Community Service

For anyone interested in organizing a community service event or for organizations seeking volunteers to help out at an event, feel free to contact a Board Member.

You can view our current calendar of all events by clicking here.

Volunteer Event – Second Harvest Heartland

Wednesday February 8, 2012 – 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

3100 California St. NE, Minneapolis MN 55418

Join your MNRPCV friends at Second Harvest Heartland! We will support 2nd Harvest by sorting and packaging food. It should be a fun event and we’re looking for 10+ volunteers! Please contact me with any questions. My contact information is listed below.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, February 1 to Laura Hoffman at: laura.r.hoffman@gmail.com, 763-244-9213.

MNRPCV’s 2011 PC-50 Service Passport Program

MNRPCV‘s creative Community Service Co-chairs initiated a special service project in recognition of the 50^th Anniversary of the Peace Corps. MNRPCV Members and friends were challenged to perform 50 hours of community service and to record it in a special blue PC-50 Service Passport. The service could take place anytime from January 1.2011 to September 11, 2011 when all Passports were to be collected for a drawing to choose ten winners who would each get $50 for the humanitarian cause of their choice. Laura Hoffman (Bulgaria 2007-09) and Jenny Case (Costa Rica 2004-06 and Peace Corps Response2011) developed this project. Five people entered their PC-50 Service Passports for the drawing. Since there were less than the ten allowed for, all five were winners! Here are the PC-50 Service Passport winners and the causes they designated to receive the $50 awards. Congratulations to all.

Jack Bardon (Turkmenistan 2003-05) - Walker Art Center Tour Bus Fun

“The money will be used to provide bus transportation for school children to Walker Art Center so that they can attend the special guided tours as part of their school program.’’

Dan Kane (Moldova 2005-06) - Families for Russian and Ukrainian Adoption

“Among their projects are supports for needed equipment like: furnace, natural gas and its piping, an oven, refrigerator, dishes, and similar. They also have provided high quality large playgrounds.”

Rachel Evenson (Bulgaria 2000-02) - Children’s Law Center of Minnesota

“Since 1995 Children’s Law Center (CLC) has provided free legal services to Minnesota youth in foster care. With the help of 250 volunteer attorneys, CLC provides these professional legal services to approximately 400 Minnesota foster children every year. CLC is Minnesota’s only privately funded organization that exclusively represents foster youth. Children have the right to have quality representation, and to have a voice when judges and court workers are making decisions about their lives.”

Hank Scheinhost (Eastern Caribbean 1963-65) - Haiti Outreach

“Haiti Outreach builds wells in cooperation with communities in Haiti, They also make small business loans to the people. There are many other services that they provide. I have visited the program in Haiti and was impressed as they don’t just do things or give things or money but they require input and commitment from the people or communities they work with.”

Mike MacDonald (Mali 2003-04) - Compatible Technology International (CTI)

“CTI has spent the past 30 years helping impoverished communities increase their supply of quality food by providing tools that help farmers efficiently store, process and sell their crops.We’ve designed tools to prevent the staggering post-harvest losses that occur in developing countries–where farmers lose 15-50% of their crops, often due to spoilage and inefficient processing methods”.

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PAST MNRPCV COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES

MNRPCV PC-50 Service Passport

50 Hours of Service for the 50th Anniversary of Peace Corps

$50 Donation from MNRPCV to ten selected organizations

The PC-50 Service Passport drawing will be at the MNRPCV Annual Meeting and Picnic on September 11 – See “Events” section for more information.

Beginning in February of 2011, MNRPCV Members and other local RPCVs will have the opportunity to record their hours of community service in a special Service Passport. Everyone who has at least 50 hours of recorded service activities and presents their Service Passport to the Community Service Committee at or before the 2011 MNRPCV Annual Meeting (September) will have a chance to enter a special drawing. There will be ten winners of the drawing. MNRPCV will donate $50 to a humanitarian organization specified by each winner. Contact Laura Hoffman at: laura.r.hoffman@gmail.com.

Help Clean up Lake Como in St. Paul

Wednesday, August 17, 6 to 8 p.m.

The next event Community Service opportunity will be held at Lake Como. The City of St. Paul and Como Community Council are conducting a shoreline weeding event Wednesday August 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lake Como. Neighbors from around the lake and St. Paul Parks personnel will be on hand to weed a section of the native plantings on Lake Como’s shore. No experience is necessary as we will be trained as to what we should pull and what we should not pull. The City will provide some tools and gloves but you can bring your own. This is a low key and fun event (really it is). Please contact Mike MacDonald (RPCV) so we know how many people may be coming at: mrmacpc@yahoo.com or 952-201-2845.

PC50 Weekend Service Project on July 23

People Serving People (www.peopleservingpeople.org)
614 South Third Street
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Date: Saturday, July 23
Time: 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

We will help with two projects at People Serving People. Some volunteers will lead Peace Corps-themed children’s activities with kids in grades K-6. Others will paint murals on large pillars in the shelter’s dining room.We need your help to make this successful! If you have a preference for which project you would like to volunteer, let us know…but of course, this is Peace Corps where flexibility is key!Contact Janice McInerney, Peace Corps Regional Recruiter via email (jmcinerney@peacecorps.gov) or phone (715-558-3289) if you’re able to take part.

(Following these activities, some of us will head to the events at Midway Stadium that begin at 4:00 p.m. See http://www.mnrpcv.org/2011/06/pc-50-service-and-saints-weekend/ for more details.)

Arbor Day Tree Planting – May 14

Date: Saturday, May 14, 2011
Time: 8:30 -11:30 a.m.
Location: Crosby Farm Regional Park -1415 South Mississippi River Boulevard Saint Paul, MN 55116
Details: Come join your MNRPCV friends for this outdoor volunteer opportunity and work towards your 50 hours of community service goal!
In celebration of Arbor Day, Saint Paul Parks and Recreation’s Forestry division is hosting a tree planting event at Crosby Farm Regional Park. MNRPCV volunteers will help plant native trees as part of the ongoing oak woodland restoration along the Mississippi River. Festivities will include a polka band and fun educational activities for children grades 4 and up to enjoy while taking a break from planting trees. Training and education, tools, gloves and refreshments will be provided. Due to the steep topography of the site and predicted impacts of the flood on the park, it is strongly suggested a one to one adult to child ratio for all children under 12.
Contact: Please RSVP by Wednesday, May 11 to laura.r.hoffman@gmail.com