By GRETCHEN PHILLIPSStaff writer

When someone in distress calls 911in St.Mary’sCounty, it’s a surebet thata volunteer will come to the rescue.

Current members of the county’svolunteer fire departments and rescuesquads are looking for help to guaran-tee that continues.

“We want to increase the numbersfor volunteers for each station,wheth-er it’s fire or EMS,” said Kelly Bell,recruitment and retention coordinatorfor St. Mary’s County fire and emer-gencymedical services.

Bell works to bring in new volun-teers and retain thosewhoare current-ly answering the call. She estimatesthere are 1,200 volunteers currentlyworking at the six volunteer firehous-

es, six rescue squads, the combinedfire and rescue department in ValleyLee and the Advanced Life SupportUnit.

Reaching outWith the county’s population con-

tinuing to grow, Bell said call volumesare increasing and more volunteersare needed.

Unless more people step up,“there’s going tobea timewhensome-one calls 911 and there’s not going tobe someone to respond,” said Jona-than Scully, Leonardtown VolunteerFire Department chief.

“That’s what it’s going to comedown to,” he said.

With so many people moving intothe community from areas that have

paid fire and rescue departments,Scully said many new residents don’trealize the departments in St. Mary’sare “all volunteer, all the time.”

Bell said she works with local highschools to inform students about fireand rescue programs at the Dr. JamesA.ForrestCareer andTechnologyCen-ter, and information is also providedat the College of Southern Marylandregarding the need for volunteers.

Electronic signs are often postedaround the community requestingvolunteers.

Scully said there are many ways toassist the fire and rescue squads otherthan running into a burning build-ing or helping someone who can’tbreathe.

“This is a business,” Scully said.Volunteers canassistwith thefinancial

side of the department, helping withfundraising and other administrativeduties.

There are also opportunities todrive the trucks and help with fireprevention.

Bell saidmembers of the auxiliariesat the stations focus on fundraising,and without them, “the fire depart-ments and rescue squads wouldn’thave the equipment they have.”

Fire and EMS training is free tothose who volunteer, Bell said.

That training can also be appliedto other aspects of a volunteer’s life,she said, and can be a stepping stonewhen pursuing a career in themedicalfield, and scholarships are available tovolunteers, whether they are pursuing

Fire Chief Jonathan Scully talkswith Lt. Jared Trossbach as theyobserve firefighters engaged inrapid intervention training earlierthis month at the Leonardtownfirehouse. All of the fire depart-ments and rescue squads in St.Mary’s County are always on thelookout for new volunteers.

Staff photo by REID SILVERMAN

Volunteeringis a way of lifefor many here

See VOLUNTEERS, Page 3

BurchOil salutes all the Civic Organizations,the people of our community and our

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employeeswho volunteer their time.We are committed to continually supportingtheir efforts by participating in local projects.

Keep up the Great Work!

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Page 2 BUILDING A NETWORK TO HELP Friday, January 30, 2015

Animals 4

Education 4

Fire and rescue 4

Fraternal andprofessional 5

Health 6

Historic 7

Hunger 8

Recreation 9

Religious 9

Social service 10

Youth 11

BUILDING A NETWORK TO HELP Friday, January 30, 2015 Page 3

a degree in a related field or not.Bell said the fire departments and rescue squads

also offer opportunities for networking. For thosewho are unemployed or underemployed, she said,“you never know who you will meet at a volunteerfire department or rescue squad.”

No experience requiredJeff Gross, 18, joined the Leonardtown fire

department in 2013 after seeing a sign during a tripto a county trash convenience center with his dad.

He recalled seeing the sign requesting volunteersfor fire and rescue and noted the phrase, “Do youhave what it takes?”

Gross said the question stuck with him, eventu-ally leadinghimto realize that volunteeringwith thefiredepartment “can’t doanythingbuthelpmeandhelp the people aroundme.”

He had no previous experience with fire or res-cue, and no connections to it through family, butGross set off to answer the call. He said the hardestpart initiallywasgoing to thedepartmentnotknow-ing anyone.He said he quicklymet new friends andbecame part of a second family.

Bell said camaraderie is a big benefit of joiningfire and rescue. As a member, “you do becomefamily.”

Formany in St.Mary’s, becoming afireor rescuevolunteer simply runs in the family.

Scully’s father, Kenny, has been a member ofthe Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department for 45years, and there are several other Scullys currentlyvolunteering for fire and rescue in the county.

The Scully name has been part of the Leonard-town fire department since the 1940s, Kenny Scullysaid, noting that his mother was a member of theauxiliary, and his uncle was a firefighter back then.

“It’s in the blood,” Kenny Scully said.The same is true formany families in the county.“It’s the excitement of it,” Jonathan Scully said of

oneminute going about a normal day and the nextminute saving a person’s life.

Putting in timeBell said some people may be hesitant to volun-

teer, thinking the time commitment is toomuch.She said there is a commitment that must bemade, but it is flexible.

Gross said like anything else, volunteers getout of it what they put in. For him, once he start-ed running calls, “I was hooked.”

Gross is currently incollege, but sayshevolun-tarily spends more time at the station on schoolbreaks than he does with his friends and family.

“We’re always looking for that type of personto get the bug,” said Kenny Scully.

