"Lend A Hand Where You Can"

The Volunteer Intergenerational Center Staff and volunteers are teaming up with members of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, City of Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau Public School District, Southeast Missouri State University, Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging, United Way of Southeast Missouri, Love Inc., Habitat For Humanity, KZIM, KFVS TV-12, Cape Area Family Resource Center, SEMO Alliance for Disability and others to make this year's National Volunteer Week a success. Members from each organization have formed a task force dedicated to planning and coordinating the event to be held Sunday, April 19 -- Saturday, April 25, 2009 in Cape Girardeau. This year's theme will be "Lend a Hand Where You Can".

National Volunteer Week reflects the power that volunteers have to "inspire by example" -- volunteers both encourage those they help and motivate others to serve! Volunteer service first came to the forefront in 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order to establish the week as an annual celebration of volunteering. Every year since that time, each U.S. President, along with many governors, mayors and other elected officials, has signed a proclamation promoting National Volunteer Week.

Please consider how your agency can participate in National Volunteer Week by submitting a project and/or projects that could be completed by a

volunteer(s) in a week's time. Also allow yourself and your employees the time to participate as volunteers for other non-profit organizations. Members of the task force will also be soliciting volunteers from businesses, churches, groups, and individuals within the community once projects are submitted.

Please contact the Volunteer Intergenerational Center at 573-335-7555 to receive a form for your proposed project. All project forms need to be completed and submitted by February 13 (address on form). We truly appreciate your participation and support!