Volunteer
A way to share your love, make a meaningful difference, and connect heart-to-heart with others.
At the Circle of Spiritual Enlightenment we encourage everyone to serve. There are countless ways to get involved and three areas of service that we offer include:
1. People
2. Animals
3. Environment
If you feel moved to be of service, please contact us.
Circle of Self-less Service Activities
Please contact Susan Wood to volunteer.
If you have already volunteered please contact us so we know how were doing.
PEOPLE
The Circle of Selfless Service “Meal Team”
The “Meal Team” is committed to serving ten meals in 2009—four dinner meals at the Maxine Lewis Shelter, and six noontime meals for the People’s Kitchen, at the Prado Day Center.
It takes a team to serve each meal—a few serve, some cook, some bring other food (like fruit, milk, bread, etc.). The food is prepared and brought to the serving location hot and ready to serve, and is mostly contributed by the volunteers. The circle also bears some of the cost, so if you would like to help, please contact us, regardless of whether you can make a financial contribution.
We’ve committed to the following meals:
- Sunday, April 4 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM — Prado Day Center
- Saturday, May 29 from 5:15 PM to 7:15 PM — Maxine Lewis Shelter
- Sunday, June 6 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM — Prado Day Center
- Saturday, July 31 from 5:15 PM to 7:15 PM — Maxine Lewis Shelter
- Sunday, August 1 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM — Prado Day Center
- Sunday, October 3 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM — Prado Day Center
- Saturday, October 30 from 5:15 PM to 7:15 PM — Maxine Lewis Shelter
- Sunday, December 5 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM — Prado Day Center
Prado Day Center 805-786-0617
In addition to team meals provided by the People’s Kitchen, the Prado Day Center also needs individuals to help serve breakfast every day 8:15–9:30am. This only requires serving, you would not need to buy, prepare or bring any food. There is a desperate need, especially on weekends. The days needed are Sunday, Monday, Friday and Saturday. Volunteers need to show up, fill out an application, then get on the calendar for a regular commitment—it could be once a week or once a month or anything in between. The Prado Day Center could also use help at desk (4 hours/day, days to be mutually agreed upon with them). Contact us for more information.
Bring Your Bottles and Cans to the Circle on Sundays
Bring deposit bottle and cans to benefit Jack’s Helping Hand, a SLO non-profit, dedicated to serving special needs of physically and mentally disabled children and their families read all about them at www.jackshelpinghand.org.)
As of mid January, the Circle has raised $23.08 for Jack’s Helping Hand. This helped to buy a special bike for a little boy who is blind. Sandra Stallings watched as he received his bike. He threw up his hands and yelled,“I am free for the first time!” It was the most touching gift to a very special 6th grader. The next project is buying an artificial leg for a child in SLO. Let’s make it a goal for each of us to bring at least one bottle or can each week (such a little thing). We could make an even bigger difference in the lives of children who wouldn’t otherwise have some extremely expensive and necessary equipment that makes their lives better.
ANIMALS
Second Chance at Love Humane Society
Help needed: assisting at Adopt-A-Pet events, fundraising, public relations, dog-behavior seminars and workshops that Cheri Lucas teaches, administrative help, computer skills, and eventually certain kennel tasks and dog socialization that require special training. They also need people with handyman type skills (putting up dog runs, etc.). Eventually may need help with phones. Most, though not all, Adopt-A-Pet events are held in Templeton Park on intermittent Saturdays during the long-standing and well-attended farmers’ market. Other locations are selected as often as feasible. Get more info: www.secondchancelove.org. Please contact us if you would like to find out more about this opportunity.
Pacific Wildlife Center
The Pacific Wildife Center provides high quality care and rehabilitation of injured, sick, and orphaned wildlife. Get more info: www.pacificwildlifecare.org. Please contact us if you would like to find out more about this opportunity.
ENVIRONMENT
Adopt-a-Highway
The Caltrans Adopt–A–Highway Program provides an avenue for individuals, organizations, or businesses to help maintain sections of roadside within California’s State Highway System. The Circle of Spiritual Enlightenment has “adopted” a spot on Highway 1, near the Men’s Colony.
Our Adopt–A–Highway team goes out about once a month for a two to three hours to clean the Circle’s little spot on Highway 1, near the Men’s Colony. Please contact us if you would like to find out more about this opportunity. Participation can include one or more of the following activities:
Removing litter.
Planting and establishing trees or wildflowers.
Removing graffiti.
Controlling vegetation.
The Land Conservancy
Restoration Stewards
Volunteers are invited to Land Conservancy members-only events & special activities. If you are interested in helping contact us for more details.
* The Octagon Barn on Higuera – just south of San Luis Obispo. Restoration and development is ongoing at this Historic 108 year old building site. Join them on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Additional opportunities may be added to the schedule as we move toward the Grand Opening of the barn during this the 25th Anniversary year of the Land Conservancy.
* Lower SLO Creek Floodplain Preserve, SLO- 2nd Saturday of each month. Additional opportunities as we move into the growing season.
* Black Lake Ecological Area, Nipomo- Date & Time TBD, lead volunteer needed
For more info on the Land Conservancy see www.lcslo.org
S.W.A.P. (Small Wilderness Area Preservation)
Monthly cleanup of Elfin Forest in Los Osos, 1st Saturday of the Month, from 9:00 am to Noon. Meet at the north end of 15th Street off of Santa Ysabel in Los Osos.
Also…just for FUN: S.W.A.P. leads nature walks through the Elfin Forest the 3rd Saturday of the month. Call (805) 528-0392 for specific walk information. Wheelchair Accessible. www.losososbaywoodpark.org/swap. Walks in the Elfin Forest begin at 9:30 a.m. (unless otherwise noted) at the north end of 15th Street off of Santa Ysabel in Los Osos. Please park carefully, avoiding driveways and mailboxes. For wheelchair access, please park at the end of 16th St. and proceed to 15th St. along the boardwalk. Wear comfortable shoes and long pants to avoid contact w/poison oak. S.W.A.P. also needs trail trimmers and a treasurer, and has occasional special projects. More info: www.losososbaywoodpark.org/swap
Morro Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP)
A collaborative organization bringing together local citizens, local government, non-profits, agencies, & landowners to protect and restore the physical, biological, economic, & recreational values of the Estuary.
The MBNEP is one of 28 National Estuary Programs around the country working to safeguard and improve the health of some of our nation’s most important coastal waters. The program staff members work on a variety of projects including (but not limited to) public education, the Volunteer Monitoring Program, watershed protection and restoration and managing the MBNEP grant programs. The program relies heavily on collaborative efforts that include local stakeholders and partners. Contact us for more details.
More info: www.mbnep.org
10am SPIRITUAL SERVICE
We invite you to join us for our Spiritual Service at 10am.SPIRITUAL YOUTH PROGRAM
A Spritual Youth Program is provided for your children.It's fun and educational.
LOCATION
The Circle of Spiritual Enlightenment is located at:
1500 Lizzie Street
Adult School
Multi-purpose Room, J-2
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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