Manassas Journal Messenger | Get in holiday spirit by volunteering
Good morning Prince William and happy Thanksgiving week.
Let’s give a big cheer to the House of Mercy for opening its shop in Manassas. This building continues to provide services and comfort to needy families in the community. It was the Securing Emergency Resources Through Volunteer Efforts Inc. food closet for years, then the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, then back to the SERVE Thrift Shop, and now it is most appropriately the House of Mercy Shop. They have done a wonderful job of sprucing up the facility with paint, lights and flooring. It looks fabulous.
All clothing, bedding and personal care items from the shop are given away free to needy families. Right now, this wonderful group of folks is in need of round racks to better display clothing items. If you can help with this simple request or would like more information on this wonderful new community agency, please call Kelly at (703) 659-1636.
The Manassas Museum is up to all kinds of fun activities in the next couple of weeks and you are cordially invited to join the fun. First of all, the museum will have its Holiday Open House on Dec. 1 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Please come enjoy the reception and view the museum’s exhibits. Volunteers are needed to make and/or donate cookies for the reception. Wouldn’t this be a great way to spend some time with your kids, making cookies and sharing them for a nice event. Then the next week on Dec. 9, volunteers are needed to dress up in period costumes for both speaking and non-speaking roles for the fifth annual Christmas at Liberia event from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Please call Doug at (703) 257-8456 to register for these wonderful events that will surely put you in the holiday spirit.
Are you looking for some physical activity that is bound to burn calories before the big feast on Thursday? Then the wonderful folks at Project Mend-A-House have the perfect job for you Tuesday! Jerry is leading a small group of volunteers to dig 20 holes for a ramp for a disabled woman in Woodbridge. Please call Jerry at (703) 670-5473 today if you can help Tuesday with this project.
The wonderful folks at Birthright are in need of office volunteers in their Manassas office. If you can share a few hours a week to answer phones and help with other office tasks, please call Kathy at (703) 361-9769 to help women find the community resources needed for a healthy and happy pregnancy.
Last but certainly not least, the Prince William Medical Reserve Corps is in full swing with more than 100 members. Volunteers from both the medical community and other support functions are needed in the event of a disaster to provide needed medical services. This great group of volunteers meets regularly for useful training and to network with other entities that could use their skills today. Please call Sue at (703) 369-5292, Ext. 25, to learn more about the program or stop by the next training session at the Bull Run Library on Dec. 8.
If you are looking for other opportunities, please don’t forget to call my wonderful team at the Voluntary Action Center. Diane can help senior volunteers with Retired and Senior Volunteer (RSVP) opportunities at (703) 369-5292, Ext. 27; Shelley can help with 1-800 volunteer opportunities at (703) 369-5292, Ext. 28; Ann can help you with People Power opportunities at (703) 369-5292, Ext. 29; Sue can help you with the Medical Reserve Corps at (703) 369-5292, Ext. 25; and Bonnie can help you with all the other many opportunities available in Disaster Preparedness at (703) 369-5292, Ext. 24. Or please don’t forget our Web site at volunteerprincewilliam.org. Thanks so much for all you do in our community. Until next week, please stay safe.
Mary Foley is executive director of the Voluntary Action Center in Manassas and a member of the Volunteer Center National Network.