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Letter to the editor

Start your year off right by volunteering

By Times Staff Writer
Published November 23, 2007

COUNTYWIDE

Here's a New Year's resolution you can get started on today: Pinellas County's Guardian ad Litem program is recruiting volunteers.

Nearly 1,000 children in Pinellas need a guardian ad litem. Volunteers advocate for abused, abandoned or neglected children and teens in the family courts and the child welfare system. The average time needed is four to six hours a month. As a child's advocate, the guardian ad litem visits the child every month, becomes familiar with the child's case and makes recommendations to the court to help ensure the child has a safe, caring and stable environment. Thirty hours of training is required.

Seven classes have been scheduled for 2008, and the first class starts Jan. 8. To schedule a one-hour orientation, call (727) 464-6528. Visit www.guardianadlitem6.org.

TARPON SPRINGS

Help bring hot meals to homebound folks

Many Pinellas County seniors live alone and are too poor to buy food or too frail to shop and cook for themselves. Meals On Wheels is looking for compassionate, caring volunteers who have an hour or so at midday to deliver hot meals to homebound folks in the Tarpon Springs area Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Meals are picked up at the Solomon Peska Center, 431 Spruce St. To volunteer, call Jim Olson at (727) 417-1411.

CLEARWATER

Be an exchange student in Japan

Applications from high school students interested in traveling abroad as part of an exchange program with Clearwater's sister city, Nagano, Japan, are being accepted by the city.

Four will spend two weeks there next summer and be immersed in the language and culture as they stay with local families. They will also visit and give presentations to junior and senior high schools there and be involved in educational exchanges. To be eligible, students must be either a city resident or attend a high school in Clearwater. Scholarships can cover travel costs. Applications are available at www.myclearwater.com or by 562-4832. The deadline is Nov. 27.

OLDSMAR

Register your child for visit from Santa

Santa and his elves will visit Oldsmar children in their homes the nights of Dec. 11-15 this year. To contact Santa, mail a 3- by 5-inch card with your family's name, address and daytime phone number to Oldsmar Fire Rescue, 225 Pine Ave. N, Oldsmar, FL 34677, or drop the card off at the station. After the date of the appointment is set, drop off a small present for each child at the station with the child's name and address and the date and time of Santa's visit written on the outside of the package. For groups of children, put labeled presents in a large garbage bag, then label the outside of the bag, too. Participating families are also asked to bring a small, new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots by Dec. 10. Call Pat Raynor at (813) 749-1200.

DUNEDIN

Hit the Pinellas Trail with Walking Club

Exercise your legs with walking and your mouth with laughter with the Walking Club at the Hale Activity Center, 330 Douglas Ave. The group meets at 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays to walk the Pinellas Trail. Call (727) 298-3299.

[Last modified November 22, 2007, 22:20:26]