735 N. WISCONSIN. STREET, SUITE 100
ELKHORN, WI 53121
262-472-9632
volunteerwalworth@gmail.com
www.volunteerwalworth.org

501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization

I am so very proud to be connected with Volunteer Connection during these uncertain times. Our office has been received many phone calls from all over—from Volunteers asking “What can we do to help?”
Please call your VC (Volunteer Connection) office
262-472-9632
We can shop or pick up medication for people who are uneasy about going out to shop for themselves.
Volunteers are ready to spend time on the phone if you want someone to say hi to.
What you can do:
Call an old friend and catch up.
Share your feelings with a friend, family member or Volunteer. Things are a bit different now, but this will pass. Be patient.
Do activities you usually enjoy.
Write a letter, send a card, let someone know you care.
Repot a plant or start seeds for your garden.
Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories and social media. Do enjoyable activities and return to normal life. Be aware that there may be rumors during a crisis, especially on social media.
If distress impacts activities of your daily life for several days or weeks, talk to a clergy member, counselor, or doctor.
Your well being is on the top of many of our lists. We care about you.

Spring 2020
Newsletter
Published biannually

735 N. Wisconsin Street, Suite 100
Elkhorn, WI 53121
262-472-9632
e-mail: volunteerwalworth@gmail.com
www.volunteerwalworth.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Greg Durocher
Mike Gasser
David Jordan
Linda Vavra
Ralph Williams
John Wright
Patti O’Brien, director

The mission of Volunteer Connection is to enrich lives by actively participating in the community through volunteer service.

Your involvement is important to us. Call Volunteer Connection with ideas, issues, or concerns today. We are here to
serve you.
Office Hours
7 am to 3 pm

I believe that every human being feels pleasure in doing good to another.
-Thomas Jefferson

262-472-9632
volunteerwalworth@gmail.com

Cards & Letters Thinking of the troops!
This is the way you can communicate your support and thanks to the troops. It is not possible to write directly to or be a direct pen pal with a deployed soldier. You send them to Support Our Troops, they send them forward to deployed soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen.
It’s time to have fun. Here are some writing tips:
Be positive. They are meant to uplift and encourage.
Be thankful. Be sure to communicate your appreciation for the soldiers’ sacrifices and dedication to us and our country.
Be respectful. These women and men have earned it more than most of us!
Be kind. Remember most of us have never and will probably never have to endure the difficulties that these soldiers have experienced.
Be encouraging.
DO NOT include your email or mailing address
DO NOT use your last name
Leave them unsealed for inspect on or they won’t go
If it is a classroom or workplace or group project, you can include a group photo.
Leave them unsealed for inspection or they won’t go

Send them in a separate unsealed envelop to: Support Our Troops® 13791 N. Nebraska Avenue Tampa, FL 33613.

Need ideas, Google:
How to write letters to soldiers

AURORA AT HOME
The health and well-being of many places is utmost in many organizations minds right now. That is also true with Aurora At Home. All employees and Volunteers are working from home.
VJ Johnson, Volunteer Coordinator at Aurora, has come up with a wonderful idea. She is suggesting Volunteers write uplifting notes to Hospice patients.
What to write? Humor is okay. What did your child/grandchild/pet/husband do that was funny.
—This little greeting is being sent your way with warmest wishes to brighten your day.
—It's good to know you're receiving wonderful care.
—Praying with you.
—Thinking about you today and hoping it's a good one for you.
—This card comes your way, hoping to cheer your heart
—Thinking of you today and sending warm and caring thoughts.
—Sending loving thoughts your way.
Send in a separate envelop unsealed to: VJ Johnson
116 N. Dodge Street, Suite 8
Burlington, WI 53105
Hospice Volunteers have flexible hours. Training and orientation with experienced volunteers provided.