Jonathan Scully said anyone can volunteerprovided they have a desire to learn. He said asa firefighter there will be times that a volunteermightmissoutonsomethingathome, like aholi-day dinner, or times when the volunteer has toleave an event abruptly to go on a call. He said inthe grand scheme of things, though, that missedmoment is worth it when itmeans saving a life.

gphillips@somdnews.com

VolunteersContinued from Page 1

Staff photos by REID SILVERMAN

Firefighters Ritchie Tippett, John Trossbach, Sam Wernecke and A.J. Bell transfer 200-pound dummy earlier this monththrough an obsticle course during rapid intervention training at the Leonardtown firehouse.

Dozens of nonprofit organizations provide vital services to the community and relyon volunteers to fulfill their mission. A list of many of those community groups andclubs, organized by subject, is presented on the following pages.

Nonprofit organizations not listed here thatwould like to be included in future com-pilations of community organizations in St. Mary’s County that can use volunteer helpcan call Jesse Yeatman at 301-866-6454 or send an email to jyeatman@somdnews.com.

Want to get involved in St.Mary’s County? Here’s how

Eleven-year old Austin Olszewski of Leonardtown gets a tour ofthe Leonardtown firehouse earlier this month by LVFD firefighterJohn Padgett, as a part of his Boy Scouts project.

Page 4 BUILDING A NETWORK TO HELP Friday, January 30, 2015

AnimalsFeral Cat Rescue is a nonprofit

organization that works to humanelyreduce the feral and stray cat popula-tion in the county. Volunteers staff apublic adoption event to place domes-ticated, fully vetted cats and kittensat the Petco in California every Sat-urday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3p.m., and volunteers for trapping andtransporting feral cats are welcome.Foster homes are also are needed. Call301-475-5059 or visit www.feralcatres-cuemd.org.

Golden Retriever Rescue of SouthernMaryland is an all-volunteer, nonprofitrescue group serving Charles, Calvertand St. Mary’s County. Its mission isto find permanent homes for goldenretrievers in need, but volunteers toassist with free foster care services arewelcome. Volunteers are needed tostaff educational tables, do home vis-its for prospective adopters, providetemporary, loving homes until adop-tion and to help with fundraising. Call1-855-477-3728or visitwww.goldenre-trieverrescueofsouthernmaryland.org.

Greyt Expectations Greyhound Rescueassists greyhounds, putting about 100of these retired racers in good homeseach year. Visit www.greytexpecta-tions.org or call 1-866-975-4347 orGeorge Nussberger of Mechanicsvilleat 301-373-4820.

The Tri-County Animal Shelter, locatedon Route 231 in Hughesville, supportsand houses domestic stray animals forCalvert, Charles and St. Mary’s coun-ties. The shelter takes domestic ani-mals when their owners can no longerprovide care for them and offers assis-tance and guidance to owners of petswith behavioral problems. The shel-ter offers pet adoptions. Call 800-903-1992 or 301-932-1713 or visit www.charlescountymd.gov.

Second Hope Rescue Inc. is a regionalanimal rescue group that seeks to give“second hope” to hard-to-place ani-mals. The group has animals avail-able for adoption that can be viewedat www.secondhoperescue.org. Fosterhomes are needed. Call 240-925-0628.

St. Mary’s Animal Welfare League isa nonprofit organization that worksto protect animals from cruelty andabuse. Goals include the building ofa no-kill shelter for cats and dogs inSt. Mary’s County and to continue anaggressive spay/neuter program. Ser-vices include pet adoptions, discountspay or neuter vouchers for senior citi-zen and low-income individuals. Call301-373-5659 or visit www.smawl.org.

EducationSt. Mary’s County Business, Educa-

tion and Community Alliance Inc. (BECA)seeks volunteers for its scholarshipapplication receipt, distribution,review and award process from Janu-ary through May each year. A scholar-ship fair is held in late January. Formore information, email smcbeca@gmail.com, call 240-257-2322 or writeP.O.Box153,Leonardtown,MD20650.

FLOW Mentoring, a program inSt. Mary’s public schools, matchesresponsible community memberswith students. Volunteer mentorsmeet at the student’s school one daya week throughout the academic year.The program is seeking volunteers tomentor students in public schools.Call Sarah Tyson at 301-475-0242, ext.28128, write srtyson@smcps.org orvisit www.smcps.org/mentor.

The Friends of the St. Mary’s Library isan organization of persons interestedin libraries who advocate for and sup-port the library as a group and individ-ually. Call Marilyn Lash 301-475-2846,ext. 1007, or visit www.stmalib.org (seelink to “Friends of the Library”) formeeting times and locations.

The Learning Disabilities Associationof St. Mary’s County is dedicated to pro-moting public awareness of learningdisabilities and providing informationand support to individuals with learn-ing disablities and their families. Call301-994-1329, 301-872-5039 or visitwww.ldasmc.org.

The Literacy Council of St.Mary’s Coun-ty recruits volunteers to tutor adults ona one-on-one basis. The council holdsfree tutor-training workshops severaltimes a year. No previous teaching ortutoring experience is necessary. Call301-863-4847 or email stmalit@somd.lib.md.us.

Fire and rescueTo volunteer to join or assist the

Bay District Volunteer Fire Department inLexington Park, call the station at 301-737-0654 or 301-863-8790.

