Sharon from "Volunteer Arlington" presented at last week's general NRCA meeting. The presentation was excellent, and the slide show from it can be viewed by clicking on the link pasted below. I would encourage you to check this and the website out whether you think you're interested in volunteering in our community or not (lots of interesting info from these two sources). I have also posted some general notes from comments/questions that arose during the presentation.

Please feel free to contact me for more info about Sharon's presentation, including how you can get in contact with her directly, and a flyer that she put together with rosslyn-specific volunteer opportunities.

Thank you,

John S.


VOLUNTEER ARLINGTON INFO:

- Slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/Volu...h-rosslyn-civic-assc

- Website: http://www.arlingtonva.us/Depa...VolunteerOffice.aspx

- Some volunteer opportunities provide you with free items (example would be “Taste of Arlington” last weekend, at which some volunteers got a free t-shirt and a free tasting ticket).

- There is always a big need for male volunteers, as well as for weekday volunteers (examples would be for volunteering as a tutor, or daycamp counselor).

- Some organizations, like "Parks, Recreation, & Cultural Resources," even have fully funded volunteer opportunities abroad.

- There are several different ways to search for volunteer opportunities using the website (including by zip, by date, by type, etc.).

- You can save your volunteer search information and have opportunities emailed to you on a regular basis, or you can have a calendar of events emailed regularly (reduces your effort for finding opportunities).

- Volunteering includes opportunities to join advisory boards and commissions (example is the bicycle board).

- Volunteering includes opportunities to serve without having to leave home (example is volunteering to write a grant for a nonprofit).

- There are ways to network with other volunteers if you are in need of transportation (example – the 20 to 30 something volunteer network has a facebook group for ride sharing info, etc.).