It’s easy to get caught up in finding the perfect present, the shiny wrapping paper and pretty bows. It’s easy to focus on the Christmas ‘to-do’ list instead of the true spirit of the season.
Just as we give to friends and family, this month is also a time when many want to give back to the community and neighbors.
Knowing that people are as busy this month as they are good-hearted, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program put together a calendar of volunteer opportunities to make it easy for people to give as little or as much of their time as they choose.
Each day of the month of December has a different idea for how you and your family can give a little time to give back to the community and your neighbors.
“As busy as people are this time of year, this is also the month when we have the most people calling to find volunteer opportunities,” said Kim Skornogoski, marketing director of United Way which sponsors RSVP. “Sometimes we’ll get requests from parents who want to take advantage of the holiday break to inspire their kids to volunteer. Sometimes, it’ll be a church group looking for ideas to volunteer.”
RSVP reached out to local nonprofits and Christmas event organizers to put together a December calendar packed with volunteer opportunities.
Some of the volunteer ideas are tied to specific events and dates, like helping out at the Boys & Girls Club Christmas party, others are volunteer opportunities for year-round needs like walking dogs at an animal shelter.
Others are ideas for random acts of kindness, like cleaning the snow off your elderly neighbor’s sidewalk or giving blood at your local American Red Cross.
While volunteering clearly benefits the community, Skornogoski said it also helps people doing the volunteering. Volunteering reduces stress, combats depression and provides a sense of purpose.
The calendar below also can be found on United Way of Cascade County’s free volunteer website, www.volunteergreatfalls.org or download by clicking here.
Between the website and managing the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, United Way is now where all agencies that need volunteers can go and people of all ages who are interested in volunteering can look for opportunities.
Volunteers of all ages can search for volunteer opportunities on the www.volunteergreatfalls.org website by their interests and availability and they can also call 406-899-8301 to learn about opportunities and organizations that need help.
Cascade County nonprofits are encouraged to register and post their volunteer opportunities on the site, whether they are a one-time event or an ongoing opportunity.
