Volunteer Opportunities
United Way Special Events Volunteer Opportunities
2019 United Way Event Dates:
Leprechaun Leap
Saturday, March 16 -fun run/walk -downtown SB 10:30 am
Funds Distribution Process
between April 1 and May 10 - about 8 hours total
Includes:
Volunteer Orientation- April 3- HATC -5:30-6:15 pm
2 Site Visits – April 11th -25th visits scheduled during this time frame
Final FD meeting- May 8 -HATC- 3:00-6:30pm
Color Dash
Saturday, June 8 - Five Rocks Amphitheater, Gering 8am
Rubber Duck Dash
Saturday, July 20 - Trails West Camp, SB 9:30-11:30 am
Stuff the Bus
Tuesday, August 6 - school supply sorting and packing @ Bluffs Business Center, 1517 Broadway, SB 8:30-11:30 am (come for part or whole time)
Day of Caring Food Packaging Event
Tuesday, October 1-– Weborg Centre, Gering 8:00 - 11:15am
Special Events Committee
Be part of the fun, volunteer group that helps plan and carry out the annual United Way fundraising events. Participate as your schedule allows.
Meets: late January through August.
Planning and preparation meetings are 12-1pm (usually alternate on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday) once a month
Twice a month at least- May, June, July
Rubber Duck Dash Day Volunteers
Arrive at 9:15 a.m. Volunteer meeting at 9:30 at the finish line just south of Trails West YMCA Camp Pavilion.
All volunteers will be required to sign a waiver. Waivers are available on our website or at the race.
Ages 16 and over are welcome to help in the water (under 19 must have a parent sign waiver)
In Water Help- 9:30 to 11:15’ish (holding nets, netting ducks into canoes, etc. Waders are not required, unless you want to stay dry, but shoes will be needed) Need 60 volunteers.
*if have enough can be on shore.
On Land Help with Ducks- 9:30 to 11:30’ ish (staging, basket ducks up the banks, dumping ducks in totes, loading totes on trailer, unload equipment at storage unit after race, etc) Need 20-30 volunteers.
Funds Distribution Process
This is a process where approximately 80 individuals from our community help decide how the United Way raised funds will be distributed to agencies who have applied for 2019-20 funding. This is a very important process and a wonderful opportunity to learn about the agencies in our community and the services they provide.
Volunteers are divided into small committees and asked to review two or three agencies that are applying for funding this year. Each committee meets to review their assigned agency applications then conducts interviews of the agencies. Each committee will then make a recommendation as to what level of funding they believe the agency should receive, based on the funds that are available. The final step will be to make a short presentation at the final Funds Distribution meeting regarding those findings.
Time Commitment & Schedule for the process:
Volunteer Orientation Meeting: Wednesday, April 3, at 5:30 p.m. at the Harms Center. This meeting will be a short 30 minutes.
Agency Reviews: These will take place between the dates of April 11th and April 25th. The application reviews, agency interviews, assessment and preliminary recommendation process can be expected to take approximately 3-4 hours in total.
Final Funds Distribution meeting: Wednesday, May 8th, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the Harms Center (approximately 3 hours)
Day of Caring Food Packaging Event
Date: Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Times: 8:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. (one shift)
8:00 a.m.- Check in – suit up & get instructions (get hairnets, aprons, etc.-all provided)
8:30 a.m.- Packaging and loading
11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon- Clean-up (anyone that can stay to help would be appreciated)
Place: Weborg Center - 2625 10th St., Gering
Event Info: Approximately 240 community volunteers will package 10,000 packages (70,000 meals) of shelf-stable, fortified Mac-n-Cheese and Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal bulk food products
Volunteers will work in stations of 10 people each in an assembly line manner. Bulk food product will be weighed, funneled into packages, sealed, labeled and boxed for delivery.
The food will be delivered that afternoon with the help of UPS employees, to local food pantries, school backpack programs, soup kitchens and other programs working to help alleviate hunger and food insecurity in our communities.
How to Sign Up to Volunteer:
Volunteers must pre-register by contacting the United Way office 635-2522 or by emailing this form to Deb Gies at admin@unitedwayofwesternnebraska.com
****Early registrations are encouraged and will be taken until event is full, and it usually
fills quickly.
Volunteer Opportunities Available:
150 Assembly line packaging volunteers- (15 tables of 10 people)
15-20 Runners & refillers (must be able to lift 50 pounds- will be refilling bulk macaroni, oatmeal & moving boxes)
15 table captains (from the 150 volunteer base)
- Table captains will help set up stations and receive mandatory training Monday, October 1st 4:30-5:30 at HATC high bay area
- Each table captain will arrive by 7:45 a.m. Tuesday, October 2nd and will train and oversee a packaging station during the event