Why not plan a little bit of good into the week ahead?
With so many nonprofit organizations in the area, there's a volunteer opportunity for every age, skill level and interest.
Check out these organizations and give a few hours to make a positive change.
Historical preservationists will feel right at home volunteering at the Beaufort Historic Site.
Interested individuals can sign up to help answer phones or to join one of several committees covering everything from furnishings to events planning.
History buffs can be a docent and give tours of landmarks on the site and in town.
Anyone with a penchant for driving old autos can volunteer to drive the 1967 double-decker bus on tours and other events.
Creative types can work with the art gallery committee, the "Warped Weavers" or help plan annual fundraisers with the event planning committee.
Committees for education, site furnishings, buildings and grounds keeping also accept volunteers.
For more information call 252-728-5225 or visit www.beauforthistoricsite.org.
From mentoring to coaching, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Coastal Carolina have many different types of volunteer positions available.
Musically inclined? The club's summer theme is "Camp Rock," and many summer activities will focus on music. Anyone with musical talent can volunteer to teach members to play instruments, sing and more.
Those with technological know-how can volunteer in the computer labs to help members learn tech skills and Internet safety.
If people are your forte, volunteer in the social recreation or office areas, where you'll answer phones, greet parents, and participate in games with members.
Artists and other creative folks are needed to help pull together and lead art projects and give positive reinforcement to members as they work.
Get the kids moving! Coaching volunteers teach basic rules of sport and hold practices and attend games.
Mentors are also needed to work one-on-one with members.
There are three clubs in the county, located in Beaufort, Morehead City and Newport.
Interested volunteers should fill out an application. For more information contact Jodie Willis at 252-222-3007 or visit www.bgccc.net.
The clinic offers medical and pharmaceutical services to those without insurance. It takes more than 25 volunteers a week to continue serving the clinic's 650 patients.
Those interested in medicine or just helping out can volunteer to help with office duties, phone answering, fix-it projects or by making snacks for other volunteers to enjoy.
To find out more, contact the clinic at 252-726-4562 or email freeclinic@bizec.rr.com.
Are you a bookworm? Tutors, committee members and office helpers are needed to help decrease illiteracy in Carteret County.
Interested adult literacy tutors are encouraged to attend tutor-training classes 5-8 p.m. June 14, 16, 21 and 23 in its office at Cape Lookout Marine Science High School in Morehead City.
At the end of the series, each new tutor will be paired with a student who has requested help with reading and writing.
A $10 fee covers the cost of training manuals and grants membership in the Literacy Council.
To sign up for the classes, contact the Literacy Council at 808-2020 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information, email carteretliteracy@carteretliteracy.org.
If you're an organizer, the center can use your help preparing and organizing handouts, mailings and program materials.
Volunteers can also help with fundraising events by sorting donations and setting up.
Gardeners or outdoors types can help by keeping the center's entrance well groomed.
For more information visit www.cpccenter.org.
From daily greeters, to cooks and dishwashers, the museum has a variety of positions volunteers can fill.
Volunteer Coordinator Ann Kelly said the museum especially needs volunteers to greet visitors at the museum and to man the new Core Sound Corner Store in Morehead City.
Greeters welcome visitors and introduce them to the museum. They also help keep track of the number of visitors the museum sees each day and answer questions.
Corner Store volunteers work as storekeepers and cashiers. They will help arrange items at the store and assist patrons with purchases. The store also needs volunteers who own a truck or trailer to help with deliveries.
Volunteers should contact Ms. Kelly at 728- 1500.
Spread a love of reading to the community! Volunteers are needed to sort and track books, manage donations, organize book sales and help maintain the center.
Anyone with experience teaching young children (or any interested high school students) can help with the children's hour.
Those with fundraising experience are encouraged to get involved as well.
"We have a variety of tasks for different abilities and interests," President Linda Haines said.
For more information contact Sherra Fulton at 728-5591.
If you have a soft spot for cats and dogs, volunteer your time to help them find new homes.
Encore Pets will hold a volunteer meeting for new volunteers 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 21, at the Morehead City Train Depot.
Volunteers can help in a variety of areas, such as media outreach, selling ads for the monthly newsletter, fundraising, grant writing and helping to run spay and neuter clinics.
For more information visit www.encorepets.org.
Construction volunteers and other helpers needed! Habitat is always looking for people to help with current building projects.
If construction isn't quite your style, volunteers also are needed to man the ReStores in Newport and Jacksonville.
Volunteers can also help out with special events and recruiting others to help out.
For more information visit www.crystalcoasthabitat.org.
Put a smile on someone's face this summer and sign up to help serve meals with Hope Mission.
Volunteers can help prepare and serve food, clean up around the kitchen, organize the pantry and talk with people during lunchtime.
Volunteers can also help prepare supper at the homeless shelter.
For more information call 252-241-3196.
The Aquarium is recruiting volunteers to provide visitors with conservation education and experiences.
Volunteers assist in a variety of areas, including visitor education, exhibit interpretation and special events.
No prior experience is necessary, and anyone with an interest in North Carolina's habitats and animals is encouraged to apply. Volunteers receive training in environmental education and animal handling.
The aquarium will hold an open house for prospective volunteers 9-11 a.m. Saturday, June 18.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities, contact Chris Carlin at 252-247-4003, ext. 286 or visit www.ncaquariums.com.
If you're interest is in helping preserve the natural beauty of the coast, you'll feel right at home helping restore wetlands and maintaining nature trails.
Federation volunteers can help with anything from oyster restoration and shell recycling to picking up trash and debris on federation properties to maintaining equipment.
Want to reach out? Volunteers are also needed to help with festivals and events and process mailings and the quarterly newsletter.
Other volunteers help file documents or assist staff with data and information research.
For more information contact Rachael Carlyle at 252-393-8185.
Coastal wildlife sometimes needs a helping hand. Join up with the shelter and help with daily cleanings and feedings of rescued birds, reptiles, mammals and other wildlife.
The shelter is open 12 hours a day, and needs volunteers to help keep operations running. Volunteers should be over the age of 18.
The shelter also offers a junior volunteer program for younger bird lovers. Youth ages 13-18 can apply.
For more information visit www.owlsonline.org.
We Care packs boxes for troops stationed abroad, and volunteers are always needed to help get boxes prepped for shipping.
Volunteers can also help by contacting organizations and businesses about donating items.
We Care was started by retired Army officer Sam Sanford who packed around his kitchen table in 1999.
Interested volunteers can sign up for Mr. Sanford's email list to find out about packing times. Contact him at 252-240-3864 or ssjs@ec.rr.com.
This list is not exhaustive. There are many other organizations in the area that need help too.
Volunteer coordinators are welcome to send in information for consideration.
This list of opportunities will be updated weekly at www.thisweekmag.com.
We are providing a community service.
"What are we going to do this weekend?" is a question that can be hard to answer around here. You have to look harder to find something to do in Eastern North Carolina than you do in, say, New York City. However, there
are things to do here across a wide range of ages and interests, and it is our job to relay that information to our readers.
