Volunteer

These are some of the fine organizations that I volunteer with in the St. Louis/Metro East area.  The ones listed below are recurring and will need volunteers at some point in the year or always.  The months given are approximate and reflect the months usually containing the event.  To sign up for the seasonal events, register though the websites approximately 1 month before the event.

Note: These months are approximate and usually represent the last time that I've volunteer at the event.  Events could change dates and months.  If you see anything interesting, be sure to check for specific dates on the actual page.   

If you're not listed here, I probably don't know about you yet or haven't volunteered with your event or related events.  If you want more opportunities you can also try Volunteer Match.  Feel free to leave a comment if you need volunteers or if you need me to volunteer at your event or plug it, just let me know.

If you are in need of ideas of where to volunteer in the St. Louis area, these are some great organizations.

Ongoing

Organizations
Kiwanis International - Helps kids and communities all over the world.  Most of the work are at the clubs in and around each community.

Big Brothers, Big Sisters mentoring youth and doing fun stuff

Habitat for Humanity Building houses for those less fortunate.

Circle K  Collegiate Kiwanis clubs.  Same mission and purpose as the Kiwanis but at the college level.  More focused on creating the next great leaders with a sense of service to community and children of the world.  Help out at colleges and the surrounding areas. For the high school kids may I also recommend Key Club.

If you just want to get away from it all there is also the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps for volunteering both around the world and around the United States.

Museums
St. Louis Science Center  SCIENCE!!!!!!  Taking volunteers for the informational and entertaining stages that use science and maybe a small explosion to demonstrate cool stuff all around us.

Missouri History Museum  Missouri History.

St. Louis Art Museum  Art.

Laumeier Sculpture Park Art at the Park and Sculptures.

The St. Louis Museum of Transportation  A museum of all the different forms of transportation.  Includes ships, buses, trains, plains, and automobiles

Touhill Preforming Arts Center Preforming arts of all genres. 

Radio or TV

KDHX - Independent Radio Station that plays lots of music.  Listen to it a lot, you are guaranteed to find something you like or something interesting.

St. Louis Public Radio Local NPR affiliate broadcasting all your local news and NPR programs.

NineNet (KETC)  St. Louis PBS affiliate broadcasting all your favorite PBS programs.

Theater or Shows

The Sheldon Concert Hall - Lots of music, poetry, book readings, and concerts.  Smaller venue but has a great sound to the place.  Typically has a handful of show commitment.

Fox Theater - Lots of music and musicals and mostly musicals.  If you like the musicals and Broadway type shows, you will love this place.  Every once and a while they have a big music concert.  Typically has a several show commitment.

Seasonal
January
Grand Center First Night - New Years Eve event.  The Grand Center also has a few other things that they do though out the year.

January/February
St. Louis Mardi Gras  It's like Mardi Gras of Louisiana but the St. Louis version.

March
St. Patrick's Day If you got a bit of a kick of the Irish then there is the St. Louis St. Patrick's Day Parade. There is also a run that you can sign up for as well.  If you've got a runner then you can certainly double up and encourage them to run in it.

March/April
US FIRST Robotics - Robots and helping kids learn and love science and engineering.  Can also be an ongoing thing in the schools.  They need mentors to help the students build robots.  Keep an eye out during the school year for local schools in need of help or fund raising.  Events across the country. 

April

St. Louis Comic Con  St. Louis Comic Con for all your comics and fantasy needs. 
St. Louis Earth Day - Earth Day, Love your planet

April/May
Circus Flora - In need of ushers, ticket takers, program stuffer, and program hander-out-ers.

May
St. Louis Microfest Get to try some of the local favorite craft beers as well as any beers that have booths here.  A good event for anyone that loves the beer.   Supports St. Louis's Lift For Life Gym: which helps kids of St. Louis with an after school program.

Art On The Square - Art


Spring through Fall
St. Louis Cardinal


June

St. Louis Fringe Fest  Art show of unique artists.
St. Louis Pride Fest Festival of Support of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Folks


July  
Fair St. Lous - Fourth of July but also do concerts though out the summer.  Volunteer signup form here
Worlds Largest Catsup Bottle Festival Festival celibrating the Worlds Largest Catsup Bottle
Tour De Belleville Bike race around Belleville.

August
Midwest Salute To The Arts - Art
St. Louis Worlds Fare


September
Midwest Wingsfest - Wings 

Great Forest Park Balloon Race - Hot air balloons in Forest Park
Strange Folks Festival - Art and quirky stuff


October

November
Cinema St. Louis  International Film Festival

December
Hot Chocolate 5k/15k St. Louis  Running Race around St. Louis.

Dates May Vary.  Events across the country.   The Color Run  Run with lots of colors.
Lozilu - Women's 5k mud run.
Rock 'n' Roll Marathon  Probably out of character but who am I to not volunteer for what I can.  Events across the country. 
The Graffiti Run  Similar to the color run.Tough Mudder Events across the country.


Other States

Austin, TX
SXSW   Film, interactive, and music festivals down in Austin, Texas. 

Delaware, OH
Stratford Ecological Center Private non-profit farm dedicated to teaching people about the importance of the land to people.

Dublin, OH
Dublin Irish Festival

Chicago, IL
Lollapalooza  Really big music festival up in Chicago, Illinois.

Denver, Co
Great American Beer Festival  Lots of great beers to try out and experience.

Park City, Ut
Sundance Film Festival Movies and lots of them.

San Diego, Ca
San Diego Comic Con Anything Comic related.  This is one of the places for it.

Safety Harbor, Fl
Safety Harbor Songfest

Miscellaneous
Alpha Warrior Similar to American Ninja Warrior and the related Ninja Warrior shows on TV.

Non-Recurring

Stuff that may of needed volunteers in the past but were done only over one weekend.  Keep an eye out for these very unique opportunities.

Paint The Town
Delilah of the radio show helped out the town she grew up in by painting with a large volunteer army to paint her towns main street.  Belleville, Il was selected in 2010 for the second year and a painting of the main street.  Keep an out out on this one because it may show up in your town someday.

Not Volunteering
Toastmasters
While not explicitly a volunteer opportunity, it can be used to develop communication and leadership skills at your pace.  These skills are vital to the success of all of these events and are just darn good skills to develop for all aspects of life.  Part of my vision is that the Toastmasters can be the connecting factor that binds all of these events together, a central hub.

USBA  -- US organization dedicated to the sport and art of boomerangs.  Tournaments are held all over the US.

IFBA  -- International Federation of Boomerang Associations covering all of the boomerang associations all over the world.  Most tournaments should be listed on the site.

International Jugglers Association (IJA) Organization dedicated to spreading the enthusiasm for juggling.  Great place to start to learn about juggling, meeting others, or any compitition on the planet.

Unknown or Retired Events

Wine, Dine, And Jazz - Wine, Food, and Music - No event as of 2017
LouFest 2 day music fest in St. Louis - Didn't take volunteers 2017