Volunteering: Great way to forget your worries
You can't stop thinking about your stock portfolio or looking over your shoulder at the office.
Or you've got some time to spare, thanks to those unpaid days off you're taking at work.
Volunteering is one of the best ways to forget about your own worries - and maybe even network a little - by helping others.
To get you started, agencies throughout DuPage County are holding open houses this week where you can check out the work they do and decide if you'd like to be a part of it.
The "Samples of Service" open houses are part of National Volunteer Week, which continues through Saturday.
President Obama's call for Americans to step forward has spurred rising interest in volunteerism nationwide. "The needs have never been greater, across the board," said Kathy Blair, manager of Giving DuPage.
Some people are turning to volunteer work to stay active after job cutbacks or to learn new skills, Blair said. Others have simply never had time before, or have always had an interest in working for a nonprofit and considering a career switch now.
"There is such a wide range of opportunities," Blair said. "People can see a variety of agencies and make a decision."
You can help children in an afterschool program with their homework, walk a shelter dog or sort food for the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Easter Seals in Villa Park needs 80 people this summer to help teach children with special needs how to ride two wheelers - without the training wheels.
"In tough times like these," Blair said, "it seems natural to find a way to help others."
Places to go this week
American Cancer Society, 1801 S. Meyers Rd, Suite 100, Oakbrook Terrace; contact: Lauren Brandmeyer, (630) 932-1141, ext. 222; Lauren.Brandmeyer@cancer.org. When: 10-11 a.m. today.
American Cancer Society, Naperville Municipal Center lunchroom, 400 S. Eagle St.; contact: Joy Rosenberg, (630) 932-1151. When: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday.
W.A. Johnson School, 252 South Ridgewood Avenue, Bensenville; contact: Sue Vitale, (630) 766-2605; svitale@bsd.org. When: 9 a.m.-noon Friday.
Mohawk School, 917 W. Hillside Avenue, Bensenville; contact: Lara Schwarz, (630) 766-2604; lschwarz@bsd2.org. When: 9 a.m.-noon Friday.
Cantigny, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton; contact: Jennifer Benton, (630) 260-8232; jbenton@cantigny.org. When: Volunteer info table in the Visitors Center 9:00-4:30 daily, representative available 10 a.m.-noon Thursday.
Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave, Wheaton; contact: Tami Romejko, (630) 665-5534 ext. 5040; tromejko@wheatonparks.org @wheatonparks.org>. When: 11 a.m.-noon Thursday.DuPage Children's Museum, 301 N. Washington Street, Naperville; contact: Diane Ernst, (630) 637-8000 ext. 4680; dernst@dupagechildrensmuseum.org. When: 10 a.m.-noon Thursday and Friday.DuPage Community Clinic, 1506 E. Roosevelt Road, Wheaton; contact: Yessica Cabrera, (630) 682-0631 ext. 19; ycabrera@dupagecommunityclinic.org When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. today; 9 a.m.-noon Saturday.DuPage County Senior Services Volunteer Ombudsman Program, 421 N. County Farm Road, Room 3-500B, Wheaton; contact: Martha Geyer-Zelenka, (630) 407-6489; Martha.Geyer-Zelenka@dupageco.org. When: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. today.Family Shelter Service Second Chance Resale Shop, 1512 N. Naper Boulevard, Naperville; contact: Pam Matrisciano, (630) 221-8290 ext. 7105; pammatrisciano@familyshelterservice.net. When: 5:30-7:30 p.m. todayGirl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Program Center, 8S021 Route 53, Naperville; contact: Julie Gilmartin, (630) 544-5973; jgilmartin@girlscoutsgcnwi.org. When: 4-7 p.m. Thursday.Indian Boundary YMCA, 711 59th Street, Downers Grove; contact: Shannon Payton, (630)929-2413; shannon_payton@ymcachgo.org . When: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. today through Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday.KidsMatter, 34 S. Washington Street, Naperville (3rd floor of Kroehler Family YMCA) Naperville; contact: IdaLynn Wengold, (630) 404-4589; KidsMatter@wideopenwest.com. When: 9-11 a.m. Thursday.Loaves and Fishes Community Pantry, 556 West 5th Avenue, Naperville; contact: Carol Ann Fisher, (630) 355-3663; volunteer@loaves-fishes.org. When: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.Northern Illinois Food Bank, 600 Industrial Drive, St. Charles; contact: Tia Milne, (630) 443-6910 ext. 30; tmilne@northernilfoodbank.org . When: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday.SCARCE, 799 Roosevelt Road, Bldg 2, Suite 108, Glen Ellyn; contact: Shefali Trivedi, (630) 545.9710; ecoed@sbcglobal.net. When: 1-4 p.m. Thursday.