The Lexington Park Volunteer RescueSquad is looking for people to manambulances. Drivers, EMTs and crewpersons are also needed. The rescuesquadwill provide the training tobeanemergency vehicle driver, an EMT orcertified in CPR for anyone interested.Call 301-862-3331, email info@lpvrs.org or visit www.lpvrs.org.

To volunteer to join or assist theHollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad, call

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BUILDING A NETWORK TO HELP Friday, January 30, 2015 Page 5

the station at 301-373-3131. The Holly-wood Volunteer Fire Department can bereached at 301-373-2900.

To volunteer to join the Leonard-town Volunteer Fire Department, call301-475-8996. The Leonardtown Volun-teer Rescue Squad can be reached at301-475-8509.

The Mechanicsville Volunteer Res-cue Squad is always looking for newmembers. The following positions areavailable: EMTs, drivers, paramed-ics, administrative, auxiliary or cadet.Call 301-884-2900. To volunteer butnot for emergencies, consider joiningthe Mechanicsville Volunteer RescueSquad Auxiliary. Call 301-884-2900 orvisit www.co29.org. To inquire aboutjoining theMechanicsville Volunteer FireDepartment, call 301-884-4709.

To volunteer to join or assist theRidge Volunteer Rescue Squad, call thestation at 301-872-5970 or e-mailinfo@ridgevrs.org. To volunteer withthe Ridge Volunteer Fire Department,email info@ridgevfd.org.

To volunteerwith the Second DistrictVolunteer Fire Department and RescueSquad in Valley Lee, call 301-994-0751,email membership@sdvfdrs.org orvisit www.sdvfdrs.org.

To volunteer to join or assist theSeventh District Volunteer Rescue Squad,call the station at 301-769-2287 or visitwww.sdvrs59.com. The Seventh Dis-trict Volunteer Fire Department can bereached at 301-769-3600.

Fraternal/professionalAmerican Legion Post 255 and Aux-

iliary in Ridge meets at 6:30 p.m. onthe first Thursday of every month at13390 Point Lookout Road. Call 301-872-5349.

American Legion Post 221 in Avenuemeets on the first Thursday of themonth at 8 p.m. at 21690 Colton PointRoad. Call 301-884-4071.

American Legion Post 298 in CharlotteHall meets the third Tuesday at 2 p.m.at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home.Call Carole Lewis at 301-884-8171, ext.483.

The Benevolent and Protective Orderof Elks, located off Chancellor’s RunRoad in California, meets the secondand fourth Tuesday of each month at7:30 p.m. The Elks is a national frater-nal organization that supports veter-ans andavarietyof charities, includingmany youth activities such as SpecialOlympics. To join, a current Elk mustsponsor an applicant. Call 301-863-7800 or visit www.elks.org.

The Claude D. Alexander MemorialGolf Tournament Association Inc. is agroup of local volunteers who wantto support the troops. The volunteersin the association help with an annu-al golf tournament and also provideone-on-one contact with woundedMarines, soldiers, sailors and airmenand their families and bring them toSouthern Maryland for vacations. Inaddition, they provide home-cookedmeals for the injured veterans, theirfamilies and staff nurses and doctors.Anyone can volunteer. For more, con-tact retired Capt. Ted and Nancy Har-wood at nativetexan@aol.com.

The Fifth District Homemakers meeton the second and fourth Tuesday ofevery month at 10 a.m. at the North-ern Senior Activity Center in CharlotteHall. Call 301-884-7071.

Fleet Reserve Unit 93, Ladies Auxil-iary meets the first Monday of everymonth. Its board of directors meetingis at 5:30 p.m. and the general meet-ing is at 6 p.m. at the Fleet Reservebuilding, located on Route 235 southof Gate 2 to Patuxent River Naval AirStation. All Navy, Marine and CoastGuard personnel, retirees and theirdependents are eligible to becomemembers of the Fleet Reserve or theladies auxiliary. Call 301-863-6117 or301-863-8291.

The GFWC Women’s Club of St. Mary’sCounty is part of an international orga-nization dedicated to communityimprovement and education throughvolunteer service. Call Judith Loflin at301-872-0064.

Members of the Kiwanis Club of St.Mary’s Countywork together on anum-ber of community service initiativesto achieve what one person cannotaccomplish alone. The club mentorsstudents, raises money for local youthprograms, participates in local charityprojects and more. The club meets atthe Golden Corral in Lexington Parkat 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of themonth and the board meets on thethird Tuesday of the month. Call 301-872-4250.

The League of Women Voters of St.Mary’s County regularly meets monthlyat various locations. Formed in 1977,the nonpartisan group works to edu-cate the community on local, state andnational issues. Call 301-994-3994 orvisit www.smc.lwvmd.org.

The Minority Business Alliance ofSt. Mary’s County meets on the thirdThursday of each month at 26603Three Notch Road in Lexington Parkat 7 p.m. A nonprofit organization,

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Page 6 BUILDING A NETWORK TO HELP Friday, January 30, 2015

the alliance is a network of business owners andother professionals. The group’s goal is to exchangeinformation and develop economically, and toencourage and inspire youth toward entrepreneur-ship. Email mba@aimg1.com.

The NAACP’s St. Mary’s County chapter meets at6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the last Thursday of everymonth. Call 301-863-3011 or visit stmarysnaacp.orgto learn about volunteer opportunities.

