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CONTACT Lubbock is our featured Volunteer Station for April. This 30-year old program is a wonderful, life-saving service that helps people of the South Plains through crises. It is a free service providing 24-hour confidential telephone listening, crisis prevention/intervention, community referrals and education to callers of all faiths and ages. When a person calls the listening line, a trained volunteer provides a nonjudgmental avenue for the caller to ask questions, express feelings, receive information, and/or explore healthy options for dealing with a variety of situations. Callers may need assistance with food, utilities, prescriptions, housing, clothing, physical and mental health services, as well as a considerate listener. The volunteer can provide information and links individuals to appropriate resources. 

CONTACT listens, affirms, understands and makes referrals using an “active listening” approach to callers, confidentially and anonymously. CONTACT’s intensive training program is provided at no charge and is a prerequisite for anyone wishing to become a telephone listener for CONTACT. The course is primarily designed to provide for the development of the listening and communication skills needed to work on the CONTACT phones. However, the training also stimulates personal growth and gives the volunteer an improved ability to relate more effectively with family, friends, and co-workers. If you want to keep your professional credentials up-to-date, you may also obtain continuing education units through Texas Tech University upon completion of the course. At the conclusion, participants will also be certified in the ASIST program (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training). Training is offered year around. The Spring 2002 training sessions will begin on April 9 and be held on subsequent Tuesday evenings until May 14th.

If you would like to help the mission of CONTACT, but the phone line is not for you, many other volunteer positions are available to assist the agency. They could utilize your skills to make presentations and increase community awareness about the program, assist with fundraising activities, provide grounds and/or building maintenance, or help with various office duties. CONTACT Lubbock has many opportunities in many different areas—all for a very good cause.


OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:

LUBBOCK SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, 1313 Broadway, Suite 2, would appreciate someone to volunteer his or her time in the office from 10:30 until 2:30 any day of the week. They need help with various kinds of office work to include answering the phone, copying, filing, and general receptionist duties. There may be some typing if you would like to keep those typing skills up-to-date, but probably not very often. If you can give them some of your time, they may be able to give you complimentary tickets to some of their concerts. What a deal!!!

LIKE TO SEW? We have a request to make small rag dolls for the young patients at University Medical Center’s Children’s Hospital. The children will draw the faces, hair, etc. on the dolls to look like the nurses who care for them in honor of National Nurses’ Week. All you need to do is cut out the pattern, sew the simple doll together, stuff it, and make a “scrubs” outfit to put on the doll. These dolls are very simple and the patterns and material are provided to you in a kit. If you have the time and the sewing machine, we will deliver the materials to your door. 

HOW do I join RSVP?
Becoming a member of RSVP is simple as long as you are at least 55 and have some time to volunteer. Just call the office at 742-2423 and chat with Ronda Casey or Bonne Phillips about your interests. If you are not certain what you would like to do, we can mention several current volunteer opportunities and send you a list of the sort of jobs which RSVP members are presently doing to whet your appetite. If you have a special skill or talent that you would like to utilize, we will search to find just the right job for you. Just mail in the enrollment form (requires Adobe Reader) and we will call you!