28 | JUNE 13 • 2024
J
N
S
ummertime in Michigan
is the most magical time
of the year. Spending
time on the lake, BBQs with
family and friends, school’s out
and camp is in session — what
could be better?
I bet you can
guess what I may
recommend …
volunteering!
This month,
you can sign up
to run or help at
a charity walk or
spend some time
beautifying our community.
No matter what you choose, I
promise it will only make your
summer more magical.
Signups are live for the fifth
annual Run United Virtual
Marathon supporting United
Way for Southeastern Michigan.
Starting Aug. 12-Sept. 13, Run
United Virtual Marathon par-
ticipants will log 26.2 miles
(or more!) however they wish
— walking, running or roll-
ing. This event is open to all
ages and abilities. Throughout
the month, participants will
complete different challenges
and activities, and fundraise
together to support students
in Southeastern Michigan as
they return to school this fall.
Complete your miles however
you’
d like — all in one day or
one mile at a time; running
or walking; in your neighbor-
hood or on a treadmill; solo or
with your dog, kids or spouse.
Whatever fits your schedule
and preference. Earn points by
fundraising, posting photos,
logging miles, volunteering and
inviting your friends and family
to join. Every point gets you
closer to some great prizes. To
sign up, visit p2p.onecause.com/
rununited24.
Looking to volunteer at
Temple Israel’s Garden of
Mitzvot? Join drop-in garden
hours every Sunday from 9
a.m.-noon. This opportunity is
led by Stevie DuFrense of Flora
& Fido LLC. Sign up at www.
temple-israel.org/event/
gardensundays.
JDRF is the leading global
organization harnessing the
power of research, advocacy
and community engagement to
advance life-changing break-
throughs for type 1 diabetes
(T1D). Volunteer at a JDRF One
Walk and join the movement
to transform life with T1D.
Opportunities include helping
with check-in/registration to
cheering walkers along the
route. If you’
d like to sign up
to help for any of its upcoming
walks, do so here: www.jdrf.org/
community/volunteer.
Join Dan Badgley, retired
nature center manager, at
the Johnson Nature Center
in Bloomfield Hills to do a
variety of outdoor projects.
Opportunities include inva-
sive species removal, native
planting, garden bed and trail
maintenance, and sugar bush
restoration. Volunteers can lead
nature walks and hikes to edu-
cate the public as well. Regular
volunteer hours are Monday
mornings from 8-11 a.m. If
you’
d like to volunteer, contact
Ali Posner at alposner@
bloomfield.org.
Forgotten Harvest is looking
for volunteers at its Oak Park
Warehouse. Volunteers will help
pack emergency food boxes,
repack or sort fresh nutritious
food that will be distributed
through Wayne, Oakland
and Macomb counties. This
opportunity is from 9 a.m.-
noon or 1-4 p.m. To partici-
pate, Forgotten Harvests asks
volunteers to wear long pants,
close-toed shoes and leave their
jewelry at home. Volunteers
must be at least 10 years of age.
Volunteers under the age of 18
must be accompanied by a par-
ent or guardian. To find this and
other opportunities at Forgotten
Harvest, visit forgottenharvest.
galaxydigital.com/need/.
The Children’s Heart
Foundation is the leading orga-
nization dedicated to funding
congenital heart defect (CHD)
research. The Congenital Heart
Walk series is the nation’s larg-
est event series dedicated to
funding congenital heart defect
research. Volunteer oppor-
tunities are available for the
2024 Detroit Congenital Heart
Walk on Aug. 17 at Rochester
Municipal Park. Responsibilities
include event setup, registration,
T-shirt distribution, kid zone/
activities, refreshment attendant,
cleanup/breakdown. Learn
more and sign up here: secure.
qgiv.com/event/detroitwalk/
page/1484041.
If your organization is looking for
volunteers, email Samantha Foon at
samanthafoon14@gmail.com for possible
inclusion in an upcoming column.
Take the time to volunteer in the community.
Make Summer Magical
Samantha
Foon
Contributing
Writer
OUR COMMUNITY
Johnson
Nature
Center