The National Active and Retired Federal EmployeesAssociation Chapter 969 is dedicated to protecting theearned retirement benefits of federal employees,retirees and their spouses. NARFE meets the thirdFriday of each month, except January and Febru-ary, at Olde Breton Inn in Leonardtown. A luncheonstarts at noon. Meeting starts at 1 p.m. Call RobertSchultz at 301-737-4102.

The Optimist Clubs, nonprofit community serviceorganizations, sponsor various youth programswithin the county.

Chaptico/4th District Optimistsmeet the first Thurs-day each month at 7 p.m. Call Linda James at 301-884-5637.

Mechanicsville Optimists meet the first and thirdWednesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the ParlettFarm social room off Route 6 in Mechanicsville; visitwww.mechanicsvilleoptimist.org.

The Seventh District Optimist Clubmeetson thefirst,second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:30p.m. Visit www.7thdistrictoptimist.org.

The St. Maries Optimist Club meets on the first andthird Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at The

Lexington on Great Mills Road. Call Patrick Dale at301-737-0707.

The Rotary Club of Leonardtownmeets each Thurs-day at 7:30 a.m. in the atrium of MedStar St. Mary’sHospital in Leonardtown. Call 301-373-8545.

The Rotary Club of Charlotte Hallmeets at St. Mary’sLanding at 7:30 a.m. on the first and third Tuesday ofeach month. Call Carrie Wood at 240-427-8533.

The Rotary Club of Lexington Park meets on non-holiday Mondays at noon at the Elks Lodge #2092 inGreat Mills. Call 301-863-7800.

The Second District Kids & Community Club meetsthe third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at St.George’s Catholic Church Hall. Call Bonnie Bowesat 301-994-0985.

The St. Mary’s River Watershed Association works toprotect, improve and promote the well-being of theSt. Mary’s River Watershed through the collabora-tive efforts of economic, agricultural, environmental,social, cultural andpolitical stakeholders in the com-munity. Visit www.smrwa.org or call 301-737-2903.

St. Mary’s County is the home of five charteredInternational Lions Clubs: Hollywood, Leonardtown, Lex-ington Park, Mechanicsville and Ridge. The motto ofthe Lions is “We Serve.” As knights of the blind,each club helps those in need to obtain eyeglassesor hearing aids, and collect used eyeglasses andhearing aids for refurbishing. Club volunteers helpprovide vision and hearing screening for students inSt. Mary’s County.

Each Lions Club hosts a variety of fundraisers.

All clubs offer scholarships, support for Lions CampMerrick in Charles County, distribute ChristmasCaring packages and make donations to local rescuesquads and fire departments. For more informationon Lions or how to become one, contact GeorgeKirby at 240-577-0029.

The St. Mary’s County Teen Court is a juvenile justicediversion program offering first-time misdemeanoroffenders, ages 11 to 17, or first-time traffic offend-ers younger than 18, with the opportunity to acceptaccountability for their minor crime without havingto incur a permanent criminal record or traffic courtfines and points.

Teen Court is a voluntary program that allowsjuvenile respondents to be judged by a jury of theirpeers. Youth volunteers with good academic stand-ing in grades 7 to 12 in a St. Mary’s school can joinwith other teens who are interested in helping theirfellow teens by serving as a member of the TeenCourt jury or being trained as a Teen Court attorney.Adult volunteers 21 and older are needed to serveas jury monitors, bailiff, exit interviewer or commu-nity judge. For more information, call the teen courtcoordinator at 301-475-4200, ext. 1852, or see www.stmarysmd.com/teencourt.

HealthA Community That Shares is a nonprofit organiza-

tion providing St. Mary’s County residents with thetemporary use of convalescent equipment at nocharge. ACTS loans and distributes the convalescentequipment on an as-required basis. Call 301-769-4199 and leave a message or visit www.acts-smc.org.

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BUILDING A NETWORK TO HELP Friday, January 30, 2015 Page 7

The American Heart Association funds research, cre-ates new programs to teach heart-healthy lifestylesand develops publications with updated informa-tion about heart disease and stroke. Call 800-242-8721 or visit www.americanheart.org.

Better Breathers Club is a free program offered atMedStar St. Mary’s Hospital for people with a pul-monary disease, such as COPD. During this free pro-gram, several pulmonary-related topics will be dis-cussed such as breathing techniques, home healthcare and exercise. Call 240-434-7143.

The Care Net Pregnancy Center of Southern Mary-land is a faith-based organization that offers, freeof charge, education on pregnancy and child careissues, pregnancy tests, limited diagnostic sono-grams, friendship and support. It operates out ofthree offices: 21562 Thames Ave., Lexington Park,301-737-4604; 25482 Point Lookout Road, Unit 201A,Leonardtown, 301-475-5333; and 2196 SolomonsIsland Road, Suite 3, Prince Frederick, 410-326-6866.

Charlotte Hall Veterans Home has more than 400active volunteers. To offer a helping hand by assist-ing residents, call Carole Lewis, director of commu-nity outreach, at 301-884-8171, ext. 483.

Health Share of St. Mary’s is a nonprofit programthat provides access to primary health care for low-income adults. Health Share provides access to aprimary care physician, co-pay on generic drugs andoutpatient services at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital.Call 240-895-7000.

