IN BRIEF Vandals burn straw Christmas goat, again STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Vandals set light to a giant straw goat Satur day night in a central Swedish town, police said — an event that has hap pened so frequently it has almost be come a Christmas tradition. It was the 22nd time that the goat had gone up in smoke since mer chants in Gavle, 90 miles north of Stockholm, began erecting it to mark the holiday season. Police spokeswoman Margareta Olander said officers received a call just after 9 p.m. to report that the goat was ablaze. “In just a couple of minutes only a sooty wooden skeleton re mained,” she said. There were no immediate suspects, but Olander said that one of two men seen run ning from the scene was wearing a Father Christmas mask. Since 1966, just 10 of the 43-foot high goats have survived beyond Christmas Day. Most were burned — sometimes within hours of being built during the first week of December. The 1976 goat was hit by a car, while in 1997, it was damaged by fireworks. —The Associated Press • 7,12 & 15 seat passenger vans • Sport utility 4x4 vehicles & cargo vans • Sporty compacts luxury cars • FREE customer pick-up {local area only) • Low daily, weekly & monthly rates • Credit cash or cash deposits • ALL DRIVERS MUST BE 21 OR OLDER • Does not include taxes or surcharges. Offer may not be used in conjunction with any other promotional offers. Limit one coupon per customer and one coupon per rental. Eugene VAN & CAR Rental 342-6161 www.elmcars.com Wheels. Open Monday to Friday 8-6, Saturday 8-5, Sunday 10-5 at the Eugene Lincoln Mercury Showroom 380 Goodpasture Island Road in the Valley River AUTO Center $ Holiday shopping on 0 budget! We have something foreveryone. • New/used furniture and re-built beds starting at $ 119 * Name brand and vintage clothes • Major appliances with 90-day warranties starting at $99 023854 dePaul’s St. Vincent dePaul Society 6 locations in Eugene to serve you: ★555 High St., 344-2115 (our newest location across from 5th St. Market) • 2345 West Broadway, 284-5024 (huge warehouse of used furniture) • 705 S. Seneca, 345-8036 (lots of clothes and misc. household items) • 1880 W. 11th, 683-8284 (great selection of appliances and new furniture) • 201 Division Ave, 762-7837 (clothes, books, furniture, beds, appliances) •1175 Highway 99, 607-454 (our huge car lot) IREfiflN DAILY FMFRALD VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN EUGENE Committed Partners for Youth 1840 Willamette St. Contact Anne Bortland (541) 3440833 Mentor a youth between the ages of 4 and 17 by spending three to four hours three times per month with a youth matched through a simple application process. Go to concerts, hike, swim, play sports or play video games. Elder Help Volunteer 1015 Willamette St. Contact Amy Raven (541)682-3793 Visit and spend two to three hours a week with a low-income senior living in his or her own home or apartment, providing such services as companionship, help with shopping and errands, reading and letter-writing, household tasks or yard work. Volunteers have a 3-hour training session. Literacy Council of Eugene-Springfield 51W. Broadway Contact Gail Weathers (541) 3443949 Help to tutor a young mother in reading, writing and math by spending at least three hours a week for at least six months tutoring her to aid her in improving hers and her child’s life. Volunteers are needed on evenings, weekends and weekdays. Kids Club Volunteer P.O.Box 5848 Contact Nancy Hafner (541)683-1751 Volunteers are wanted to work with our Resident Sen/ices Coordinator in planning and implement ing Kids Club, an after-school program, at Greenleaf and Oakleaf villages. Kids Club activities will include arts and crafts, games, music, reading, outdoor activities, help with homework, field trips, special events and snacks. Womenspace Contact Margo Schaefer (541) 485-8232 Womenspace is training volunteers in January in advocacy and resource skills. Do phone or in-per son advocacy or education and outreach in the community. There are no specific qualifications, and training is provided. Volunteers need to be open to working with people from diverse back grounds. Multicultural and bilingual women and men are encouraged to apply. Educational Curriculum 299 E. 19th Ave. Contact Cheryl Henderson (541) 3460717 Volunteers are needed to put together totes from the tote bag curriculum used in a lending library. The curriculum contains great theme-based activities that can be prepared and contained in a tote bag. Tote bags are assembled by discipline (speech, motor, augcom, autism, ESSE, and El) to add any modified or adapted materials to the totes. Birth to Three 86 Centennial Loop Contact Sarah Peroutka (541)349-7793 Under the supervision of an on-site teacher, provide childcare and assist with children’s activities while parents are participating in parenting groups. Help supervise and play with children. To find out more about local volunteer opportunities contact the United Way of Lane County at www.unitedwaylane.org or call (541) 741-6000. Source: www.volunteersolutions.org STUDEN GF UPS Advertise in the Emerald. Call 346-3712 to speak with a rep We have great University rates. simp lify the hoi' consider giving books or gift certificates to local independent bookstores Y Campus - 768 East 13th (open 7 days) Downtown - 525 Willamette (open Mon-Sat)