March 2011

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Hello *|FNAME|*, Spring is almost here! This is the time of year to start volunteering outdoors, as many agricultural organizations are gearing up for the growing season. Check out the volunteer opportunities below for some ways to celebrate springtime! This month is also the time to register for spring service-learning classes. Visit the CSL website for a class list. Cheers,		Tomorrow: Conversations about the DREAM Act Featuring the movie "Papers: Stories of Undocumented Students" Wednesday, March 2 7:00-9:00pm Academic West 204 "Papers" is the story of undocumented youth and the challenges they face as they turn 18 without legal immigration status. A panel discussion will follow about the DREAM Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide a conditional path to citizenship. To learn more about the DREAM Act, visit the DREAM Act Portal. This event is sponsored by the Center for Service-Learning, Student Coalition for Immigration Rights, the Center for Education, Equality, and Diversity, and OneAmerica. Call 360-650-7520 for more information about the event.
Now Hiring! The CSL is seeking to hire a dedicated and hard-working student interested in coordinating the AmeriCorps Students in Service program. Click here for the job description and application. Volunteer or Intern with OneAmerica: Take action for immigration reform. Through community organizing, building organizational alliances, and human rights documentation, OneAmerica is working within immigrant communities to build power to advocate for immigrant, human, and civil rights in the area of the Northern Border and to change policy around racial profiling and harsh immigration enforcement that separates families and violates international conventions of Human Rights. Volunteers will work with our groups in Whatcom and Skagit counties to do educational presentations, human rights documentation, data entry, and translation of materials from English to Spanish. Volunteers will help in local events and in identifying and reaching out to community spaces to hold "Know Your Rights" trainings, as part of a statewide "Know Your Rights" campaign. Bilingual applicants in Spanish, Russian, or Chinese are encouraged. Please contact Kendra Anderson at Kendra@weareoneamerica.org or 206-452-8413. Coming Up Soon Tony: the New Film by Invisible Children Wednesday, March 30 7:00pm Academic West 204 Invisible Children is an organization that makes documentaries about children in war-torn East Africa to inspire young people to get involved. Eight years ago, Tony was a Ugandan child featured in Invisible Children's first film The Rough Cut. He asked filmmakers "not to forget about him" and they promised they wouldn't. This film is the fulfillment of that promise. It follows Tony's friendship with Invisible Children filmmaker, Laren Poole, and the triumphs and tragedies they’ve endured along the way.
March Volunteer Opportunities: Common Threads Farm is getting ready for spring. Walk down the hill from campus to join one of their work parties on Wednesdays from 3:00-5:00pm. Opportunities are coming up soon to teach kids about gardening. For more information and directions to the farm, visit their website. The Bellingham Food Bank (BFB) has a variety of outdoor volunteering options. Help build garden beds for low-income families with the Garden Project, work at the Food Bank Farm, or sign up to be a gleaner with the Small Potatoes Gleaning Project. Visit the BFB website or contact Max Morange at glean@bellinghamfoodbank.org for more information about volunteering with the BFB's agricultural programs. The Outback Farm at Fairhaven College is looking for students to get involved. Work parties are every Sunday from 11:00am-2:00pm, and volunteers can stop by Tuesdays and Thursdays to work in the garden. Visit their website to learn more about WWU's own organic farm. Making a Difference with the Volunteer Chore Program In February, student volunteers spent two Saturday mornings helping seniors with chores and providing a bright spot in their day. They visited Lincoln Square, a senior and disabled adult apartment complex near Bellingham Grocery Outlet. We had a great time meeting our neighbors at Lincoln Square and spending some time helping out. Chore is a program of the Whacom Volunteer Center that provides services to seniors and people with disabilities to help them remain independent in their homes. To get involved, visit the WVC website.
Center for Service-Learning - Wilson Library 481 360-650-7542 - www.wwu.edu/csl