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING FOR PARTICIPATING IN OUR MISSION FOR THE TOYS FOR TOTS COLLECTION AN DISTRIBUTION.
Together we were able to make a difference for 490 children this Christmas! Crews of Volunteers were: scheduling other volunteers for distribution day; gathering toys from area organizations; quilters, knitters and crocheters were lovingly creating things to keep children warm; veterans were encouraging donations, volunteers organizing the VFW and helping distribute toys...the list goes on and on. We were able to team up with members of the Walworth County U.S. Marine Corps Reserves — so many great things. This is a list of sites that collected toys:
If I missed someone, I sincerely apologize!

U.S. MARINE CORPS RESERVE

DELAVAN
*Ace Hardware
*Adecco
*Anytime Fitness
*Bradleys
*Fleet Farm
*Kunes Country Chevy Cadillac
*Noble Insurance
*Walgreens
*WI School for the Deaf
WILLIAMS BAY
*Barrett Library
*Williams Bay Police Department
ELKHORN
*Bartz Chiropractic
*Coldwell Banker Leith & Associate
*Dollar Tree
*Frank’s Piggly Wiggly
*Jackson’s Do It Best Hardware
*Kunes Country Chevy GMDC
*Kunes Country Dodge Jeep
*Matheson Memorial Library
*Pharmacy Station
*Southern Lakes Church
*Walgreens
*Walworth County Sheriff’s Ass.
Woller True Value
LAKE GENEVA
*GLP Automotive
*Grand Geneva
*Harbor Shores
*Herners Hideaway
*Lake Geneva Chevrolet
*Lake Geneva Public Library
*Pappa’s Blue Spruce
*Walgreens
*Menards in Illinois
*Woodstock Snowmobile Club
Lake Lawn Lodge

Rich Kahl
Brandon Link
Scott Rubach
Mike & Mary VanDenLangenberg
Ed Weidner & the Marine Corp
John Wright
To everyone who helped organize, donate, pick up, set up, distribute, and clean up for this event.
Your generosity and giving spirit made the Christmas season brighter
for so many.

A special thank you goes to
the Elkhorn VFW and
Grant McMillin
for again providing a location
for us to hold Toys for Tots!

262-472-9632
volunteerwalworth@gmail.com

Large tasks become small when divided among several people.

“The American Red Cross now faces a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations during this coronavirus outbreak. Healthy individuals are needed to donate now to help patients counting on lifesaving blood.
We understand why people may be hesitant to come out for a blood drive, but want to reassure the public that we have implemented additional precautions to ensure the safety of our donors and staff in response to concern, including:
Checking the temperature of staff and donors before entering a drive to make sure they are healthy
Providing hand sanitizer for use before the drive, as well as throughout the donation process
Spacing beds, where possible, to follow social distancing practices between blood donors, and
Increasing enhanced disinfecting of surfaces and equipment. We also want to emphasize that at each blood drive and donation center, Red Cross employees already follow thorough safety protocols to help prevent the spread of any type of infection.
Please donate now to help prevent blood shortages and ensure blood is on the shelf when needed most! Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross and our lifesaving mission!”

2020 American Red Cross
Blood Drive Dates
Volunteers for blood drives are always needed—registration/donor room/canteen.
Call the Volunteer Connection office if you can help.
EAST TROY (12-5) ELKHORN (10-3)
East Troy Bible Church Sperinos
5/18/20 4/22/20 Wed
7/20/20(Time TBD) 6/19/20 Fri
9/21/20 8/28/20 Fri
11/16/20 10/28/20 Wed
LAKE GENEVA (12-5) DELAVAN/DARIEN (11-5)
The Cove Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
4/10/20 All tentative dates
6/19/20 6/15/20
8/14/20 8/17/20
10/9/20 12/29/20
12/11/20
WHITEWATER (12-6)
Cravath Lakefront Community Center
3/31/20 Armory
7/17/20
9/11/20
No June or December

