Serving Portage…

As you can see from the numbers to the right, the churches in Portage, Indiana, have been excited about ShareFest!  Right at 250 volunteers last year…  I wonder how many will get involved this year!

Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008
8:00 am - Registration & Dedication Service at Willowcreek Middle School
9:00 am - 3:00 pm - Volunteers move to work sites or blood drives

Service Projects

Below is a list of the many projects that churches are tackling during ShareFest 2008 in Portage. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Online registration is now closed! If you haven’t registered, but would still like to serve, please arrive at 8:00 am so you can be matched with a project that needs extra help. Thanks!

Adult Basic Education / details / sign me up!

Volunteers are cleaning up the landscaping around the Portage Adult Education center, installing carpeting, and general repair and cleanup of the building.

Beverly Health Systems Fountainview / details / sign me up!

Volunteers are hosting a “Shindig” gathering for the residents.  **THIS VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY IS FULL.**

Blood Drive / details / sign me up!

The Red Cross will be set up to receive blood donations at the ShareFest Village in each city.

If you are signing up for another project and plan to give blood before or afterward, you do not have to sign up separately. Just say “Yes” to the Giving Blood question on the sign up form for your other project.

If you aren’t signing up for any other project… then this one’s for you!

Boys & Girls Club of South Haven / details / sign me up!

The Boys & Girls Club makes a huge impact on the kids in the community.  Volunteers are invited to come hang out with the kids and enjoy various games, activities, and snacks.

    Flood Relief with the United Way / details / sign me up!
    • The United Way Regional Volunteer Center has set up a Volunteer Coordination Center to assist with relief efforts following the recent flooding in Lake and Porter Counties.
    • The center is located on Central Ave in the old Dollar General Store in Portage, Indiana. The phone # 219-763-3292. The center will be open M-F 8-4:30pm and Sat 8-3pm.
    • We need volunteers to clean homes that were affected by the flooding. We are also taking calls from those in need of assistance.
    • ShareFest Volunteers working on the day of ShareFest are being asked to go to the ShareFest Village at Willowcreek Middle School to check-in and participate in the dedication service, then report to the United Way Volunteer Center on Central Avenue in Portage (at the old Dollar General store) to receive coordinated orders, rather than attempting to go into areas undirected. Much of the effort on the part of the United Way has been to target those in the most immediate and most desperate need of assistance.
    • We are in extreme need of skilled volunteers who can do damage assessment, as well as volunteers to do clean-up work and assist at the call center.
    • Volunteers for field work must be over 18; teenagers are welcome to staff the call and donation center. All volunteers offering assistance will be asked to register as a volunteer and sign a liability release at the Volunteer Center.
    • Volunteers going into the field are being asked to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, closed-toed shoes (work boots are best), and to bring flashlights and bug spray. It is also highly suggested that tetanus shots be current, for safety and health.
    • Donations of cleaning items, and donations of Flood Bucket components (or completed buckets), along with competely assembled Hygene Kits, will be accepted at the center; they will be properly distributed as teams go out into the community. Be sure to mark on the buckets or kits who they were assembled and donated by (your church or organization, not necessarily a personal notation), in case a homeowner wishes to send a note of appreciation.
    • A guide on their assembly of both flood buckets and hygene kits is availible as a printable PDF file from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. These donations may be brought to the Volunteer Center for distribution. NOTE: If assembling the Hygene Kits to drop off, please remember to add toothpaste to the list!
    Gabriel’s Horn / details / sign me up!

    Volunteers will be providing general outdoor cleanup such as weeding and landscaping.  There’s also an opportunity to take a family to the Portage 16 for a movie.

    Housing Opportunities / details / sign me up!

    Housing Opportunities manages several apartment buildings in Portage.  Volunteers will be washing windows, digging trenches to lead water away from gutter downspouts, and providing various cleanup and repairs.

    Miller’s Merry Manor / details / sign me up!

    Volunteers are hosting a BINGO game with prizes and snacks. **THIS VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY IS FULL.**

    Mobile Home Painting for Blind Resident / details / sign me up!

    Six to eight volunteers are needed to paint & stain a mobile home for a blind resident.

    Bring paint rollers, brushes, and empty cans for paint and stain. And wear your paint clothes!

    Neighborhood Distribution / details / sign me up!

    Volunteers will go door-to-door delivering paper products to families in need.  Thank you to our local churches for collecting these donated items!

    Portage Township Food Pantry / details / sign me up!

    We will be accepting donations at the ShareFest Village (Willowcreek Middle School) on October 11th from 9am-3pm.  Items requested: boxes of cereal, crackers, macaroni & cheese, cans of tuna, pork & beans, soup, vegetables, fruit, jars of peanut butter, spaghetti sauce, packages of rice, noodles, spaghetti.

    Prayer Room / details / sign me up!

    ShareFest Day is an opportunity to share God’s love with others in our community.  An important way to connect is through prayer.  Volunteers will be praying throughout the day at the ShareFest Village.

    Resale Shop / details / sign me up!

    The Portage Resale Shop is hopping!  Volunteers will help sorting donations, inventory in the store, and other tasks as needed for the day.

    ShareFest Village / details / sign me up!

    The ShareFest Village is located at Willowcreek Middle School, where volunteers will check in on ShareFest Day, Food Pantry donations will be collected, the Prayer Room is open, and the Red Cross Blood Drive will take place.  Volunteers who work at the Village will help with early morning set up, refreshments, registration, t-shirts, food pantry donations, and lunch distribution.

    Willowcreek Middle School / details / sign me up!

    A painting project and courtyard cleanup are scheduled.

    Yard Clean-up for Seniors / details / sign me up!

    Volunteers are assigned to a senior’s home for general yard cleanup including timming, weeding, and raking.

    YMCA / details / sign me up!

    The Portage YMCA is undergoing dramatic change and continuous cleanup and beautification help by volunteers is appreciated!  Projects will be available on ShareFest Day for volunteers to help.