Lend a Hand

Call the Volunteer Center of United Way, 209-524-1307, or email volunteer@uwaystan.org.

Volunteers needed for special events:

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER

NEEDED: Volunteers 16 and older to help with setup and cleanup before and after the event on Oct. 16. Individuals of all ages are encouraged to walk in local event and to raise donations from family, friends and co-workers. Check in is at 7:30 a.m. followed by an opening ceremony, with the walk beginning at 8:30 a.m. starting at Gallo Center for the Arts and traveling through downtown Modesto.

CONTACT: Jasmyne Landry, 209-524-7241, Jasmyne.Landry@cancer.org

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB

NEEDED: Volunteers 15 and older for the Haunted McHenry Museum Oct. 21-29. Duties include helping out with games and activities as guests walk through mansion. Youth volunteers 14 and younger are also eligible to volunteer with a responsible adult. Interested individuals will need to attend an orientation/training at 4 p.m. Oct. 19 at McHenry Museum. Volunteer times are between 4:30-9 p.m.

CONTACT: Carrie Bleau, 209-416-3233, cbleau@bgcstan.org

CITY OF MODESTO

NEEDED: Volunteers 15 and older for the Modesto Spirit of Giving 5K Run, Walk and Ride on Dec. 10. Duties include: course monitoring, set-up/breakdown, registration check-in, volunteer check-in, packet pick-up and decorating. This year, Modesto Gospel Mission will benefit from a portion of the run/walk proceeds, as well as the canned food drive. Youth volunteers 14 and younger are also eligible to volunteer with a responsible adult. Volunteer times are 7 a.m.-noon. Individuals interested in volunteering for this event can register online at www.modestogov.com/559/Volunteer-Opportunities.

CONTACT: Stephanie Smith, 209-577-5450, ssmith@modestogov.com

NEEDED: Volunteers 15 and older for the Celebration of Lights Parade on Dec. 3. Volunteer duties include manning barricades, volunteer check-in, course monitoring, staging and registration. Youth volunteers 14 and younger are also eligible to volunteer with a responsible adult. Two shifts are available: 2 to 8 p.m. and 4 to 8 p.m. Individuals interested in volunteering for this event can register online at www.modestogov.com/559/Volunteer-Opportunities.

CONTACT: Stephanie Smith, 209-577-5450, ssmith@modestogov.com

SOCIETY FOR DISABILITIES

NEEDED: Volunteers to help at fundraiser the Wild West Gala on Oct. 22. Volunteers will help with a variety of items from bussing tables to decorating to helping with the silent auction. Hours vary.

CONTACT: Carolyn Teixeira Gomes, 209-524-3536, ext. 3505, carolyn@societyfordisabilities.org

STANISLAUS COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE

NEEDED: Volunteers 18 or older and registered California voters to serve as poll workers on Tuesday, Nov. 8, for the presidential General Election. Bilingual and “on-call” poll workers are also needed. Poll workers help set up the voter precinct, maintain ballot security, voting equipment and assist voters as necessary. Poll workers will receive a $95 stipend for serving 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Election Day and a mandatory two- to three-hour training class. Training classes in Modesto, Oakdale, Salida and Turlock are offered from Oct. 18-29. Volunteer applications are available online at www.stanvote.com.

CONTACT: Poll Worker Coordinator, 209-525-5233, pollworker@stancounty.com

VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA)

NEEDED: Volunteers 18 and older to prepare taxes for individuals in Turlock, Patterson, Ceres, Modesto, Salida, Oakdale, Riverbank, Empire and Waterford. VITA will allow elderly, disabled and low income families and individuals in the community to access free tax preparation. Volunteers do not need prior experience and hours are flexible. Training is required and is free. If you are interested in volunteering at the Salida, Riverbank or Oakdale site contact Darlene at darlenemartinez@sbcglobal.net or 209-312-3957. For all other site locations, contact AARP Tax Aide team at 888-687-2277.

CONTACT: Margaret Land, margaretland@sbcglobal.net

CONTACT: Roselynn Tennett, 209-322-0204, rtennent@ccstockton.org

HOPE HAVEN WEST

NEEDED: Volunteers 18 and older to help in the warehouse sorting, boxing assembling and packing wheelchairs. Hope Haven West collects discarded and used wheelchairs from throughout Central California. The warehouse is located at 1324 Coldwell Ave., Modesto. Volunteer opportunities are on Mondays and Fridays from 8 a.m.-noon.

CONTACT: Liz Hosmer, 209-485-4553, hopehavenwest@gmail.com

MODESTO VETERANS FUNERAL DETAIL

NEEDED: Honorably discharged veterans who have the spirit to honor our fallen heroes. There is a growing number of requests not only for funerals in Modesto, Ceres, Escalon, Ripon, Turlock, Patterson and San Joaquin National Cemetery at Santa Nella, but they are also asked to perform numerous formal flag raisings, flag retirements, flag folding, parades, etc.

CONTACT: Frank Machado, 209-527-7020, machadofrank@att.net

UNITED WAY OF STANISLAUS COUNTY

NEEDED: Volunteers to support the United Way’s CHEF Health Initiative at Caswell Elementary School in Ceres and Bret Harte Elementary School in Modesto. The CHEF initiative provides bags of healthy food as well as nutrition education classes for parents and students. Volunteers can help build bags of food on two Fridays a month midday and/or assist teachers in providing nutrition education at one of the nutrition education workshops.

CONTACT: Cory Brown, 209-523-4562, CBrown@uwaystan.org

This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 11:42 AM with the headline "Lend a Hand."