Fall's here, it's time to volunteer

Now, that I'm almost back on track after a long vacation, I'm almost ready to volunteer to help at lunch at Long Beach Rescue Mission. But I've been meaning to post this list of volunteer options featured in the AARP Magazine a few months ago.

• My Soldier Send letters and packages to deployed soldiers
• National Park Service Oodles of opportunities to help keep our parks running
• Share Our Strength Be a cook's assistant in nutrition classes for underprivileged young people
• Citizen Schools After training, you can teach after-school classes about job opportunities
• Experience Corps After training, you can help a child learn to read
• Rebuilding Together Help repair homes of elderly or disabled people
• Twilight Wish Help make an older person's wish come true
• Kiva Make a small loan to help a small business expand
• Threshold Choir Join singing group that performs to uplift the spirits of severely ill people
• Care Host a party to spread the work about Care activities and raise money
• National CASA Be a court-appointed special advocate for abused or neglected children
• International Rescue Committee Help refugees adjust to their new life in the US
• Pink Heart Funds Cut off your ponytail of six inches or more to make wigs for victims of cancer and other diseases

It's Time for Back (Pack) to School

Long Beach Rescue Mission and Kingdom Causes need help with their annual backpack drive. Each year, they provide more than 3,000 backpacks filled with school supplies to area schools. Tax deductible donations can be made by check mailed to LBRM or by credit card through the website. New backpacks and supplies can be dropped of at Samaritan House at 1335 Pacific Avenue on or before August 10. Supplies needed are college-ruled paper, one-inch 3-ring binders, boxes of number 2 pencils, red pens, large erasers, and pencil boxes. Volunteers are also needed to assemble and deliver the backpacks from August 10 to 28. You can find out more by calling 591-1292 extension 110 or email volunteer@LBRM.org.