What is RSVP?
The Portage County RSVP is one of 17 Wisconsin projects sponsored by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service and is sponsored locally by the Aging & Disability Resource Center. Its mission is to promote volunteerism--targeting people age 55 and over--as a means of addressing critical community needs, and to provide a high quality experience that will enrich the lives of the volunteers.
What does RSVP do? RSVP works to...
Why should you join RSVP? RSVP will...
How can you join RSVP?
Stop in at Lincoln Center or call (715) 346-1401. Click here to Email RSVP.
Volunteer Opportunities
Please take a minute to review the following list of volunteer opportunities; if something catches your eye, stop in, call or email us. A detailed job description is available for each listing. Likewise, if there is an issue you'd like to address that isn't listed here, let us know and we can work together to identify a volunteer involvement for you.
Click here for our volunteer application form.
You can choose a weekly schedule or you can choose from many short-term assignments and special events. Training is provided as needed, so you may want to try something new. You can also explore community volunteer opportunities at www.volunteersrock.org. When you find something that interests you, let us know and we'll assist you with getting started.
The Portage County RSVP is one of 17 Wisconsin projects sponsored by the federal Corporation for National and Community Service and is sponsored locally by the Aging & Disability Resource Center. Its mission is to promote volunteerism--targeting people age 55 and over--as a means of addressing critical community needs, and to provide a high quality experience that will enrich the lives of the volunteers.
What does RSVP do? RSVP works to...
- Recruit people age 55+ for volunteer assignments addressing community needs in local agencies.
- Develop volunteer opportunities that utilize the skills, experience and wisdom of older adults.
- Increase the variety of volunteer opportunities available to older adults.
- Provide opportunities for intergenerational activities and projects in school and community settings.
- Increase public awareness of the contributions of older adults and report to funding sources the community impact of those contributions.
Why should you join RSVP? RSVP will...
- Match your interests, abilities and time with volunteer needs in the community.
- Provide ongoing staff support and training as well as information on new volunteer opportunities.
- Provide accident and liability insurance that covers you while you're volunteering.
- Invite you to the annual RSVP recognition event.
How can you join RSVP?
Stop in at Lincoln Center or call (715) 346-1401. Click here to Email RSVP.
Volunteer Opportunities
Please take a minute to review the following list of volunteer opportunities; if something catches your eye, stop in, call or email us. A detailed job description is available for each listing. Likewise, if there is an issue you'd like to address that isn't listed here, let us know and we can work together to identify a volunteer involvement for you.
Click here for our volunteer application form.
You can choose a weekly schedule or you can choose from many short-term assignments and special events. Training is provided as needed, so you may want to try something new. You can also explore community volunteer opportunities at www.volunteersrock.org. When you find something that interests you, let us know and we'll assist you with getting started.
RSVP School-Based Volunteer Opportunities
RSVP volunteers at the Charles F. Fernandez Center for Alternative Learning are making a difference with at-risk students by helping them discover the joy of learning through the use of power tools in the woodworking shop-part of the RSVP Project Based Learning Program.
Since January 2001, RSVP volunteers have met with students twice a week to introduce beginning woodworking and power tools. Students learn about safety and complete basic woodworking projects. This "hands-on" type of learning also increases the students' self-esteem and confidence and instills a sense of pride in accomplishments. The volunteers provide a supportive environment by being patient and by understanding that the students have varying abilities and learn at different rates. The real benefit of this program is the mentoring and bonding that takes place between student and volunteer. Many of the students have no adult role model and they appreciate the kindness, understanding and commitment of the volunteer.
Teachers are very enthusiastic about the program and observe a positive change in the students as a result of the program and the relationships that develop.
Another exciting RSVP intergenerational opportunity is the America Reads Volunteer Tutoring program. This program began in 1998 as a national initiative to ensure that every child reads well and independently by the end of third grade. Since the beginning, volunteers have been reading with first and second grade children in the public schools. Volunteers are now helping at Bannach, McDill, McKinley, Washington, Plover-Whiting, Madison, Kennedy and Amherst Elementary Schools. Most volunteers read with children for 90 minutes once a week, and teachers have reported that the children are making great strides in reading.
The attention of a caring volunteer results in students not only improving their reading scores on standardized tests, but also increasing their self-esteem as they become more confident readers. The volunteers truly bond with the students who look forward to their help each week.
BABES (Beginning Alcohol and Addictions Basic Education Studies) is a prevention program designed to encourage children to live happy, healthy lives free of drug abuse.
Trained RSVP volunteers using BABES puppets and a script present accurate, nonjudgmental and age-appropriate information to all second grade classes in Portage County. The program is designed to help children by promoting self-esteem, defining peer pressure and practicing good decision-making skills. The program also helps the children understand and develop skills necessary to cope with unhappy situations and stresses the importance of asking for help.
The puppets discuss issues children understand in a manner they understand. The BABES puppets are: Buttons and Bows, two kittens who are brother and sister; Early Bird, who warns of danger; Myth Mary, who doesn't always say things that are true; Recovering Reggie, who is recovering from drug and alcohol abuse; Donovan Dignity, who is the wise old owl; and Rhonda Rabbit, who is an abused child with the experience of life in a chemically-dependent environment.
There are six 30-minute lessons, usually presented twice a week for three weeks. Lessons include peer pressure, coping skills, asking for help, self-esteem and drug and alcohol information. New volunteers are paired with experienced volunteers and no experience is necessary. Other volunteers are also needed once during the three-week series to dress in full size costumes of the puppets and visit each class for a hug or a handshake.
