Volunteer opportunities

Bakersfield National Cemetery (north of Bakersfield off Highway 58) observes Memorial Day by placing flags on the grave of each veteran. It needs help placing the flags this year. If you or your group would like to assist, 8 a.m. May 26, call 867-2250 for more details.

YMCA is gearing up for its Kids Fitness Day to be held 9 a.m. to noon June 2. It is anticipating 100-150 young people to gather for a morning of fun and fitness. It needs help setting up, manning booths, distributing healthy lunches and providing adult supervision. Call Sherry, Clete or Alex at 837-9622 for more information. It's also looking for basketball coaches to contribute a couple of hours each week for its summer basketball league.

Volunteer Center of Kern County is looking for a volunteer placement coordinator to work two mornings per week at its office. The coordinator would take phone calls of interested individuals looking for volunteer opportunities and communicate with local nonprofit organizations looking for volunteers. The person should have computer data entry skills, "people person" qualities and be friendly and outgoing, comfortable talking with a wide variety of interested volunteers. Contact Brenda at 395-9787 or bratliffvc@yahoo.com.

East Niles Senior Center is still requesting help in its kitchen on the fourth Monday of each month. Just a few hours of your time is needed to help it with serving and preparing food, cleaning, putting away cooking supplies and organizing the kitchen. It's also organizing a very affordable bus trip to Laughlin, open to anyone 21 or above. The trip will take place on June 3-4 and 5. For more details, call Norma at 363-8910.

CBVI (Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired) would love to talk with you if you have experience with ceramics. It has a group of clients at the center that love to work with ceramics but no longer have anyone with the pouring, cleaning, glazing and firing of their ceramic art pieces. If you can help any day between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday -Thursday, call Marie Arballo at 322-5234.

Kinship Support Services at 316 H St. needs help "sprucing up" its facilities for an open house to be held June 8. It's a great time to be outside early in the morning, enjoying the Spring weather and providing your help. Call 377-0377 for more details.

Kern County Children's Dental Health is asking for volunteers to provide clerical support, assembling various written educational material packets for distribution. If you like small details involved in office work, enjoy assembling materials and can help out, call Barbara Antongiovanni at 377-0328.

From the volunteer center: School is almost out. Join your son/daughter in a volunteer project this summer. Visit one of our local senior retirement communities or convalescent homes. A great way to bridge the intergenerational gap is by playing board games with seniors, writing letters/cards or reading for a senior with limited sight, helping with activities or celebrating holidays and birthdays. Look for a facility in your neighborhood and get involved.

It's a wonderful way to deepen your relationship and introduce them to the world of volunteerism. The seniors enjoy the interaction with the children and anticipate their next visit.

For more volunteer opportunities or to be included in this list in the future, call the Volunteer Center of Kern County at 395-9787.