Volunteerism: connecting and supporting thousands of seemingly un-related causes and activities.

Kind of like a clothesline - that tiger-print Hawaiian shirt really has nothing to do with that pair of 10-year-old acid-washed jeans next to it, but without the line supporting and connecting both of them, they'd be in seperarate little damp piles of questionable fashion in the backyard. And that would be tragic.

One of the many comfortable articles of civic engagement supported by clothesline of volunteerism is Event Planning. From school dances with their volunteer chaperones, to charity auctions with their volunteer auction assistants, to smaller-scale Community Organization parties with their volunteer food servers - so many of the events that we attend to celebrate, build community, and/or enjoy snacks, are made possible by volunteers.

Event volunteers sometimes have a long-standing relationship with the organizer, but this is not always the case. There are many events happening year-round in the Twin Cities that put out an open call to volunteers. Take the upcoming "A Perspective of Hope" - a fundraising Gala for Perspectives Family Center, on October 26. There's still a need for volunteers like you to come and greet guests, help run the charity auction, and eat the free pizza that will be provided to you because you are a wonderful volunteer. Just by being friendly and helpful, you can assist Minnesota's largest supportive housing program.

So many ways to be involved. And at least some of them come with free pizza.

Hands On Twin Cities, always striving to stay at the forefront of volunteerism in the Metro Area, recently sent 4 employees (including both halves of this blog) to participate in Project Homeless Connect this past Monday, October 1st, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

The first thing we have to say is WOW. That's also the second and third things we have to say. There were 850 volunteers on hand to help 1800 guests navigate the various rooms and hallways that were filled to the brim with housing information, social services, employment information, on-site dental and eye care, clothing donations, and more. This was, without a doubt, the largest volunteer event we've ever been apart of.

For those of you who don't know, Project Homeless Connect is a giant event where Social Service Providers of all types come together under one roof so that, for one day at least, people experiencing homelessness can check out the services they need without having to travel all over town. At Project Homeless Connect, people can get a State Photo ID, visit with a lawyer, get a dental checkup, and get a hot meal all in a matter of a few hours. Each guest is assigned a volunteer who helps them to navigate the event and get the services they need as quickly as possible.

This is a truly amazing event that will connect you with neighbors you never knew you had. And luckily, there are two coming up in 2008! The first is on April 28th. Orientation is required, so register early if you want to participate. All the info you'll need is available here: http://www.homelessconnectminneapolis.org

A non-profit in St. Paul just removed a volunteer project in late September from our calendar because they had too many volunteers. Gad-zooks, to be that popular! There are so many volunteer projects going on all the time in the Twin Cities, that to have one be filled a month in advance is a testament to how volunteery Minnesotans really are.

Of course, our friends in St. Paul are the exception, not the rule. We have dozens of one-time volunteer service projects listed on our website that could use your help. If you want to get involved in your community, have fun, and meet new people, but you can't make a big commitment because of [thousands of reasons] , these service projects are perfect for you. All you have to do is find a day on our calendar that works for you, and sign up. Making a difference in your community is ridiculously easy, thanks to our project calendar. Here's a sample of some events in the Twin Cities that need volunteers in the next month:

• Hope Anniversary Block Party
• Revitalize North Minneapolis/Fall Rebuilding Projects
• Great Waters Charity Golf Tournament
• Peace, Power, and Unity Conference (interpreters especially needed)
• The Girlfriend event
• The Ivey Awards
• Project Homeless Connect

This is just a sampling of the many volunteer projects going on in the Twin Cities. So many, in fact, that you have no excuse for not doing at least one of them. For more, check out our project calendar.

One-half of this blog is something of a tea affectionado (or addict, depending on who you ask), and was tickled to death when he saw this volunteer opportunity.

That's right! High Tea Host/Hostess! Plan the menu, research the procedures and protocol of High Tea, and then be the host/hostess to Lake Owasso residents (your gracious guests). We presume that they are referring to the British-style High Tea made extremely popular in the Victorian era, but you could get really creative with this one. Tea ceremonies have a rich and varied history - China, Japan, India, and many other countries had long-established tea ceremony traditions long before the Western World had even heard of tea. The possibilities are endless!

This sounds like a lot of fun to us, but again, we really love tea. Almost as much as we love volunteerism.

Kudos to the Lake Owasso Residence for posting a totally unique volunteer opportunity. Contact them today!

The Boston Tea Terrier is a stickler for protocol.

If the recent weather has accomplished anything (other than making think that maybe we'd moved to Portland, Oregon, and forgotten about it), it's reminded us that summer won't last forever.

Indeed - soon fall will mosey in, and we'll all "ooh" and "aah" at the leaves, and then about 6 minutes later winter will move in and we'll forget what grass even looks like.

So why not do some good, ol' fashioned, get-your-hands-dirty volunteer work before the weather destroys your enthusiasm? This coming Saturday, August 25, East Metro Women's Council (of White Bear Lake) is looking for volunteers to help them spruce up their apartments for families in transition. Put on your work clothes and make a difference for East Metro families who are trying to get back on their feet! Click here for more information.

If you're often exposed to grade school students, or can remember being one, you're familiar with the frequent (and not totally unwarranted) complaint that the stuff they learn in the classroom doesn't matter in "real life".

"When are we going to use [pre-calculus/european history/a memorized list of prepositions/etc.] in real life?", they ask. We certainly remember asking this same question. Particularly about that list of prepositions. Did we not already speak fluent English? We were in high school!

Well - if you're interested in teaching Twin Cities students about skills and concepts that they will really use (and why shouldn't you be? the future success of this state, and country, begins in the classrooms of today), you may want to consider volunteering for Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest. JA volunteers are enthusiastic volunteers with life experience who want to share that experience with eager young learners. You'll be provided with an age appropriate, hands-on, curriculum focuses on work/career life skills, entrepreneurial thinking and financial responsibility.

Best of all, this high-impact opportunity won't take up all of your time. Make just 8 weekly schoolday visits to a classroom for an hour per visit. You can choose between elementary students, middle-school students, or high-school students.

Bring the real world to students and help them understand the economics of life. Open their minds to their potential. And, of course, have fun!

Learn more.

The Minnesota Children's Museum reported to us that their "Birthday Party Assistants" volunteer position was full. Which is awesome. We love to hear that volunteer positions are full - that means that the word is getting out, and Twin Cities residents (the most volunteeringest people in the nation) are responding.

But not all volunteer opportunitites are full. In fact, many volunteer positions that have tremendous community impact and value are currently open, waiting for an engaged, committed citizen (like you?).

Today's example - Youth Mentor with the Community Justice Project

Most everyone knows that today, possibly more than ever, there are thousands of young people in Minnesota without a stable, supportive adult role model. Among the many factors influencing the much-publicized juvenile crime spike of the last few years, the lack of caring adults to guide our young people is the most troublesome, and the easiest to correct.

The Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches/Community Justice Project pairs young people on probation with stable, supportive adults. In case after case, the GMCC's Community Justice Project has proven that the difference between a one-time offender and a young person who goes on live a life of crime is the regular presence of an adult who cares and listens. The at-risk youth of today don't have to be the hardened criminals of tommorrow.

There are always more mentees on the waiting list than there are mentors to help them out, so if you think that you can make a commitment to a young person in your community who needs help turning their life around, contact the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches/Community Justice Project today. Training session begin September 17th, so don't wait! Make a difference today!