Hospice of St. Mary’s helps terminally ill people livemore comfortably during their final phases of life.The organization provides a wide variety of servicesto the terminally ill and their families, including griefsupport groups for adults and children. Volunteeropportunities exist in the areas of direct patient care,Hospice House support and event and administra-tive support. Call 301-994-3023 or visit www.hospic-eofstmarys.org for more information.

MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital is a full-service com-munity hospital, delivering state-of-the-art emer-gency, acute inpatient and outpatient care in Leon-ardtown. Volunteer opportunities exist for adultsand high school-aged individuals. MedStar St.Mary’s matches volunteers to open positions basedon individual interests, skills, talents and availability.Call 301-475-6453 or medstarstmarys.org (ways togive/volunteering).

The MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary needsvolunteers to help staff an events or help in thegift shop. All funds raised by the auxiliary result inequipment, supplies and patient comfort items. Call301-475-6455 to learn more or to become a member.

National Alliance on Mental Illness of Southern Mary-land offers a wide array of programs to individualswho have a mental illness; to family members, caregivers, and friends who love them; and to commu-nity stakeholders who need to know more aboutmental illness and their vital role in recovery. Call301-737-1988, email namisouthernmd@gmail.comor visit www.namisomd.org.

On Our Own of St. Mary’s, a wellness and recoverycenter, is open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10a.m. to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at41665 Fenwick Street in Leonardtown. On Our Ownoffers advocacy, education, social and peer supportand works to fight stigma for people with a mentalillness. Call 301-997-1066.

Pastoral Counseling Center of St. Mary’s is a non-profit, ecumenical organization whose ministry is toprovide professional mental health services, regard-less of ability to pay. The center, located in theChurch of the Ascension in Lexington Park, specifi-cally needs volunteers, especially for administrativework, financial data entry and to serve as boardmembers. For more information, call 301-863-9333or email info@pccstmary.org.

To volunteer, become a member of the auxil-iary/foundation or make a donation to the St. Mary’sCounty Health Department, call Cindy Spalding at 301-475-4328 or write spaldingc@smhd.com.

HistoricThe museum division of St. Mary’s County Depart-

ment of Recreation and Parks is seeking volunteers forthe St. Clement’s Island Museum and the Piney PointLighthouse and Historic Park. Call 301-769-2222 for St.Clement’s or 301-994-1471 for Piney Point.

Historic Sotterley Plantation in Hollywood needsvolunteers for its visitors center/museum shop, edu-cation department, garden guild, historical interpre-

Page 8 BUILDING A NETWORK TO HELP Friday, January 30, 2015

tation, management office and special events. Call301-373-2280, email coordinator@sotterley.org orvisit www.sotterley.org.

Historic St. Mary’s City welcomes volunteers whoshare a commitment to learn and to educate. Emailthe HSMC volunteer coordinator at volunteer@stmaryscity.org or visit www.stmaryscity.org.

To volunteer with the Patuxent River Naval AirMuseum in Lexington Park, call the docent programcoordinator at 301-863-1900 or email association@paxmuseum.com.

Summerseat Farm has volunteer opportunitiesincludinggeneral farmandhouseholdmaintenance;gardening, landscaping and grounds maintenance;historical research and documentation; publicity;grant writing and assistance with special events. Call301-373-6607, email volunteer@summerseat.org orvisit www.summerseat.org.

St. Mary’s County Historical Society is always look-ing for volunteers with a variety of talents and skills.Activities could include cataloging, data entry, fil-ing, assisting in research activities and conductingtours of Tudor Hall and the old jail in Leonardtown.Volunteering can be a regular weekly commitment,or can involve specific, temporary projects creat-ing an exhibit on a particular piece of local history.Individuals with talent mounting exhibit text andimages labels are particularly appreciated. Call 301-475-2467 or email director@stmaryschs.org.

HungerThe St. Mary’s County Department of Social Ser-

vices helps residents. To donate, volunteer or receiveassistance, call 240-895-7000.

First Saints Community Church in Leonardtownoffers a soup kitchen Tuesdays and Thursdays from11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Food bags are available onThursdays only. Call 301-475-7200.

Good Samaritan Lutheran Church’s food pantry hasopenings for backup volunteers for food distributionevery Wednesday and Friday from 10 to 11:30 a.m.The St. Mary’s Caring soup kitchen needs volunteersfrom Monday to Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.,and from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 301-863-4740 oremail foodpantry@goodsamlutheran.com.

Helping Hands food pantry is open on Mondays,Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at28291 Old Village Road in Mechanicsville, located inthe old church hall next door to Immaculate Con-ception Church. To make a monetary donation, mailto P.O. Box 1658, Leonardtown, MD 20650. For moreinformation, call 301-247-2785.

HOPE of Southern Maryland (Helpers OvercomingProblems Effectively) is an incorporated nonprofitcharitableorganization supportedby local churches,community organizations, United Way and privatedonations, giving food and other help all year roundto those needing emergency assistance. If interestedin becoming a volunteer, call 301-737-2870.

Lexington Park Baptist Church food pantry is openon Wednesdays from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Nonperishablefood donations are always needed. Assistance maybe received once a month per family. Call 301-862-2552.

