One of the most popular volunteer projects promoted by the University Retirees Volunteer Center is that of mock trials, a program that gives law students experiences in prosecution and defense. How strange that there seems to be a reluctance among the public to serve on a jury. But many of our retirees look forward to the chance to participate on juries for mock trials.

William Mitchell College of Law will hold mock trials for their students in late April and mid-May. This volunteer assignment duration starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. A bagel breakfast is provided, as is lunch. Jurors' dress is casual. Location is 875 Summit Avenue, St. Paul. Parking is available in the college lot except for April 26 when street
parking is necessary.

Your involvement and feedback become an important part of the legal education in training lawyers. Jurors deliberate in deciding the verdict and spend time with the judge and students to provide explanation and constructive criticism. The dates and trial circumstances are as follows:

• • Friday, April 26: a tort personal injury case (car accident)
• • Saturday, April 27: a tort personal injury case (car accident)
• • Thursday, May 16: a tort personal injury case (car accident)
• • Friday, May 17: a tort personal injury case (car accident)

Ushers needed for the upcoming production at Rarig Theater. Call the University Retirees Volunteer Center office (612-625-8016) or Email urvc@umn.edu. If you do so soon enough we will mail you a coupon for free parking at the 21st Ave. So. ramp opposite the theater.

RARIG THEATER
The times listed are call times (when ushers need to arrive)

The Rover, a Restoration comedy by Aphra Behn, the 1st English professional woman author (1640-89), about the exile of royalist cavaliers in Italy. This play is directed and adapted by Joel Sass and performed by the BFA Senior Class in the Stoll Thrust Theatre.

Available performances for ushering:

DATE EVENT CALL TIME

Nov. 1 & 3 (Thurs. & Sat.) The Rover 6:30 PM

Nov. 3 & 4 (Sat. & Sunday) " 1:00 PM

Nov. 8 (Thurs.) " 6:30 PM

The Red Cross has an important role in responding to a wide range of emergencies and provides disaster training opportunities for volunteers. The initial step is to take a 3-hour class, Disaster Services: An Overview. That gives a prospective volunteer eligibility to take other training classes after being interviewed, had a background check, and accepted. All training classes are free. Most volunteer roles require 15 - 30 hours of training and a time commitment of ca. 10 hours a month.

The Disaster Sevices: An Overview is next offered on two dates in the coming weeks at the Minneapolis office: 1201 West River Parkway (3rd floor)

Tuesday, October 16, 9 AM - Noon or Monday, October 29, 6 - 9 PM

If you are interested in your potential as a disaster volunteer, contact us at the University Retirees Volunteer Center urvc@umn.edu and we will submit your name for registration in the class. Let us know ASAP as the Red Cross needs to have course materials ready.

One of my best and most satisfying volunteer experiences ever has been with the Partners In English Program at U/MN. This program is designed to help graduate level international students improve their English conversation skills. While we work on pronunciation, grammar, and syntax, we are learning about each other's cultures and becoming friends. I have been rewarded by having met many interesting students in a variety of fields of study and have learned a lot about their countries. I highly recommend this volunteer activity.

Meals for Minds is a project of Second Harvest Heartland. I helped distribute food to the families of children attending Pillsbury and Sheridan schools in Northeast Minneapolis last year. I plan to do it again if I don't have a conflict with the time. I enjoyed talking to the children and their parents as I handed out my item. There were many different kinds of foods, including breads, cereals, fruits, and even meat. We also opened boxes and set the food out before starting the distribution. I met some other nice volunteers and found the whole experience fun and satisfying.

ATTENTION JAZZ LOVERS !

KBEM (Jazz 88) Pledge Drive Phone Volunteers

KBEM's Fall Pledge Drive is almost upon us and this is an organization The University Retirees Volunteer Center has helped with volunteers to answer the phones in taking pledges. If you are not familiar with KBEM, it is a non-profit radio station located in North High, Minneapolis, focusing on jazz and training high school students as radio interns, as well as for elementary school students making delightful announcements about their schools.

The location is North High School at 1555 James Ave. No., MPLS.

Here are the current available shifts. Email your request to urvc@umn.edu
(or call the URVC office 612-625-8016) and we will confirm your choice.

