HEYO!

It's October, it's beautiful, and we have opportunities!

Acholi Awareness 2008
Help Us Help Women

Fall Clean-Up
Winterization Kits
Equality Maine Poll Help

Mentor Opportunity with PRYSM

Ongoing Opportunities

Acholi Awareness

Join us the last week of October to raise awareness of the plight of the Acholi people in Northern Uganda, Southern Sudan, and around the world. Documentary flims, a walk around the Bay and a Cultural Fair will all be happening this month! It looks like it will be a fantastically wonderful experience!

Help Us Help Women

Dress for Success of Southern Maine is sponsoring a clothing drive right here at USM! The mission of Dress for Success is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

They are looking for gently worn work wear like suits and separates, blouses, shoes and accessories, winter dress coats, and ESPECIALLY clothes size 18 and up.

Contact LyndsayS@usm.maine.edu for more information!

Clothes must be in mint condition, on hangers, ready-to-wear, and no more than three years old. Please bring them to the Women’s Resource Center in Woodbury until October 17^th!

Fall Clean-Up

In conjunction with the Southern Maine Agency on Agency, we will be sending teams of students out into the Greater Portland area to rake leaves and do general yard clean-up for our elderly neighbors. If you have an afternoon to wield a rake and trash bag, please email us at community@usm.maine.edu!

Winterization Kits

On October 24^th, USM is partnering with United Way of Greater Portland to install winterization kits in the community. We will be sending three teams into the homes of community members who need help getting their homes ready for winter. Please email us if you want to be on one of the teams!

EqualityMaine

EqualityMaine is looking for volunteers to help protect equal rights in Maine. They would love it if you could donate four hours on election day! A record number of voters is expected at the polls this fall, and EqualityMaine is taking advantage of this unprecedented opportunity to talk with Maine voters about equality. They have set an ambitious goal: identify 10,000 pro-equality voters, so we can move into 2009 with a powerful base of support.

If this strikes your fancy, email sparker-holmes@usm.maine.edu!

Mentor Opportunity with PRYSM

PRYSM provides a safe and positive space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and allied (LGBTQA) young people that offers social support, leadership development and community education. Volunteer opportunities include being an adult advisor to youth, advisory committee participation, and more! Please email Amanda for more information: avickerson@usm.maine.edu

Ongoing Opportunities

We’re always looking for mentors and tutors! If you missed our two info sessions this week, don’t hesitate to contact me! avickerson@usm.maine.edu

Civic Leadership Series

The Civic Leadership Series happens every week on both campuses, and we help students learn more effective ways of communicating, recruiting, and maintaining their projects. If you are a student leader of ANY kind, you are welcome to attend our sessions!

Our next session is the week of the 20^th and will be on Planning Projects and Running Meetings. We will have Bill Vickerson, Dale Carnegie instructor and attorney, as a guest speaker!

That’s all for this week! Wee!

Enjoy this glorious weather!

Amanda