Volunteer opportunities abound in Conejo Valley

The Beatles sang, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” A little help can go a long way.

The opportunity for neighbor to help neighbor—or to help a senior citizen or inner city child, to brighten someone’s day by popping in with a smile or lending a hand—abounds in the Conejo Valley and environs. In the first issue of every month The Acorn will present just some of the many involvement opportunities for community residents.

Thousand Oaks: The Conejo Valley Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) invites men and women age 55 and over to share their timeskills and energy by providing assistance to local residentsRSVP is recruiting volunteers to help out at a wide variety of local nonprofit agencies.

Volunteer positions include working with individual or small groups of children under the direction of a teacher.

A volunteer is needed to perform light clerical work from 3 to 5 p.m. each Wednesday.

The RSVP office is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays at 1385 E. Janss RoadThousand Oaks. The program is sponsored by the Conejo Rec5

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n , s reation and Park District and the Corporation for National Service, a federal agency which fosters and promotes volunteering. For more details, call RSVP at (805) 381-2742.

Oxnard: Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County has a need for volunteers in their retail facility, the ReStore, a building materials thrift store at 167 Lambert St., Oxnard. It is open Monday through Saturday. Items are donated to the store and sold to the general public at reduced prices.

Volunteers are needed at the Habitat ReStore to continue the tracking, shelving and sorting of incoming items. For more information, please call (805) 4856065, ext. 102.

Camarillo: Interface Children Family Services is seeking volunteers interested in teaching personal safety to children ages 4 to 12 and their parents. Two Interface programs, “Taking Care of Little Me” and “My Body Belongs to Me” focus on sexual abuse prevention in a manner that is non-threatening and age-appropriate.

Daytime availability is needed, and the time commitment may vary from a few hours per month to a few hours per week. Interface is at 1305 Del Norte Road, Ste. 130, Camarillo.

For information, call (805) 485

6114, ext. 612. l e e e s l

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Newbury Park: The Ventura County Rose Society sponsors the Stagecoach Inn Heritage Rose Gardens at 51 S. Ventu Park Road, Newbury Park. From 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. on the fourth Saturday of every month volunteers are needed to help “deadhead” and cut the old garden roses. Volunteers not familiar with rose pruning will be trained. For information, call Kathy Ayers at (805) 498-0861.

Los Angeles: The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is seeking volunteers for its docent program. During the school year, docents interact with schoolchildren in the museum’s science and history halls. Subjects to explore and share with children include dinosaurs, mammals, California history, gems and minerals and a live insect zoo. The program would require a commitment of a portion of one day per week. The next training class begins in January. For information call (213) 763-3242.