Available times
Fri. Sept. 28: 6-9 AM; 9 AM-12; 3-7 PM and 8-11 PM
Sat. Sept. 29: 7AM-12; 8 AM-12; 9 AM-12
Sun. Sept. 30: 1-4 PM; and 4-7 PM
Mon. Oct. 1: 6-9 AM; Noon-3 PM; 3-7 PM
Tue. Oct. 2: 6-9 AM; 9 AM -12; Noon - 3 PM; 3-7 PM
Wed. Oct. 3: 6-9 AM; 9 AM -12; Noon - 3 PM; 7-11PM
Thurs. Oct. 4: 6-9 AM; 9 AM- 12; Noon - 3 PM
Fri. Oct. 5: 6-9 AM; 9 AM-12; Noon - 3 PM; 3-7 PM
Sat. Oct. 6: Noon - 4 PM
Sun. Oct. 7: 1-4 PM; 4-7 PM

KBEM also needs help processing incoming and outgoing mail both before and after the drive. If you have availability these weekdays during regular business hours (M-F, 9:00-5:00) please let us know when you would like to serve.

UNIVERSITY RETIREES VOLUNTEER CENTER urvc@umn.edu 612-625-8016

Are you a Fringe Festival Fan? As you well know, the Minnesota Fringe is one of the most successful and prominent fringe festivals of performance arts in the country. Yes, much of the presentations are off the wall, but that's the point about a fringe.

This is the third year that University Retirees Volunteer Center is sponsoring volunteers for the festival. The dates are August 2 - 12, with afternoon and evening performances daily. There are 15 venues, all but one in Minneapolis. Rarig Theater's four stages are included. The principal volunteer jobs are box office sales and ushering, each shift being 90 min. A training session is required, even for previous volunteers.

It is usually the case that the volunteer does not have a seat for the performance during the shift, BUT for each shift worked you receive a coupon for any show you wish. If you choose to volunteer at Rarig Theater the URVC will provide free parking in the adjoining campus ramp. An additional benefit for volunteers is receiving a Fringe Button which is good for ticket discounts at Fringe sponsored theater productions throughout the year!

To sign-up for volunteering contact URVC through urvc@umn.edu . This way we have a record of your Fringe volunteer intent. We will provide you with the registration link for which to choose your volunteering date(s), time(s), and venue(s), as well as training session. The link's website also provides the schedule of performances. In this way you could schedule your shift before or after a performance you wish to attend. If you have any problems with the link, contact URVC by E-mail or office phone (612)-625-8016.

URVC has two mock jury dates coming up. They may be a few months away but we have a long list of volunteers for this category and with "out-source" volunteers this project can fill up quickly.

William Mitchell College of Law will be holding mock jury trials for their students on Thursday, Sept. 20 and Friday Sept. 21. The hours will be 8 am - 2 pm.

Your involvement and feedback becomes an important part of legal education. You deliberate on a verdict, announce the verdict, and spend time with the judge and "lawyers" constructively critiquing the students.

Jurors dress is casual. A bagel breakfast is provided, as well as lunch.

Select your preferred date and Email the URVC office. We will register you with the Mock Jury Coordinator at the William Mitchell Law School.
For further questions contact URVC Project Directors:
Alan Kagan kagan001@umn.edu
Sally Schakel sschakel1@comcast.net

ATTENTION HORTICULTURISTS & ENVIRONMENTALISTS
UNIVERSITY RETIREES VOLUNTEER CENTER PROJECTS

URVC is promoting new volunteer projects with a summer schedule for you who have indicated your interest in nature, agriculture, and horticulture. (Remember the survey?)
Any questions ? Consider these and if you have the time and desire to participate we will
provide the contact for the project(s) you choose. urvc@umn.edu (612-625-8016)

1) Garden Beautification / Flower & Plant Care Assistant: People Incorporated (non-profit) maintains group homes for the mentally ill. We are seeking gardeners to maintain and add flowers & plants around a group home in North Oakdale. Water, groom & improve the garden to brighten the lives of clients & staff living & working there. Summer through fall, ending with bulb planting. Arrange your own schedule.

2) Environmental Explorers: Volunteers to assist 4th - 7th graders at the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center in North Minneapolis (Bethune Elementary). This summer the theme is ecology and the environment with a different theme each of 4 days of the week: gardening, scientific inquiry, arts, cooking, entrepreneurship.

