Community Service The Community Service Center of Gustavus

Community Service • The Community Service Center of Gustavus Adolphus College offers a variety of services to the community and to the students. Imagine a place that not only helps you, but enables you to help others. It exists, and it's waiting. • These services range from working with the same child for your tenure at Gustavus through Gustie Buddies or BP/LP to volunteering for an afternoon with Habitat for Humanity or One-Time Opportunities. Whatever your interest, there's a program for you.

One-time Volunteer Opportunities • The Community Service Center maintains an e-mail clearinghouse for one-time and special volunteer requests from agencies in surrounding communities. These opportunities are many and varied, from providing childcare at Positive Parenting classes to helping elderly residents with seasonal yard work to judging Destination Imagination projects and Science Fairs. Requests come from Special Olympics, schools, libraries, Pow-Wow and History. Fest Planners—the variety is endless! • How do volunteers sign up? • Sign up in the Community Service Center to receive these brief notices or email Sara Sletten to be added to the list. It's a great way for groups and individuals to help out when they can!

Gustie Buddies • Gustavus students are paired with developmentally delayed youth from the community who will benefit from building a friendship with a Gustie. Large group activities are planned on Tuesday evenings.

Amigos • Amigos works with the Latino community in St. Peter to identify and meet language, cultural, and other needs. Amigos provides after-school programs for ELL students in grades K-12, tutors for students in the middle and high schools, translation services for teachers, and Intercambios, which offers English classes to adults. • The role of the Amigos program is to understand support the St. Peter Latino community by giving them a voice and by helping them maintain their cultural identity, as they assimilate to life in the United States.

Big Partner/Little Partner • • • In the Big Partner/Little Partner program, Gustavus students are paired with children from the community who will benefit from building a friendship with a Gustie. Partners spend time together doing things like fishing, biking, baking, playing games, and sharing ice cream in the caf. Large group activities such as movies and field trips are planned monthly. Mission Statement To build stronger ties between the St. Peter Community and Gustavus Adolphus College by having the leaders of today mentor the leaders of tomorrow through a one-on-one relationship. No upcoming events were found. Please check back soon or visit the College Calendar for general campus events.

Elders • • • Mission Statement The mission of the Elders Program is to build mutually beneficial relationships between committed and enthusiastic Gustavus students and elderly members of the St. Peter community. By offering an uplifting experience through activities, conversation, and companionship we will foster community, friendship, happiness, health, respect, and quality of life. Elders Program Small groups of Gustavus students travel weekly to St. Peter nursing homes and assisted living apartments to socialize, build friendships, and assist where needed. Some students elect to be partnered one-to-one with an elder and meet in their homes to build friendships and share life stories. Partners spend time together playing cards, baking cookies, and going for walks. How to Apply Applications are available at the beginning of Fall and Spring Semester. Spring 2009 Elders application is available by clicking here. Please fill out and return to the Community Service Center by February 18.

Hoffmann Center • Two groups of Gustie volunteers travel to the Hoffmann Center, a residential treatment program for juvenile offenders. One group leads the POG Bible Study on Wednesday evenings, and the other group leads yoga on Thursday evenings.

Habitat for Humanity • • • Mission statement: The purpose of Gustavus Habitat for Humanity as a nonprofit, Christian housing ministry is to work with both local and outside chapters as well as within our own chapter in an effort to build affordable housing for families in need. Habitat for Humanity strives to meet the needs through building, fund raising, advocacy, educating and organization consistent with our values of community, compassion, service, faith and teamwork. The Gustavus chapter provides the opportunity for spring break work trips for students. We work with local chapters, including St. Peter, Mankato and Waseca, on their Habitat houses. We typically help build on Saturdays when needed and can take between 5 -15 volunteers depending on the job. Valet parking over the Nobel Conference is our most successful fund raiser each year Act, Speak, Build week is in the spring where we build a shed on campus to donate to the St. Peter Habitat house (the house is built at the St. Peter High School). In the past, we have brought speakers and politicians to campus to talk about homelessness and poverty issues.

North/South After School Program • Gustavus students work in pairs as literacy instructors twice a week in this after-school program. Each instructor is responsible for working with one group of six to ten 1 st– 3 rd graders. Instructors select reading materials, develop lesson plans, and incorporate creative ways of discussing texts with children. Gustavus students are required to participate in training, workshops, reflection sessions, and group development meetings throughout the semester.

Study Buddies • Gustavus students provide classroom assistance and tutoring to all ages including reading to 3 - and 4 -year-olds at Head Start, helping 1 st– 3 rd graders improve their reading comprehension skills, mentoring middle school youth in a variety of academic subjects, and practicing English language skills with students. • They also provide an after-school program for 4 th– 12 th graders who want help with schoolwork. Gustavus students are available at the St. Peter Middle/High School from 3– 4 p. m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

St. Francis Pound Pals • Named for the patron saint of animals, this group's members visit the St. Peter pound weekly to walk dogs and socialize cats awaiting adoption. Pound Pal volunteers also help organize animal awareness presentations and pound fundraisers.

Trips and Activities Group • Trips and Activities Group (T. A. G. ) is an after school program that provides youth from the St. Peter area an opportunity to participate in sports and games and also to take trips to local parks for outdoor recreation. Activities can be soccer, basketball, capture the flag, nature hikes, and so on. It is a great way for youth to be active! Applications are available at the Middle and High Schools, and the program runs from September through October and from April through May.

Wednesday Friends on Monday • A group of volunteer Gusties travels to the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center outreach site on Monday evenings to lead and participate in programs for adults with special psychiatric needs. Past activities have included pet therapy, seasonal dances, card game tournaments, and bonfires. This organization is open to all students and may be of special interest to psychology majors. As members, students must be dedicated and able to make weekly time commitments.