Mt. Zion United Methodist Church food pantry inMechanicsville is offered Tuesdays from 8 to 11a.m. and meals for the Moonlight Dream Club onthe second Thursday of the month (except January,February, July and August) from 10 a.m. to noon. Todonate, volunteer or receive assistance, call 301-884-4132.

SHARE (Self-help and Resource Exchange) Food is anonprofit community-based program that offers adiscounted food to anyone in the community.Mem-bers can receive $45 worth of food for $21 a monthat the distribution center located at the ImmaculateHeart of Mary Catholic Church in Lexington Park.Go to www.sharedc.org to see monthly menu or call301-863-8490 for sign-up information.

St. Cecilia’s Church in Lexington Park food pantry isoffered Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noonfor residents of St. Mary’s County who live south ofHermanville Road. Call 301-862-4600.

St. Mary’s Caring serves breakfast and lunch tothose in need Monday through Saturday from itsfacility next to Good Samaritan Lutheran Churchon Langley Road, just off Great Mills Road near theRoute 5 intersection. The St. Mary’s Caring soupkitchen is open Monday through Saturday. Breakfast

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fast is served from8:30 to10a.m., and lunch is servedfrom 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 301-863-5700.

The St. Mary’s County Department of Aging &Human Services Meals On Wheels Program is look-ing for volunteers to deliver meals to homeboundseniors in the community. Volunteers are neededMonday through Friday for about two hours eachmidday. Call Bridget Maddox at 301-475-4200, ext.1060, or email bridget.maddox@stmarysmd.com.

St. Vincent de Paul at Immaculate Heart of MaryChurch food pantry is offered on Mondays, Wednes-days and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to noon except onfederal holidays. To donate, volunteer or receiveassistance, call 301-863-8193.

Trinity Lutheran Church food pantry in LexingtonPark is offered on Wednesdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m.during the summer months every other week. Call301-863-9512.

Zion United Methodist Church food pantry in Lexing-ton Park is offered on Thursdays from 5:30 to 7 p.m.Must have picture ID and proof of income.

RecreationFriends of Myrtle Point Park meet every other

month. For dates and times, call BobBoxwell at 443-404-5549 or visit www.myrtlepoint.org.

Volunteers assist all of theprogramsandactivitiessponsored by the Greenwell Foundation, located in

Greenwell State Park in Hollywood. Many volunteeropportunities exist, from working in the barn toassisting with the therapeutic riding program andhelping with camps. Volunteers also maintain thetrails and tend the gardens. The Greenwell Founda-tion is in particular need of equestrian volunteers toassistwith its riding lessons. All interested volunteersshould contact the Greenwell Foundation at volun-teer@greenwellfoundation.org. Call 301-373-9775,email volunteer@greenwellfoundation.org or visitwww.greenwellfoundation.org.

The Newtowne Players of Three Notch Theater ofLexington Park needs help with arts and crafts, thecostume shop, publicity, construction, fundraising,stage crew,ushers, actingand technical support.Call301-737-5447, write volunteer@newtowneplayers.org or visit newtowneplayers.org.

ReligiousThe Knights of Columbus is a fraternal organization

of Catholic men dedicated to the church. Knightswork to make a difference in the community viaservice and charity.

The St. Michael’s Council 2065 inRidge,whichmeetsat its council home on the thirdMonday at 7:30 p.m.Call James Biscoe at 301-872-5140.

The St. John Francis Regis Council 7914 inHollywoodmeets at St. John’s in the basement of the rectoryon the first and third Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Thefirst Wednesday meeting is for members. The thirdWednesday meeting is for officers. Call 301-373-2281.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary Council 9968 in Lex-ington Park holds a council meeting on the secondMonday of every month at 7 p.m. and officers meetthe Thursday before that meeting; call Jim McFillinat 301-863-3887.

St. Francis Xavier, the Missionary, Council 10957 inNewtowne/Compton,meets at the St. Francis Xavierparish hall on the second and fourth Tuesday; call301-769-2269 or visit www.stfrancisxavierchurch.org.

Holy Face Council 3849 meets in the Holy FaceChurch parish hall in Great Mills the third Tuesdayof eachmonthat 7:30p.m.; call theRev. JerryGamrotat 301-994-0525.

The Father Sebastian DeRose Council 13091 at Patux-ent River Naval Air Station, meets at the ReligiousProgram Center, Building 401, on the first Tuesdayof themonth at 7:30 p.m.

The Knights of St. Jerome is the oldest Catholicfraternal organization in the Archdiocese of Wash-ington. Membership is open to Catholics age 16and older. The Knights of St. Jerome contributesto charitable causes and works for the church, thecommunity and other members. Call 301-872-5619or 301-872-5460.

The Knights of St. John International Command-ery 386 is affiliated with Immaculate ConceptionCatholicChurch inMechanicsville. This is a fraternalorganization of Catholic men who must be recom-mended by their pastor. Knights of Columbus arealso welcome to join. Call Thomas Dotson at 301-904-9614.

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The Knights of St. John Ladies Auxiliaryis affiliated with Immaculate Concep-tion Catholic Church in Mechanics-ville. The groups raisemoney for char-itable causes such as Angels Watchshelter in Hughesville. Call 301-884-3123.

