National Volunteer Month Blog
April Is National Volunteer Month- Get Involved Today!
Time is everything. And when you give your time to the great causes that the Y stands for, you’re taking an active role in bringing about change right in your own neighborhood! April is National Volunteer Month, a month dedicated to honoring all of the volunteers in our communities and organizations as well as encouraging volunteerism throughout the month. National Volunteer Week is happening from April 17-23, 2022-an even better reason to give some time to your community this spring!
Taking time out of your busy schedule to make a difference in the community means the world to the Y. Two of our programs at the YMCA of Virginia's Blue Ridge wouldn’t exist without volunteers- our Gainsboro Garden at the YMCA Express at Gainsboro, and our Y Splash program at the Kirk Family YMCA, Salem Family YMCA, and Botetourt Family YMCA.
GAINSBORO GARDEN
Take a look at our thriving garden at the Y Express at Gainsboro. We are so lucky to have a raised bed garden area beside our building. The produce that we plant, grow and harvest is used in our Lil’ Chefs cooking program and is shared with the High Street Baptist Church Food Pantry and the Rescue Mission. We depend on the help of community volunteers who are made up of YMCA members, staff, and Master Gardeners to keep our crops alive!
If you love gardening or are just learning, please consider joining our new Gainsboro Volunteer Garden Group. We meet on Wednesdays from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Email Membership Representative Betty Shideler at [email protected] to volunteer!
Y SPLASH
Another important program we offer and need the help of volunteers for is Y Splash! The Y Splash program is a proven method for teaching children fundamental water safety skills. Local second graders take part in six, 45-minute instructional sessions that reduce the risk of drowning and give children confidence in and around water. During Y Splash, we identify non-swimmers and offer them FREE swim lessons at the YMCA.
One of our special, longtime YSplash volunteers is Efren Ontiveros. "When YSplash started, they asked me if I would volunteer. It has been one of the most rewarding things I have done here at the Y. After 20 years of helping out, at the age of 80 I hope that I have more years to help these second graders. My hope is to give them a skill that no one can take away from them."
It takes a village to keep our kids safe, and our programs thriving and we invite our community to help us. The Y is seeking volunteers who can teach water safety to second graders in our Y Splash program. To inquire about
making a difference, visit https://ymcavbr.org/main/y-splash/.
Aside from the Gainsboro Garden and Y Splash, we have plenty of volunteer opportunities at all five of our locations! It’s easy to volunteer and we’re looking forward to positively changing our community with you.
YMCA Volunteers...
- Teach kids water safety in our Y Splash program
- Coach our sports teams
- Lead our Board of Directors and committees
- Raise funds to ensure the Y is accessible to all members of the community
- Motivate and support youth in building the character strengths, skills, and relationships that lead to positive behaviors, better health, smart life choices and the pursuit of higher education and goals
- Extend a hand to help adults who want to do more, be more or live healthier
- Advocate for the Y’s efforts to influence policies and initiatives that positively impact societal issues of importance to the nation and to our community
- Participate in opportunities to give back and support others
For more information on volunteer opportunities, please email us at [email protected]!