SPANISH TRANSLATOR NEEDED FOR MAKE-A-WISH
Are you bi-lingual? Do you love children? You can help make a difference in the life of a child battling a life-threatening illness by serving as a volunteer translator.
You’ll accompany a team of trained Wish Granters to visit a child and discover their heart-felt wish. You’ll then assist throughout the process of granting the child's wish as further communication is required.
Call (612) 767-9474 for more information or volunteer with Make-A-Wish Minnesota.
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB SUMMER FRIENDS NEEDED
Be a caring adult to members at the Boys and Girls Club this summer.
Volunteers are needed to help four hours/week, Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
You’ll spend free time with members playing games, creating projects and just plain having fun!
Call 226-0112 for more information or to volunteer.
"OCEAN" LOOKING FOR HOST FAMILIES
Provide an enriching experience for your family and impact your community by becoming a host family. The Organization for Cultural Exchange Among Nations (OCEAN) is looking for families to host international high school exchange students. Each student is fully insured, brings spending money, and wants to be active in family life.
OCEAN is dedicated to promoting cultural understanding, academic development, environmental consciousness and world peace. Bring the world home today. For more information, visit
hostanexchangestudent.org.
THURSDAYS ON FIRST (6/7 - 8/30)
Thursdays on first & 3rd Summer Market & Music Festival
Location: Peace Plaza --1st Ave SW Rochester, MN 55902
Dates: June 7th-Aug. 30th 2012
Time: 11am-8:30pm, every Thursday June 7th-Aug. 30th
Price: FREE
Event website: www.downtownrochestermn.com
Thursdays on First & 3rd features a weekly outdoor market of over 100 art, craft and food vendors, and live entertainment every Thursday throughout the summer.
Grab some lunch and sit back and relax with friends and family as live dance, music and performing arts are featured from 11:30am-12:30pm. Plus, don't miss great live music in the evenings from 4 to 8:30pm on the Coca-Cola 1st Ave stage and from 4:30-8:30pm on the Go Rochester Direct Peace Plaza stage. Thursdays on first & 3rd is, %u201CThe Place to BE%u201D this summer!
OXBOW PARK PROGRAMS (April-May)
Oxbow Park Programs
Saturday April 7 – Bison Feeding at 1:00 p.m.
Join park staff for a short hike to our bison paddock. Here you will have the opportunity to view these majestic critters up close as well as learn a little of their natural history.
Saturday April 14 – Raptor Feeding at 3:00 p.m.
Meet staff in front of the raptor exhibit and witness the sometimes ravenous tendencies of these beautiful creatures.
Saturday April 21 – Children’s Zoo Time at 10:00 a.m.
Gather in the Nature Center as park staff gives children the opportunity to see a few critters up close, and possibly the chance to touch one!
Saturday April 28 – Feed the Bear at 10:00 a.m.
Our resident black bear is awake and hungry! Gather in front of her exhibit as staff shares a few facts with you about these critters and then witness her sometimes quirky behaviors when fed.
Saturday May 5 – Wildflower Hike from 9:00 a.m. to noon
Join volunteer naturalist John McCormick in the nature center classroom for a short lecture on spring ephemerals, and then it is off through the trails of Oxbow to view some of these gorgeous wildflowers.
Saturday May 12 – Otter Feeding at 1:00 p.m.
The fun begins in front of the otter exhibit where staff will greet you and fill you in on a few interesting facts about these energetic mammals. Then the excitement begins as you watch these critters fight for their dinner!
Saturday May 19 – Friends of Oxbow’s Annual Spring Fest from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Bring the entire family out to Oxbow Park’s Zollman Zoo for a day of food, fun, and games. This is the Friends of Oxbow’s biggest event and you don’t want to miss it. There is something for everyone including: animal feedings, kids games and activities, as well as a silent auction.
Saturday May 26 – Tree I.D. from 9:00 a.m. to noon
Volunteer naturalist John McCormick returns for an informative session on some of Minnesota’s native trees. The program begins in the classroom of the nature center and then heads outside for a hike through the Oxbow trails.
