The following is a list of community service opportunities in the western suburbs. Most agencies prefer high school age or older, but some use younger volunteers depending on the activity and if accompanied by adults:
– American Cancer Society, 11 E. Wilson St., Batavia, which provides services to cancer patients such as transportation and support groups, needs volunteers for office work such as filing, stuffing envelopes and photocopying. Minimum age is 14. Call 630-879-9009.
– Aurora Historical Society, 20 E. Downer Place, Aurora, needs volunteers to be guides at teh historic house museum and at gallery/exhibition hall, also to help with special events and work with archives and historic records. Minimum age is 14. Call 630-906-0650.
– Canticle Place, 26W195 Roosevelt Rd., Suite 13, Wheaton, a 12-unit affordable housing complex for people living with AIDS, needs volunteers to transport residents to appointments, serve on committees and do housecleaning. Call 630-588-9165.
– Downers Grove Park District Museum, 831 Maple Ave., Downers Grove, needs volunteers to care for artifacts, give tours, do research and help develop exhibits. Minimum age is 16. Call 630-963-1309.
– DuPage County Forest Preserve, Danada Equestrian Center, 3S511 Naperville Rd., Wheaton, needs volunteers to care for horses. Volunteers are trained in how to groom, feed, saddle and bridle horses and how to give them basic health care. Minimum age is 14. Call 630-933-7233.
– DuPage County Solid Waste Education Center, 550 Center Ave., Carol Stream, an organization that reduces waste that goes to landfills, needs volunteers to organize and pack books donated by schools and libraries. The books are then donated to schools locally and worldwide. Minimum age is high school. Call 630-681-2400.
– DuPage Township, 241 Canterbury Lane, Bolingbrook, needs volunteers to help design the DuPage Township Web page. An application is required. No minimum age. Call 630-759-1317.
– Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst, needs volunteers to do administrative tasks and work in the gift shop and in building maintenance and as gallery information assistants. Minimum age is 16. Call 630-834-0202.
– Elmhurst Historical Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst, needs volunteers to set up crafts and activities, help with children’s programs and assist curators with collections. Minimum age is 14. Orientation is required. Call 630-833-1457.
– Elmhurst Hospital, 200 Berteau St., Elmhurst, needs volunteers to deliver newspapers to and transport patients and to work in the gift and resale shop. Minimum age is 14. Call 630-833-1400, ext. 41095.
– Family Counseling Service of Aurora, 70 S. River St., Aurora, which provides professional services to families and individuals as they struggle to achieve harmony and self-sufficiency, needs volunteers for the Friends in Neighborhoods program, which matches older adults with volunteers who visit them and provide companionship. Minimum age is 18. Call 630-844-2662.
– Family Shelter Service, P.O. Box 3404, Glen Ellyn, which assists victims of domestic violence and their children, needs volunteers to be hot-line counselors, children’s group facilitators, court advocate assistants and work in the shelter. Volunteers in these capacities work with clients and are required to take 40 hours of training. Volunteers also are needed to process donations, do clerical work or assist with programs and activities for young children. Minimum age is 18. Call 630-469-5652.
– Fox Valley Hospice, 200 Whitfield Drive, Geneva, needs volunteers in the areas of bereavement care, fundraising, clerical support, deliveries, bakers and as ambassadors. Training and a minimum age of 18 is required for some positions. Call 630-232-2233.
– Good Samaritan Hospital, 3815 Highland Ave., Downers Grove, needs volunteers for the information area, gift and resale shops, delivering food trays to patients and working in the transitional care area. Minimum age is 14. Call 630-275-1181.
– Graue Mill and Museum, Spring and York Roads, Oak Brook, a historic mill and museum, needs volunteers to re-enact pioneer crafts such as spinning and weaving. Training is required. Minimum age is 16. Call 630-655-2090.
– Hinsdale Hospital, 120 N. Oak St., Hinsdale, needs volunteers to transport patients, meet and greet patients, stock supplies and act as liaison between recovery room staff and families. Minimum age is 14; must have completed 8th grade. Call 630-856-4000.
– Hinsdale Humane Society, 22 N. Elm St., Hinsdale, needs volunteers to walk dogs, socialize cats, bathe and groom animals, transport them to the vet, do photography and update the Web site, also for Pet-a-pet program in which volunteers make visits with pets to nursing homes, hospitals and retirement homes and organize fundraisers. Minimum age is 18. Call 630-323-6124.
– Indian Boundary YMCA, 711 59th St., Downers Grove, needs volunteers to serve as courtesy counter greeters and youth sport coaches. Minimum age is 16. Call 630-968-8400, ext. 222.
– Levy Senior Center, 251 Canterbury Lane, Bolingbrook, needs volunteers to pack and deliver about 40 meals a day to homebound seniors. Call 630-759-3411.
– Lombard Historical Museum, 23 W. Maple St., Lombard, needs volunteers to give tours of 1870s- and 1840s-era house museums, work on committees and help with workshops and upkeep of outbuildings at the house museums. No minimum age requirement. An interview will be required. Call 630-629-1885.
– Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities, 2801 Finley Rd., Downers Grove, an agency that provides an array of services and support to children and adults with disabilities at 30 program sites in DuPage County, needs volunteers. Call 630-620-2222.
– Les Turner ALS Foundation, 8142 N. Lawndale, Skokie, needs volunteers to begin organizing for the Mammoth Music Mart to be held Sept. 14-21 at Old Orchard Center in Skokie. Volunteers will sort and price items for music sale at the foundation’s warehouse in Skokie. Also, needs volunteers to work at the event. Musical background is helpful but not essential. Minimum age is 18. Call 847-674-6279.
– Westmont Park District, 75 E. Richmond St., Westmont, needs volunteer coaches for athletic programs. Training is required. Minimum age is 18. Call 630-963-5252.
– William L. Gregg House Museum, 117 S. Linden St., Westmont, which covers the history of Westmont from 1872 through the present, needs volunteers to conduct tours and assemble exhibits. No minimum age requirement. Call 630-960-3392.
