierra Leone. This assignment presented challenges such as limited road access and communication networks. At first, I felt concerned about being sent there, but with a determined mindset, I set out on the journey, driven by a passion to contribute to my country’s development and to push my personal boundaries.

As I got to know the community, I quickly realized that the challenges extended beyond language barriers and cultural differences; there was also a sense of isolation from my peers. However, I refused to allow these challenges to stop me. I threw myself in my duties, working together with local leaders and community members to identify the most pressing needs. Together, we carried out the projects aimed at improving healthcare, education, and infrastructure (基础设施). Additionally, I organized workshops and training courses to share my knowledge and skills with the locals.

Over time, I witnessed the positive impact of our collective efforts. Healthcare facilities improved, the number of students in schools increased, and the overall quality of life in the community showed signs of improvement. These achievements were not solely mine; they were a testament to the cooperative spirit and commitment of the entire community.