The schedule is from 12:30 - 4pm from June 25 - August 17. You can arrange to come once or as often as you like! Wear comfortable clothing appropriate for indoors or outdoors, especially for the gardening day. This is a Twin Cities Impact Now program.

a) Mondays: Outdoor Environmental Exploration - scientific inquiry to explore the neighborhood ecosystems, water quality, life cycles & social impact.
b) Tuesdays: ECO careers & Green Enterprise - environmentally related post-secondary education options, ECO careers, green business development & marketing.
c) Thursdays: ECO Art - art exploration using recycled materials, photography of natural environment in Heritage Park & neighborhood.
d) Fridays: Gardening & Active Chefs: hands-on organic gardening, composting, cooking nutritious meals with vegetables grown, sustainable agricultural practices.

URVC VOLUNTEERS SUPPORT LUNCHES FOR CHILDREN

DOOR-HANGER CANVASSING for SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM

URVC needs volunteers for this 2nd Harvest Heartland project. On 14 weekdays in the 2nd half of June and early July volunteers will meet in Minneapolis and St. Paul neighborhoods to hang information on residence doorhandles. Volunteers will work in teams. The material is to inform residents of nearby mealsites for children who, during the school year, receive free or reduced cost lunches. This will ensure these children continue to receive regular meals during the summer.

The dates, times, & city areas are:
Sat., June 16, 9 - 11:30 am : Minneapolis Mon., June 18, 1 - 3:30 pm: Minneapolis
Tues., June 19, 1 - 3:30 pm: St. Paul Wed., June 20, 9 - 11:30 am: St. Paul
Thur., June 21, 9 - 11:30 am & 1 - 3:30 pm: Minneapolis
Fri., June 22, 9 - 11:30 am & 1 - 3:30 pm: St. Paul
Sat., June 23, 9 - 11:30 am: St. Paul Mon., June 25, 1 - 3:30 pm: Minneapolis
Tues., June 26, 1:30 - 4:00 pm: St. Paul Wed., June 27, 1 - 3:30 pm: St. Paul
Thur., June 28, 1 - 3:30 pm: St. Paul Fri., June 29, 1 - 3:30 pm: Minneapolis
Mon., July 2, 9 - 11:30 am: St. Paul Tues., July 3, 9 - 11:30 pm: Minneapolis

You can select one or more 2 ½ hour shifts. (You will receive the location after you register.) At that time you will meet a canvassing leader & the other volunteers at the SFSP meal site & be given a name tag, materials & instructions. You will NOT be expected to knock on doors. Wear comfortable clothing & walking shoes, bring sunscreen & a waterbottle and a backpack or carrying bag for the canvassing materials.

As this is an outdoor project it is weather reliant. Shift cancellations will be made due to dangerous heat, rain, or other extreme weather conditions. 2nd Harvest Heartland will alert you by Email no later than 2 hours prior to the shift.

To be registered for this project contact us at the URVC office or direct your Email to Alan Kagan kagan001@umn.edu. Specify the date(s) & shift(s), your full name, Email address, and phone #. If you wish to register yourself we will provide the link.

URVC VOLUNTEERS FOR CHORUS AMERICA CONFERENCE
(A University Retirees Volunteer Center Project)

VocalEssence (www.vocalessence.org) is hosting the annual conference of Chorus America, the national advocacy, research, and leadership organization for choruses, its leaders and singers.
Hundreds of choral directors will descend on Minneapolis next month at the Radisson Plaza Hotel . Over a 4-day period there will be lectures, workshops, choral demonstrations and concerts: June 12 evening (conference set-up) & June 13 - 16.

There are a variety of volunteer duties for which you can be involved:
Registration & Welcoming
Session Monitors (assist staff members & speakers)
Conference Store (process sales of choral materials, CDs, etc.)
Masterclass & Concert Monitors (assist staff, faculty, & sound engineers)
Transportation Guides (direct conferees to conference locations; know downtown)
Buttonholes (1-on1 meetings) & Dine-Around Coordinators (group meals)
Awards Banquet & Auction (business or cocktail attire required)
General Tasks

Volunteer shifts take place in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
Volunteering for 8 hours and over provides admission to any non-ticketed event.
Volunteering for less than 8 hours provides admission to non-ticketed events on the day of your service.

