Students looking for ways to help out during the holiday season can find plenty of volunteer opportunities on campus and in the Lawrence community.

Grant Treaster, Shawnee senior and co-director of the Center for Community Outreach, said he thought that more students than ever were participating in the many volunteering events offered by the CCO this year.

David Wilcox, co-director and Manhattan senior, said the CCO had seen a steady stream of students looking for opportunities to help out.

“It’s been a constant buzz throughout the semester,” Wilcox said.

Treaster said students had the opportunity to participate in programs that complemented their studies at the University.

“There are a lot of different issues they can be engaged in,” Treaster said. “You can make it something that ties with what you’re doing in class or what you want to do in the future. There’s opportunities to use skills they’re learning here.”

Treaster said programs like Environmental Action to Revitalize the Heartland (EARTH), Mentors in the Live of Kids (MILK), and Jubilee Café were consistently popular. Volunteers with EARTH address environmental concerns by both working in local parks and nature preserves and by raising awareness about the environment. Students who volunteer with Jubilee Café cook and serve breakfast twice a week for those in need. Because Jubilee Café takes place every week, students can easily volunteer and complete service hours, which may contribute to the program’s popularity. Wilcox said that many students call or come in looking for opportunities to complete service requirements for class.

Children’s Holiday Shop

Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St.

4:30 to 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 11

9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12

Students who wish to get into the holiday spirit can volunteer as an elf for a few hours at the Lawrence Arts Center.

The Lawrence Arts Center Children’s Holiday Shop is a program in which volunteers help guide children through a store created in the arts center. Children have the opportunity to complete Christmas shopping without parents around to spoil the surprise. Volunteer “elves” are needed to aid the children in selecting proper gifts. Children pay with real money or Holiday Dollars, gift cards handed out to children in local groups like Big Brothers Big Sisters, CASA and the Boys and Girls Club. This makes it so children without money can use Holiday Dollars to purchase gifts.

“One of the things we’re very proud of is the Holiday Dollars,” said Diane Oakes, committee chairwoman. “They serve as a scholarship for those who otherwise couldn’t purchase gifts.”

Oakes said the program needed about 150 volunteer elves. Students interested in participating can contact Jenny at 785-843-2787 for details.

Daily Bread

Location to be determined

11 a.m., Monday, Dec. 21

Students who are strapped for time but still interested in volunteering have a chance to participate in Daily Bread. Volunteers in the program collect leftover food from KU Dining Services locations across campus. After loading up the food in cars, Daily Bread volunteers distribute the food to charity organizations in Lawrence like the Salvation Army and LINK, the Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen.

Founder Sylvia Niccum said Daily Bread was a great way for busy students to give back to the community.

“It maybe takes 30 minutes to pick up the food,” Niccum said. “But because of the volunteers, we’re able to make sure it doesn’t go to waste.”

The next Daily Bread pickup will be Dec. 21, the Monday after finals. Students interested in volunteering can e-mail dailybread@ku.edu.

Jubilee Café

First United Methodist Church, 946 Vermont St.

6 to 8:30 a.m., Tuesdays and Fridays

Jubilee Café is a great program for students looking to volunteer regularly. Volunteers in the program provide breakfast to people in need.

Jubilee Café is consistently popular as a volunteering opportunity for students but the program could always use more volunteers, Treaster said.

“They need any and all volunteers, especially around the holidays,” Treaster said.

Students interested in volunteering can e-mail jubilee@ku.edu.

Mentors in the Lives of Kids Holiday Party

Ballroom of the Kansas Union

3 to 5 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9

Students who are interested in volunteering with children can find an opportunity at MILK’s holiday party Wednesday.

Emily Lamb, Lawrence sophomore and co-coordinator of Mentors in the Lives of Kids, or MILK, said she expected about 550 Lawrence children to attend the party. She said the children would be able to play games and make crafts related to holiday celebrations from around the world, including Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Chinese New Year.

Lamb said MILK needed volunteers to help out at the party. She said MILK also needed volunteers to help set up before the event and clean up after it.

Students interested in volunteering should e-mail milk@ku.edu.

Visit the CCO’s Web site, www.cco.ku.edu, for more volunteering opportunities.

— Edited by Brenna M. T. Daldorph