TENNIS ANYONE????  The East Hills Boy’s tennis team is in need of volunteers to help.  This is a great way to pick up those community service hours that you need for graduation.  Try-outs start Monday, March 29th, so if you are interested you need to contact Karen Westphal at 248-341-6204 or email her at:  kwestphal@bloomfield.org

RUMMAGE FOR HOURS!!!   St. Hugo’s is hosting their Annual Rummage Sale in June.  They are in need of students to help move rummage supplies, unload items from cars, set up tables, and sort donations.  Proceeds from this rummage sale benefit local charities.  If you are interested contact Sandra Reso at:  Sr.mary.cosmo@comcast.net or call 248-620-9424.  A flyer is posted outside the Community Service Office with more details on dates and times that students are needed.

SAY YES TO YES!!  The YES Foundation is currently in need of two students to help in their office a couple of days a week, after school, to help grade homework packets and provide feedback to the children.  The YES Foundation is a non-profit literacy organization located in Bingham Farms at Telegraph just south of 13 Mile Road and work with 2nd and 3rd graders from Detroit and Pontiac public schools.  If interested, please stop by the Community Service Office for more information.

“ANYTHING GOES!!”  The Bloomfield Players Community Theater is producing the musical, “Anything Goes” at the Andover Theater.  They are in need of volunteers to help with Stage Crew, Sound Assistant, and Lighting Assistant.  No experience is necessary.  Students are needed NOW.  If you are interested, please stop by the Community Service Office for more information.  A schedule of the dates volunteers are needed is posted outside the door of the Community Service Office.

DETROIT ZOO ARTHRITIS WALK NEEDS STUDENT VOLUNTEERS!!  Are you looking for a way to pick up a few community service hours while helping a worthy cause?  Why not volunteer to help with the Arthritis Walk?  This year’s walk is combining both the Birmingham and Grosse Pointe Arthritis Walks into one BIG Arthritis Walk at the Detroit Zoo.  Volunteers are needed in many different positions, from helping with check-in all the way through to clean-up.  The walk is being held on Saturday, May 1st and student’s who have not submitted the volunteer sign-up sheet by Friday, April 23rd will not be permitted to enter the zoo.  Sign up early to have the best choice of volunteer positions.  Sign up sheets are located at the Community Service Office.  Once you complete the form, you must fax the form to Cindy Pogue at 248-649-2895 or email it to her at cpogue@arthritis.org.  Forms must be completely filled out or they will not be accepted.

THE BALDWIN CENTER NEEDS YOU!!!!!  Are you in need of community service hours or just one of those people who really enjoy helping people in need?  Currently, the unemployment rate in Pontiac is 35.2% which is causing record numbers of people to seek assistance at the Baldwin Center.  Why not volunteer in one of the many programs they offer.  You could volunteer at the Family Kitchen, Clothes Closet, or the after school tutoring for students.  If you can’t volunteer your time, why not donate those clothes that are just sitting around in your closet or make a financial donation?  Whatever your background or training, they can tailor a volunteer experience that brings their services and your talents together to serve the people of Pontiac.  Groups or individuals are welcome.  To find out more about how you can be of assistance, contact Jason Morgan at 248-332-6101 or email at:  jmorgan@baldwincenter.org.  Help make a difference to our neighbors next door!!!

LANGUAGE SKILLS NEEDED!!  Are you well versed in Spanish, Russian, or Arabic?  The Oakland Livingston Human Service Agancy (OLHSA) is in need of volunteers who possess skills in these languages to help interpret for clients who are unable to communicate with their staff.  Why not use your language skills as a way to knock down those community service hours while giving you real world experience interpreting?  If you are interested, contact Kathy Thelen at:  Kathyt@olhsa.org or by phone at 248-209-2670.

BE CREATIVE!!  Beyond Basics, a non-profit organization, is needing student volunteers to make beautiful book covers for their 4 publishing centers.  This is a wonderful service to children in grades Kindergarten through 5th.  Students who participate will receive community service credit towards graduation.  To be a part of the service project, please meet every Monday from 4:00pm to 5:30 pm at the Lahser High School cafeteria.  Feel free to contact C. Watkins at (248) 894-2908 for additional information.

HELP RESTORE A PIECE OF HISTORY!!!  Help is needed to restore the last remaining Boblo Boat, the S.S. Ste. Claire.  This boat was built in 1910 by Frank E. Kirby and was used to transport passengers to and from Boblo Island until 1991.  It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1992.  If you would like to help, go to www.bobloboat.com and sign up as a volunteer.  Help bring a piece of history back to Detroit and get the S.S. Ste. Claire ready for her 100th birthday celebration next summer.

HELP CHILDREN CANCER PATIENTS ONE SMILE AT A TIME!! Bottomless Toy Chest is a new
non-profit organization in our area what delivers interactive toys and games to children going through cancer treatments in local hospitals. Your help is need in areas ranging from wrapping items to help with community events. What more meaningful way to get your community service hours than helping put a smile on a child’s face. For more information, check out www.bottomlesstoychest.org or contact Whitney Coulson at Whitney@Bottomlesstoychest.org.

Philosophy of the Program:
Service to the needs of others is a personal act of caring reflecting sensitivity to the interdependency we share as human beings. It requires acquisition of skills and application of knowledge by informed, positive and productive participants. While the goal of service is to effect positive change in the lives of persons served, important by-products for the server are affirmation of self and growth of character.

Bloomfield Hills Schools believes young people bring vital resources to needs in their community an, in turn, personally benefit from the experiential learning such involvement brings. We are committed to the extended classroom of service to others because it allows students to synthesize and apply what they have learned, to realize themselves as contributors to society, and to gain experience in deciding direction for their lives.

Defining the nature of needs and taking action to meet them is an important endeavor. No educational system is fully responsible until it assists society in this vital process.

What we do for ourselves dies with us.
What we do for our community lives long aft.

PHOTO ON THIS PAGE: Courtesy of Summer in the City Volunteer Program.
A program that was established by former Bloomfield Hills students.