The innovative PAWS for Reading program began in October, 2003 and aims to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of animals from the Portage County Humane Society and pet owners. RSVP volunteers take their own pets or an appropriate animal from the Humane Society to a local elementary school and young children read to the animal. Research shows that children with poor reading skills and low self-esteem are often more willing to interact with an animal than with another person. Children are finding that reading to an animal is less intimidating. Teachers and children are very excited about the program and it is a great motivator for children who are reluctant to read to an adult. Animals, of course, are non-judgmental and never criticize. Children often show pictures to the animals and wonder when they learned to read.
Expansion of this program came about quickly because many volunteers with Certified Pet Therapy dogs wanted to volunteer to have their animals read to as well. Currently there are 13 volunteers serving six elementary schools in the Stevens Point School District. This is a very popular program and additional volunteers are always welcome.
Bannach School is interested in offering a math tutoring program for students who will benefit from extra help. They are requesting RSVP volunteers who can tutor during or after school. More details will be available when school starts, but if you are at all interested, please let us know.
Since January 2001, RSVP volunteers have met with students twice a week to introduce beginning woodworking and power tools. Students learn about safety and complete basic woodworking projects. This "hands-on" type of learning also increases the students' self-esteem and confidence and instills a sense of pride in accomplishments. The volunteers provide a supportive environment by being patient and by understanding that the students have varying abilities and learn at different rates. The real benefit of this program is the mentoring and bonding that takes place between student and volunteer. Many of the students have no adult role model and they appreciate the kindness, understanding and commitment of the volunteer.
Teachers are very enthusiastic about the program and observe a positive change in the students as a result of the program and the relationships that develop.
Another exciting RSVP intergenerational opportunity is the America Reads Volunteer Tutoring program. This program began in 1998 as a national initiative to ensure that every child reads well and independently by the end of third grade. Since the beginning, volunteers have been reading with first and second grade children in the public schools. Volunteers are now helping at Bannach, McDill, McKinley, Washington, Plover-Whiting, Madison, Kennedy and Amherst Elementary Schools. Most volunteers read with children for 90 minutes once a week, and teachers have reported that the children are making great strides in reading.
The attention of a caring volunteer results in students not only improving their reading scores on standardized tests, but also increasing their self-esteem as they become more confident readers. The volunteers truly bond with the students who look forward to their help each week.
BABES (Beginning Alcohol and Addictions Basic Education Studies) is a prevention program designed to encourage children to live happy, healthy lives free of drug abuse.
Trained RSVP volunteers using BABES puppets and a script present accurate, nonjudgmental and age-appropriate information to all second grade classes in Portage County. The program is designed to help children by promoting self-esteem, defining peer pressure and practicing good decision-making skills. The program also helps the children understand and develop skills necessary to cope with unhappy situations and stresses the importance of asking for help.
The puppets discuss issues children understand in a manner they understand. The BABES puppets are: Buttons and Bows, two kittens who are brother and sister; Early Bird, who warns of danger; Myth Mary, who doesn't always say things that are true; Recovering Reggie, who is recovering from drug and alcohol abuse; Donovan Dignity, who is the wise old owl; and Rhonda Rabbit, who is an abused child with the experience of life in a chemically-dependent environment.
There are six 30-minute lessons, usually presented twice a week for three weeks. Lessons include peer pressure, coping skills, asking for help, self-esteem and drug and alcohol information. New volunteers are paired with experienced volunteers and no experience is necessary. Other volunteers are also needed once during the three-week series to dress in full size costumes of the puppets and visit each class for a hug or a handshake.
The innovative PAWS for Reading program began in October, 2003 and aims to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of animals from the Portage County Humane Society and pet owners. RSVP volunteers take their own pets or an appropriate animal from the Humane Society to a local elementary school and young children read to the animal. Research shows that children with poor reading skills and low self-esteem are often more willing to interact with an animal than with another person. Children are finding that reading to an animal is less intimidating. Teachers and children are very excited about the program and it is a great motivator for children who are reluctant to read to an adult. Animals, of course, are non-judgmental and never criticize. Children often show pictures to the animals and wonder when they learned to read.
Expansion of this program came about quickly because many volunteers with Certified Pet Therapy dogs wanted to volunteer to have their animals read to as well. Currently there are 13 volunteers serving six elementary schools in the Stevens Point School District. This is a very popular program and additional volunteers are always welcome.
Bannach School is interested in offering a math tutoring program for students who will benefit from extra help. They are requesting RSVP volunteers who can tutor during or after school. More details will be available when school starts, but if you are at all interested, please let us know.
Do you have a hobby or interest you'd like to share with children?
Recently RSVP volunteers visited McKinley School in Stevens Point for a day-long folk fair. A folk fair is a demonstration of arts, crafts, hobbies, everyday items and unusual or interesting items-some from "years ago", some more recent. The fairs serve as an informative way to show the younger generation what older adults do for hobbies and what life was like when older adults were young.
Examples of folk fair activities include: wood carving by hand and using a lathe, knitting, making homemade ice cream and butter, rock and gem collections, bee keeping, rug braiding, button toys and camera collection. One of the most popular demonstrations from the students' viewpoint is old fashioned clothes washing using metal tubs and a wringer.
RSVP has several folk fairs scheduled. If you have a hobby or collection to share, or would like to assist with demonstrations, contact RSVP.
Click here for more RSVP...
Examples of folk fair activities include: wood carving by hand and using a lathe, knitting, making homemade ice cream and butter, rock and gem collections, bee keeping, rug braiding, button toys and camera collection. One of the most popular demonstrations from the students' viewpoint is old fashioned clothes washing using metal tubs and a wringer.
RSVP has several folk fairs scheduled. If you have a hobby or collection to share, or would like to assist with demonstrations, contact RSVP.
Click here for more RSVP...
Lincoln Center
1519 Water Street
Stevens Point, WI 54481
715-346-1401
1519 Water Street
Stevens Point, WI 54481
715-346-1401
