With a busy few months on the horizon, L’Arche Comox Valley is looking for volunteers.
The organization moved into its new home — the I Belong Centre, located on Grieve Avenue in Courtenay — in June. The new facility includes an outreach centre for creative arts programs and outreach services, a multi-purpose activity room and administrative offices.
Alongside outreach and education programming, the I Belong Centre offers affordable housing to six semi-independent individuals with developmental delays. A live-in worker will stay in the centre full-time to assist the individuals when needed.
The I Belong Centre offers adults with and without developmental disabilities in the Comox Valley a place to develop friendships and be integrated into the community. The facility was funded by a fundraising campaign that generated about $1.1 million, with the rest coming from government and donors.
The I Belong Centre will be officially unveiled to the public on Sept. 12.
The ceremony will run from 10 a.m. to noon.
L’Arche Comox Valley program co-ordinator Carol Nielsen said the organization is looking for volunteers for a range of programming that will be offered starting next month.
“We’ve organized a number of sessions where we have leaders and volunteers working together on workshops like creative candle-making or scrapbooking. In one workshop, participants will be able to create a bird feeder. Things like that,” she said. “I think it’s a comprehensive schedule of activities that are open to not just adults with disabilities, but also adults without disabilities. Volunteer opportunities are based on the workshops we’ve designed and how they can help the leaders.”
Volunteer opportunities:
Mondays
1:30–3 p.m. Scrapbook-It! - two volunteers needed. Starts Sept. 18, runs for six weeks.
Tuesdays
10–11:30 a.m. Leanne’s First Nations Crafts - one volunteer needed. Starts Sept. 19, runs for six weeks.
1–3 p.m. Creative Candle Making 1 (Soy, Recycled Wax &Beeswax) - one volunteer needed. Starts Sept. 5, runs for six weeks.
Wednesdays
10:30 to noon; Bird Feeder Building - three volunteers needed. Runs Oct. 11, 18 &25.
1–3 p.m. Explore Art Together: Painting and Mixed Media - one volunteer needed. Starts Sept. 6, runs for six weeks.
Last Wednesday of each month, 10–12:30 p.m. Explore Food Together - two volunteers needed
Thursdays
10a.m. to noon - WaxWorx: L’ArcheWorx Collective (Making candles to sell) - one volunteer needed. Starts Sept. 7, runs for six weeks.
1–3 p.m. Fab Art: Fabulous Fabric Art - one volunteer needed.
Starts Sept. 7, runs for six weeks.