Information received from the
American Red Cross Blood Services
TOTAL PINTS OF BLOOD COLLECTED AT BLOOD DRIVES IN 2019
Potential to Save
DELAVAN/DARIEN—339 1,017 lives EAST TROY—490 1,470 lives
ELKHORN—311 933 lives
LAKE GENEVA—284 852 lives
WHITEWATER—264 794 lives
TOTAL PINTS—1,688 5,064 lives

Don’t ever question the value of Volunteers.
Noah’s Ark was built by Volunteers.
The Titanic was built by professionals.
—-Dave Cynn

262-472-9632
volunteerwalworth@gmail.com

OPEN ARMS FREE CLINIC
As a volunteer-driven organization, all the services at Open Arms Free Clinic in Elkhorn are provided by licensed medical providers and community-minded Volunteers.
Current Professional Volunteer needs include:
Counselors (screening and therapy for individual, family and small groups), Dentists (exams, x-rays, fillings, repairs, extractions and cleanings), Medical Doctors (medical exams, medication for acute and chronic illness, laboratory and diagnostic services, and referral to specialty care), Lab Technicians, Nurses, and Pharmacists.
Professional Volunteers have complete credential review background check, and liability insurance coverage prior to serving.
Current Non-medical Care Volunteers include:
Advocate, Housekeeper, Interpreter, Office Assistant, Special Events
Want to make a donation? Check out openarmsfreeclinic.org – Wish List

Volunteers plant seeds of love that help countless hearts to grow ….

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
for consideration in 2020
Some of us are blessed with a little extra time on our hands right now… a great chance to think about what would be something you would like to do that you could do that would help others .
Walworth County Fair September 3 through 7
(Veterans with a Veteran’s ID get into the Fair for free) *Barnyard Adventure-Help with children activities
*Drive a golf cart transporting people to & from parking
*Operate command center for golf carts/rent wheelchairs
*Sell Grandstand tickets
Provide rides to medical appointments once a month
Help elderly/disabled with yard work
Assist with book sales at your local library
Assist UW graduating attorneys practice picking a jury during Mock Jury
December 12 will be distribution day for Toys for Tots. Volunteers are needed to distribute boxes and pick up toys starting in November. On December 10 and 11 help with setting up the VFW and on the 12th distribution to the parents. Clean up for this event starts at 2:00 on the 12th.
If you are interested, please give us a call 262-472-9632 and we will call you when the event comes up.

Another organization that is ordered closed due to the coronavirus is Circle of Friends. But the good news is, THEY ARE STILL ABLE TO DO PICKUPS! Donations need to be easily accessable—in a garage or outdoors -to abide by the rule to keep people at a 6’ distance. Volunteers will not enter your home. Please call Circle of Friends at 262-723-8177 for questions or to schedule a pickup.

Circle of Friends
Two Mission Thrift Shoppes
A 501(c)3 organization
630 Court Street 32 S. Wisconsin Street 262-723-8007 262-723-8177
P.O. Box 74—-Elkhorn, WI 53121
CircleofFriends7777@gmail.com

Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

IF YOU THINK
YOU ARE TOO SMALL TO BE EFFECTIVE, YOU HAVE
NEVER TRIED TO SLEEP WITH A MOSQUITO AROUND YOU.

To make a difference in
someone’s life, you don’t
have to be brilliant, rich
beautiful or perfect.
you just have to care.

VOLUNTEERS
are the worlds
#1 asset

VOLUNTEER CONNECTION, INC.
735 N. Wisconsin Street, Suite 100
Elkhorn, WI 53121
262-472-9632
E-mail: volunteerwalworth@gmail.com
www.Volunteerwalworth.org

NONPROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
ELKHORN, WI 53121
PERMIT NO. 531

Many thank to our sponsors

Need help with your heating costs?
Households with total gross income for the three months immediately preceding the month of application are at or below the amount shown for your family size are eligible for 2016 energy assistance. Applicants must provide:
Your most recent energy bill
Photo ID
Social Security numbers for all members of your household
Written proof of household gross income for three months prior to application
For further details, please call 262-427-8505 .

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