Young Life is a nonprofit, interna-tional, interdenominational mis-sion community of adult volunteersand staff who walk alongside youththrough the often turbulent years ofadolescence and to share the Gos-pel with them. The group is lookingfor adult volunteer leaders to workdirectly with adolescents from middleschool through college age in mentor-ing relationships for six or more hoursa week. Training is provided. Emailsmc.younglife@gmail.com or visitwww.smc.younglife.org.

Social serviceThe Board of Childcare/Alternatives

for Youth and Families is a nonprofitchild-welfare agency that provides acontinuum of care including thera-peutic group homes, and therapeuticfoster care. Call 301-884-0312 or visitwww.boardofchildcare.org.

The American Red Cross performsmany tasks in Southern Maryland,only one of which is accepting blooddonations through local donationsites. It provides health and safetyinformation and courses in CPR, firstaid, baby-sitting, pet first aid to assistpet owners in an emergency and awide range of other courses. The RedCross provides emergency assistance,

including shelter, first aid, food, cloth-ingandessential householdneeds. Formilitary personnel and their families,Red Cross service includes assistingindividuals with personal and fam-ily problems and helping to maintainfamily communications during emer-gencies suchasabirthor adeath in thefamily. Call 301-934-2066 or visit www.redcross.org/chesapeake.

The Arc of Southern Maryland is anonprofit organization serving theresidents of southern Maryland. Arcpromotes community involvement,independence and personal successfor children and adults with intellec-tual and developmental disabilities.Call 301-475-5652, visitwww.arcsomd.org, or email info@arcsomd.org.

Bay Community Support Services is afull-service agency that provides qual-ity support services for people withdisabilities and their families. Servicesinclude residential support in agencygroup homes and privately ownedhomes, employment services, nursingcare, transportation, and more. Vol-unteers are a valuable resource andare needed for fundraising,marketing,yard care, office assistance and main-tenance of agency group homes. Forinformation visit www.baycss.org/vol-unteer.html or call Brandy Blackistoneat 443-336-7588.

Center for Children Inc. is a nonprofitmental health clinic providing coun-seling, advocacy, family support ser-vices and crisis intervention to chil-dren, adults and families throughoutSouthern Maryland. Call 301-609-

9887, visit www.center-for-children.org, or find Center for Children onFacebook.

The mission of the Center for LifeEnrichment is to provide programs andsupport services that will increase thevocational and personal potential ofindividuals with disabilities. Increasedindependence, integration into theworkforce, and the opportunity forsocial interaction is the focus of its ser-vices. Call 301-373-8100 or visit www.tcle.org.

Christmas in April-St. Mary’s County isa local chapter of RebuildingTogether,a national volunteer organization thatrehabilitates thehousesof low-incomehomeowners, particularly the elder-ly and disabled. The group is alwayslooking for volunteers. To donatemoney or volunteer time visit www.christmasinaprilsmc.org.

The Court Appointed Special Advocateprogram is a nonprofit organizationthat advocates for the best interests ofabused and neglected children. Theprogram recruits and trains volun-teers to advocate for these children incourt proceedings. Call 301-475-6667or email casa@center-for-children.org.

The Crib is a nonprofit group thatprovides support for single-parentfamilies who are experiencing an eco-nomic, relational, environmental oremotional life challenge. The programis looking for volunteer coaches andpeople to contribute and manage thewebsite for single parents. For infor-mation email info@cribhome.org orvisit www.cribhome.org.

The Fleet and Family Support Cen-ter is a multi-service organization thatmeets the challenges and improvesthe quality of military life. Call 301-342-4911.

Patuxent Habitat for Humanity hasvarious volunteer opportunities thatinclude participating in the construc-tion of homes for disadvantaged fami-lies or working at its ReStore assistingwith pickups and deliveries, cashierwork or merchandising. Habitat’sheadquarters and ReStore are locatedjust outside Gate 2 of Patuxent RiverNaval Air Station and are open fromTuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to5 p.m. Call Laurie Walker at 301-863-6227 or 410-326-9050.

The Promise Resource Center pro-vides free child care referral servicesfor parents seeking child care; low-cost training opportunities for childcare providers and parents; mentor-ing and support to licensed child care

providers and behavior managementservices; and providers and parentsdealing with children ages birth to 5with challenging behaviors. Call 301-290-0040, visit www.thepromisecen-ter.org, or email sponder@thepromi-secenter.org.

The Retired & Senior Volunteer Pro-gram of St. Mary’s County places per-sons55yearsofageandolder inmean-ingful volunteer opportunities withlocal nonprofits, community organi-zations and county agencies. Amongthe wide range of volunteer opportu-nities available are Meals on Wheels,tax aides, senior rides, senior activ-ity centers, adult literacy council, hos-pice, Crime Solvers, animal welfare,veterans home, food pantries, healthfair, Learning Is ForEver and museumguides. Call 301-737-5670, ext. 1653,email Norine.Rowe@stmarysmd.comor visit www.stmarysmd.com/aging.

The Southern Maryland Center forFamily Advocacy focuses on legal assis-tance to victims of domestic violenceand to low-income individuals in thearea of family law. Call 301-373-4141or visit www.smcfa.net.

The Southern Maryland Center forIndependent Living aims to supportpeople with disabilities and help themnavigate the support they need toincrease and/or maintain their inde-pendence in the community of theirchoosing. Call 301-884-4498 or visitwww.smcil.org.