VocalEssence wishes to have volunteers register by May 18.
If you are interested in volunteering and observing this major annual choral event,
URVC will provide an online link to register, or will submit the necessary information for you. Contact urvc@umn.edu (or Project Director Alan Kagan kagan001@umn.edu).

Hello,

My name is Mike Resman and I am the president of the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. On this Thursday, April 12, I will be working as a part of the University of Minnesota community to raise $60,000 in one day for a Habitat for Humanity home. 60K Day will help a local family realize the dream of owning their own home through the combined donations of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and U of M supporters. $60,000 is an ambitious goal, but one that I believe can be accomplished, if we all work together. I am very excited to be a part of this effort, and on behalf of University students, I'd like to ask for your support.

To support 60K Day, please mark your calendar for April 12th. You can make an online donation anytime throughout the day starting at midnight by going to www.donate.60kday.org. You can also help by spreading the word before April 12th! Tell others about our mission and direct them to the website (www.60kday.org), the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/60kday) or Twitter account (www.twitter.com/60kday).

To learn more about 60K Day, I would encourage you to check out some of our promotional videos. They can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/60kday.

Thank you in advance for your support!

Best regards,

Mike Resman

"You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give." - Winston Churchill

One community. One home. One day.
www.60kday.org

Volunteers for 2nd Harvest Heartland Gala Fund Raiser
URVC Offers You A Delightful & Useful Project

DISH: Cuisine for Change, the annual gala fund raiser for Second Harvest Heartland, will be held on April 19th, 2012 at the River Centre in St. Paul. This will be an amazing event featuring food and wine sampling from local restaurants, live and silent auctions, and the comedian Sebastian Maniscalco!

Volunteers' gifts of time and talent entitles them to the following event perks:
* Complimentary meal
* Opportunity to partake in the local restaurant tasting experience (as your shift permits)
* Option to bid on auction items

To sign up for one of the following shifts contact URVC by Email urvc@umn.edu or speak to our office staff 612-625-8016.
We will register you and give you the 2nd Harvest Heartland coordinator contact. Please provide a phone number where you can be reached at on the day of the event. Once registered, you will receive a follow up e-mail with further details about 7-10 days prior to the event.

The following is a list of 4 volunteer shifts and duties:
1. Raffle
* Shift Time: 5:15 PM to 8:30 PM
* Tasks: Volunteers will circulate the event to let guests know about the raffle and sell tickets.

2. Auction Spotters
* Shift Time: 7:00 to 9:00 PM
* Tasks: Volunteers Spotters will act as a visual liaison between bidders and the live auctioneer by pointing out bidders. They will also assist bidders with questions on their electronic bid pads

3. Auction Packing and Check out
* Shift Time: 7:30 to 10:30 PM
* Tasks: Volunteers will assist action winners, collect a signed invoice, and deliver their winning items to the guest. Those volunteers working the checkout terminals will be working with laptops and bar code scanners, so minimal technical experience is required.

4. Auction Floaters
* Shift Time: 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
* Tasks: During the silent auction, you will circulate throughout the venue assisting bidders with the bid process on the electronic bid pads and kiosks.

We hope you will devote an evening of your time for this exciting event to raise money for Second Harvest Heartland,

Alan L. Kagan & Sally Schakel, URVC Project Directors
or 651-457-6586.

Kinaesthetic Sensitivity in People with Spasmodic Dysphonia and Muscle Tension Dysphonia

This research study conducted by two university departments, Kinesiology and Speech-Language-Hearing Science, is seeking participant subjects. If you are interested in volunteering for this study, please respond to the University Retirees Volunteer Center at urvc@umn.edu or call our office at 612-625-8016. We will register you for the study, and you will be contacted by the study for appointments.

Principle Investigators: Dr. Peter Watson (Speech-Language-Hearing Science); Dr. Juergen Knoczak (Kinesiology).

Doctoral Student: Yu-Wen Chen (Speech-Language-Hearing)

Purpose of the Study: To evaluate a person's perception of passive arm movements. The perception in persons with no neurological disorders will be compared to those with spasmodic dysphonia.

