Passing high school courses in general can be hard at times, especially when it comes to a credit as abstract as community service. Knowing where to get five hours of service per semester can be difficult, especially since many organizations do not take teenage volunteers. Fortunately, service hours are not due until the end of January. However, you can take these ideas into account after next month as well. If you are completely stuck on how to pass advisory class before the end of this semester, keep reading.
A personal favorite and a relatively easy way to get your hours in is volunteering at Orcas Animal Protection Society, on Hope Lane off Mount Baker road. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from one-four PM, and you can contact the pet shelter at orcaspets.org or call (360) 376-6777. If you are a cat person, this is the organization for you because there is an abundance of cats, as well as dogs looking for care and attention from volunteers.
Another option that takes high school students is the Orcas Island Yacht Club, off Deer Harbor Road in Westsound. You can find them at oiyc.org or call (360) 376-5577 to sign up. If you love to sail or appreciate boats, you are able to contribute to the Yacht Club in a variety of ways. During the Summer, beginner and intermediate lessons for kids in between the ages of 7 and 15 accept volunteers with sailing experience to help coach. Also, the Yacht Clubs non profit organization always welcomes assistance with tasks such as boat maintenance.
This next recommendation to consider is sort of a sponsorship, since the author of the article has gotten most of her hours in from this activity, but putting together weekend snack packages through Key Club is an effortless way to get service hours. No sign up is needed, since this form of community service is through the school. If you are interested, be sure to drop by Mr. Austin’s classroom at lunchtime every Wednesday. After school for around 20 to 40 minutes, we assemble around 30 snack packages going straight to families with kids in the elementary school on Wednesday. Joining Key Club also offers many other volunteer opportunities, like fundraising dinners.
If you like to help the community, volunteering for the Orcas Island Food Bank is a great choice. Work at the food bank can include sorting and organizing food, assisting customers and packing deliveries. The food bank allows volunteers of all ages so you can call them at (360) 376 – 4445 or go to orcasislandfoodbank.org for more information. They are open on Tuesday from 11 am to 12 pm and Friday from 11 am to 6:30 pm and if you are feeling extra generous you can also donate to their cause on the website.
Another club that is an effortless way to get your hours in is environmental club. You can attend their meetings every Monday at lunch. Members of the club can pick up compost buckets at lunch and collect food scraps from students, so your hours will be easily covered after a few weeks of this form of community service. Afterward, these scraps will be transported to the food bank and used for farmer soil, so this is a great opportunity to give back to the community as well. If you have more questions, you can reach out to Elizabeth Alperin, the advisor of the club, or Stella Dillard, the president.
Of course, there are many other ways to get your hours in and provide volunteer services, but these are just a few good quality recommendations that will not only allow a one way ticket to a good grade in advisory, but you will hopefully also have some fun in the process, and find ways to give back to your community in a way that truly matters.