Lend A Hand (6/24/12)

Call the Volunteer Center of United Way at (209) 524-1307 or e-mail volunteer@uwaystan.org.

COMMUNITY HOSPICE & HOSPICE OF SAN JOAQUIN — Truckin' for Hospice invites bikers, car enthusiasts and truckers to raise funds for Community Hospice and Hospice of San Joaquin onJuly 21. Presented by the California Trucking Association, this 11th annual motorcycle/car rally event features two starting points, one in Turlock and one in Stockton, and travels through the Mother Lode with unique stops along the 135-mile ride, complete with refreshments, poker hands and a chance to win prizes, and concludes with a barbecue, music and raffle drawing in Modesto. Per person rider fee is $30 preregistration or $35 after July 16, and can be purchased online at www.truckinforhospice.org. Fee includes a commemorative T-shirt, run pin, poker hand, food and drink. Volunteers 16 and older are needed to assist with event cleanup (tear down of tables, chairs, tents, etc.) at 2:30 p.m. Individuals and businesses are also invited to become a sponsor for this event with a variety of sponsorship levels available.

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY DISCOVERY SHOP — Volunteers 14 and older can gain retail experience while they cashier, sort, price and steam merchandise and set up displays. Interested individuals are asked to volunteer four hours per week. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays,10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Donations of new or gently used items such as costume and fine jewelry, clothing, a piece of art, an antique, or a collectable are needed.

HAVEN WOMEN'S CENTER OF STANISLAUS — Haven provides shelter and support services for women and their children affected by domestic violence, assists victims with temporary restraining orders, and provides support and advocacy to survivors of sexual assault. Volunteer opportunities can include trauma response advocacy (hospital response to domestic-violence and sexual-assault victims), shelter and crisis line advocacy, child/youth programs, legal program and staffing prevention information tables. Haven will conduct a required 80-hour training series for potential volunteers July 30 through Sept. 12 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Mondays through Wednesdays. Those interested must sign up before July 25. The training application is available on the agency's Web site, hwcstan.squarespace.com. Trainees must be over 18 and pass a background check.

STANISLAUS COUNTY LIBRARY — In the Home Delivery Program, volunteers select, check out, deliver and return library materials for home borrows who are unable to visit the library themselves. Providing monthly in-home visits and materials gives a person of advanced age or disabling illness quality of life and independence and enables the volunteer to meet and gain new friends. Flexible scheduling is arranged between the volunteer and the patron. Volunteers must have a California driver's license and car insurance, be at least 21 and pass a background check.