COMMUNITY f-'?„ • , n" Alia Lehtonon (left) and Both Oilman (right) givo information at the ESCAPE booth in tho EMU. Work awaits willing volunteers Students’ help sought by many groups By Lisa Miiiegan Fmer;ild Ropofltw !! seems like every duy you read another slots about u rape Kvery time you turn on the tele vision, newsc asters are talking about gang violence and bat tered women The world seems to Im’ going down the tubes and there's nothing you can do about it Or is there? You could follow the lead of Konelle Nelson, a University junior who dec ided to volun leer with Womenspuc e, a l.u gene program that helps abused women. After getting the ( hence to staff the renter's tele phone crisis lines and work cli rectly with the women, Nelson said she felt she really made a difference. 'One day a woman called and her abuser was there and he was yelling at her in the background, she railed me and we decided she wanted to leave," Nelson said "I talked her through what she needed to get her stuff together and get her ( hildren ready Then 1 sent the staff person to pick her up 1 i £ Now! Some of vour favorite Portal Art Prints are available |k on Hanes 100' ' cotton Tees, Sweatshirts &: l ong Sleeved Pees. And. They re Introductory Priced at 200 Off! Al 1 POSTfcRS, PRINTS & I RAMI S aiv also 20' i Through Oct Sth 13TII& KINCAID M-F 7:30-6 SAT 10-6 VJ6-4331 newmflN C6NT6R SPECIAL HAPPENINGS ST. THOMAS MORE UNIVERSITY PARISH CATHOLIC 1SSO Emerald Street Eugene, Oregon 97403 34 3-702 1 MASS SCHEDULE: Mond.n t it. . < Pr.ncr tvi'oucJ i'\ M i A BIBLE SI L DV iv held on even Monday, September 30 41 7: 30 p.m. ■\n Inquiry Class is held every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. \ S I l PI NT MASS is celebrated every Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. A MI N'S SUPPORT GROUP will meet every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. \3 I 1 COMING PINNER at Chelsea HvHise im Friday, September 77 at 7:00 p.in. Conte to meet new people and renew your friendships. The Rite ol Christian Initiation for Adults tor those who are sen.'..sly interested to become a Catholic Christian is held every Viind.iy at 0 IS p m starting Sunday. September 29. Get away weekend — PARABLE WEEKEND RETREAT w be on CVtober IS 20 at St Benedict’s Lodge. McKerute Bridge Sign up now Open t. .1 students C r intent •>! Kc. ■ ik il: .it :.'ii M'tni.r., \X eJnesdav 6k Fridas - >0 to 1 A' ; :n Saturday at 4 >0 p m nr P\ appointment Oft: c Hours Monday thrt. I ndas ); V N- •• ene Oher'inner 6s. C'11r:' Ferv, Peer Ministers N.iru\ Nelson, Si\ ret.irv Gene Obersmner, Chelsea House M^r. Student* are invited to come and studv, read or iu-*t relax in the center*-* lounge. It i* open from v K' a.m. to l 1:00 p m. GET INVOLVED IN THE CATHOLIC NEWMAN COMMUNITY NOTH: Students' activities. Juki and workshops are planned throughout the vejr Chcvk Newman Center's Sunday Bulletin and the Et a! (EMERALP) tor what's happening at rhe C enter For more information call the Center at 34 3-702 1/346-4468 The Catholic Parish serein*: tire University of Oregon since NIC and sho was taknn to the shol ter. "I felt great that she got out of there and we were able to in tervene and tell her she had a safe place to go.” Womenspaco Is not the only program that uses student help. In fact, an organization exists in Eugene with a sole purpose of matching volunteers with com munity groups that need them. "At uny given lime, there are about 500 to 1,000 openings out there,1' said Theresa I-aks of the Voluntary Action Center, a department of the United Way. Located at 123 Oakway Center, the organization receives re quests for volunteers of all ages and skill levels. One week the center’s open ings included positions as a child care teacher’s aide, a companion for retarded citizens and an artist for Parent Infor mation Network promotional materials. The week before, the center placed volunteers in jobs work ing as a "play pal" for Easier Seals children, a kitchen helper for a senior nutrition program and a repairer for Womenspace. "You can do anything," Laks said. "You can work one day for one hour on an event like the Eugene Celebration or you can work on an ongoing basis up to 40 hours a week or more if you like.” Laks said the most common volunteer openings the center receives are for clerical help and drivers. Another popular request is for companions for the disabled and elderly, she said. To hook up with one of these jobs, students can call 683-9000. l-iiks saul a placement coun selor will interview them on the phone about the amount of time they have available, the is sues they are interested and the type of people (e.g. children, women) with whom they would like to work Then the counselor will offer the op tions. Students may not be able to earn money for their efforts, but the University's ESCAPE pro gram offers one upper-division credit for every 30 hours volun teered. The reasoning is that stu dents can get experience volun teering that will help them with their careers. "(Volunteering) is an alter native to silting on your butt in the classroom," said Amber Brand, who works with ES CAPE. “You can get a reality check on what the world is about." CHECK CASHING at the UO Bookstore