Special Olympics St. Mary’s Countyoffers comprehensive year-roundsports training and competition toSpecial Olympics athletes. Trainingprograms and competitive events areopen to all with intellectual disabilitieswho are at least 6 years old, regardlessof the degree of their disability. CallMaryLu Bucci at 301-373-3469 or visitwww.stmarysso.org.

The St. Mary’s County AARP Tax-AideProgramneeds seasonal support of vol-unteers as tax counselors to providefree federal and state tax preparationfor low- to moderate-income taxpay-ers with special attention to the seniorpopulation. Training is provided, butvolunteers must be comfortable withcomputers, as well as Internet andemail access. Training and most sitework is done during normal businesshours.Occasionally, service eventswillbe scheduled for evenings and Satur-days. Call Dana Davis at 301-863-2561or visit www.smctaxaide.org.

St. Mary’s Adult Medical Day Carewelcomes volunteers for a variety ofneeds. Call 301-373-6515.

Staff photo by JESSE YEATMAN

More than 30 agencies and vendors were represented at the St. Mary’s County HomelessResource Day, held Nov. 7 at the Lexington Park United Methodist Church.

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The St. Mary’s County Department ofAging & Human Services operates threesenior activity centers that are in needof volunteers. The centers provide avariety of activities and programs forseniors Monday through Friday from8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A variety of volun-teer opportunities are available. CallAlice Allen at 301-475-4200, ext. 1063,or email alice.allen@stmarysmd.com.Thedepartment also operates a SeniorRides Program that offers senior citi-zens in St. Mary’s County rides to andfrom medical appointments, errandsand social events. The program fulfillsthis need through a pool of devotedvolunteer drivers but the demand out-weighs the ability of this small group.Call 301-475-4200, ext. 1066.

Three Oaks Center offers emergencyand permanent supportive housingservices, which includes shelter, sta-bilization, assessment and referral toindividuals and families in the coun-ty. Volunteers are needed for kitchenassistance, monitoring and adminis-trative assistance. Call 301-863-9535 orvisit www.threeoakscenter.org.

Tri-County Youth Services Bureauprovides a variety of services for areayouth and their families. The counsel-ors, youth development intervention-ists and support staff at TCYSBprovidedelinquencyprevention, youth suicideprevention, drug and alcohol preven-tion, youth development and familynavigation services to families in ourcommunity. Call 301-645-1837 or visitwww.tcysb.org.

The United Way of St. Mary’s County isa locally controlled fundraisingorgani-zation with members of the commu-nity serving as the all-volunteer boardof directors. All funds raised remain inSt. Mary’s County unless specificallydirected elsewhere by the donor. Call301-862-5577, email jhunitedway4@gmail.com or visit www.unitedway-smc.org.

Volunteer Southern Maryland servesas a one-stop shop for people who arelooking for volunteer opportunities inSouthern Maryland. VSMD hosts anonline database of current volunteeropportunities and other ways to getinvolved in the community. Call 301-934-7642, email volunteer@csmd.eduor visit www.csmd.edu/vsmd/.

Walden/Sierra Inc. is a community-based health agency. The mission isto improve the quality of mind andspirit of the community. It endeavorsto promote the well-being of childrento conserve and strengthen individualand family life. Walden/Sierra workswith adults, children, families and

individuals by providing a continuumof behavioral health care, including a24-hour crisis hotline, theAnchor drugrehabilitation program andmore. Call301-863-6661 or visit www.waldensi-erra.org.

Local churches are providing shel-ter and meals for homeless neighborsduring the coldest months. The pro-gram, WARM (Wrapping Arms ‘RoundMany), needs volunteers to serve asdrivers to drive the screened partici-pants to the churches in the eveningfrom a central location. Call 301-475-4200, ext. 1684.

Youth4-H Clubs are organized by the Uni-

versityofMarylandExtension.Numer-ous 4-H Clubs meet in St. Mary’sCounty. Volunteers are needed to helplead clubs and support the programin a variety of activities. Contact theoffice at 301-475-4477, email gwhit-ney@umd.edu for a list of local clubs,or visit www.stmarys.umd.edu.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of SouthernMaryland matches children, ages 7 to14, with a trusted adult friend withthe goal of impacting youth develop-ment. Call 301-290-0501 or visit www.biglittle.org.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of SouthernMaryland inspire and enable youngpeople to realize their full potentialas productive, responsible and car-ing citizens. Call 410-257-0007 or visitwww.bgcsm.net.

Girl Scout Council of the Nation’sCapital can refer St. Mary’s Countyresidents to local troops. Call 800-523-7898 or 800-834-1702.

The Greenwell Foundation is accept-ing applications starting in March forthe Camp Buddies program. CampBuddies is an integral part of Green-well’s summer camps, assisting thesenior counselors in running dailyactivities. This program is open toyoung people ages 13 to 16. Theyreceive formal training andmay spendoneweek or up to nineweeks at camp.Call 301-373-9775, email volunteer@greenwellfoundation.org or visit www.greenwellfoundation.org.

Sea Scout Ship 548 (a division of BoyScouts of America) meets Tuesdays at6:30 p.m. at the Calvert Marine Muse-um in Solomons. This is a coed groupof young adults ages 11 to 21 withinterests in advancing boating skills,seamanship and leadership abilities.Call Doug Yeckley 410-326-4291 oremail douglas.yeckley@comcast.net.

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