Tasks of Participants: Participants will sit on a chair with the dominant arm resting on a foam-padded splint which will move the participant's arm horizontally. Participants will judge the speed and angle of the movements.

Participant Eligibility:

1) 40 to 75 years of age.

2) No neurological disorders.

3) No impaired movement of the arm, shoulder, or elbow.

The study will take place at Cooke Hall in the Human Sensorimotor Control Lab, Room 400 (East Bank Campus). Complete participation will include two sessions, each lasting approximately 1 hour. Free parking is available next to Shevlin Hall (East Bank Campus), a four block walk to Cooke Hall. Or you can call the URVC office (612-625-8016) for parking coupons for the University Ave Ramp which will be mailed to you in advance of your sessions.

The Continuing Medical Education Department is seeking volunteers to test a keypad device used to record an audience response (Audience Response System or ARS). The volunteer would test the device to determine if it is operational, and if not, replace the battery. There are 200 devices to be tested and 2 or 3 volunteers are needed.

Testing would be done at 2829 University Ave SE, #601 during the week of April 2-6; day and hours to be arranged. If you would like to help with this project, reply to this email or to urvc@umn.edu, and we will have the coordinator contact you to arrange a schedule.

Volunteer Officials Needed for the Young Inventors Fair

The top 75 young inventors have been selected from metro-area schools, and their projects will be on display at the Mall of America, Saturday, May 5th from 11:30 am to 5:00 pm. in the Best Buy Rotunda. Volunteer officials are needed to talk to the young inventors (grades 3-8) about their inventions, take photos and video, hand out recognition gifts, or assist with registration and set up. There is no judging involved--these students are already the award winners.
If you would be able to volunteer for this event, reply to urvc@umn.edu. We will provide you with information on how to register as a volunteer.

The University Retirees Volunteer Center endeavors to seek meaningful acrivities we may have overlooked in serving the community. Refugee services seem terribly obvious and yet, while having supported one-time projects for this effort, we have not promoted on-going projects for such an important service integral to American goodwill. Check out these specific projects:

1. Interns to assist case managers for refugees.
2. Citizenship preparation assistants at a weekly Friday morning class.
3. Mentors to be a guide and friend to a refugee during the first few months in a new culture.
4. Food shelf volunteers for refugees/immigrants at the Neighborhood House in St. Paul.
5. Computer basics teacher for refugees/immigrants at the Neighborhood House in St. Paul.

If you would like more information about one of these weekly projects, we will connect you with the specific coordinator. Email us at urvc@umn.edu or call the URVC office at 612-625-8016.

Last month I volunteered for the "Student Creativity Festival," a project of the Success Beyond the Classroom (SBC) program. It was a most gratifying experience--an opportunity to observe students from 29 elementary schools in participatory classes that integrate the arts and sciences. After an engaging set of demonstrations by faculty and students of the University's Physics Department, the young students broke up into groups and attended their choice of three classes with such diverse subjects as "Endangered Species," "Mexican Music and Culture," "Neutrinos and Dark Matter," "Paper Marbling," and "Whats-its on Wheels." Enthusiasm for knowledge was so evident in these children!

URVC is now seeking volunteers for the next SBC event: Young Inventors Program and Fair. Students, grades 3-8, have been creating inventions in projects that emphasize the creative process, scientific inquiry skills, and problem solving.

Volunteer opportunities: 1) Evaluators are needed March 8 and 9 to judge the projects at a St. Paul location on University Avenue; 2) General volunteers are needed for the Invention Fair on May 5 at the Mall of America. For more detailed information or to indicate your interest in volunteering, e-mail the Volunteer Center at urvc@umn.edu or call the office, 612-625-8016.

-- Alan l. Kagan, Project Director, URVC

The directors of the University of Minnesota Retirees Volunteer Center have established this page to improve communications. This blog has been designed to allow Officers of the Board, and URVC Office Volunteers to write current information on this page without having to pass it through the WebMaster to edit and add. The previous process could be regularly timely, since we are all volunteers and have other priorities.

Our plan is to begin with a small number of "authors," and gradually expand as we gain experience and feedback. We invite you to add our comments to the blog. We especially welcome comments about the volunteer experience, from both hosts and volunteers.

We intend to learn from this experience, and make improvements from time-to-time, as they are needed.