Chesterwoods Park Programs
Thursday April 12 – Woodcock Watch at 7:30 p.m.
Join Jim Peterson, member of the Zumbro Valley Audubon Society, on this crisp spring evening as we search for the elusive woodcock and take a closer look at their spring dance during their migration back to Minnesota. Meet at the horse trailer parking lot.
Saturday April 14 – Chester Woods Spring Clean-up Day at 10:30 a.m.
The Friends of Chester Woods invite you to join them in their annual spring clean-up. Take the opportunity to help ready the park for summer and meet some new friends. Friends of Chester Woods will conduct their business meeting from 10:30 – 12:00 at the park office, followed by a wonderful potluck lunch. Clean-up will begin at 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday May 22 – Bird Safari at 6:00 p.m. Reservations Required!
Join naturalist Joel Dunnette for a ride on the parks new prairie cruiser. The wagon will take you on a tour through some of Chester’s trails while Joel helps you spot and identify some of the resident feathered friends in the park. Meet at Picnic shelter #1. Space is limited so please call 287-2624 to reserve your seat!
Sunday May 29 – Dam Hike at 11:00 a.m.
Join Chester Woods park staff and volunteers for the best dam hike you will ever take. Learn the history and the facts behind Chester Lake’s famous dam. We will be stopping at the scenic dam overlook to enjoy a picnic; park will provide hot dogs, chips and Kool-Aid. It is a two mile round trip hike. Please register with park staff at 287-2624. There is no fee for this event, however donations are greatly appreciated. Meet at the kiosk near the boat ramp.
RCTC Learning Is Forever (LIFE)
RCTC Learning Is ForEver (LIFE)
Learning Opportunities for Older Adults
(507) 280-3157
www.learningisforever.net
www.facebook.com/RCTCLIFE
Learning Is ForEver (LIFE) provides humanities-based adult education, insight and engagement. Below are examples of activities for winter quarter. Registration and more information for LIFE can be found online or by phone.
The Mississippi River: yesterday, today, tomorrow
Instructor: Jim Eckblad
Wednesdays, April 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2, 2012 - 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
Location: RCTC Heintz Center Room HB 117
Fee: Member $50; Non-member $65
FRILUFTSLIV
Instructor:Tom Beery
Thursday, April 13, 2012 - 10 to 12 noon.
Location: RCTC Heintz Center Room HA 112
Fee: Member $15; Non-member $20
Stem Cells 101
Instructor: Tim Nelson, MD, PhD
Friday, April 20, 2012 - 10 a. m. to 12 noon
Location: University of MN Rochester, Room 414
Fee: Member $12, Non-member $18
A Changing World: Literacy, Education and the Future of Humanity
Instructor: Merlin Ricklefs
Monday, April 23, 2012 - 1 to 3 p.m.
Location: RCTC Heintz Center Room HA 112
Fee: Member $12; Non-member $18
Hollywood Goes to War: The Making of Warner Bros. “ Casablanca”
Instructor: Rick Musser, Professor Emeritus, University of Kansas
Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 10 a.m. to noon
Location: RCTC Heintz Center Room HA 104
Fee: Member $12, Non-member $18
Religion in Social Movements
Instructor: Sarah Johnson Ruble, professor of Religion at Gustavus Adolphus College
Thursday, June 7, 2012 - 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m.
Location: RCTC Heintz Center Room HA104
Fee: Member $35; Non-member $45 (Fee includes lunch).
Head Start & School Readiness accepting applications
Are you searching for early learning programs in Olmsted County that will help you create a positive beginning for you and your child? Child Care Resource and Referral’s Head Start and School Readiness programs provide free or low cost early learning experiences for children, as well as support, education, family activities and other services to parents. Services are also available for children with special needs.
Head Start serves pregnant mothers, infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Transportation may be available. School Readiness serves children who will be three or four years old on or before September 1, 2012. Eligibility for both programs is based on income and other criteria.
Space is limited. To obtain an application, visit www.c2r2.org or call 507-287-2009 or1-800-462-1660. Spanish and Somali interpreters are available.
