Asheville Vistior Center at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce is looking for volunteer to help greet tourist visiting the area. Positions currently available Saturdays and Sundays. Call 258-6100 for more information.

Books are Needed at the Horizon Academy, the on-site school serving Eliada Homes. They need books appropriate for children and teens including biographies, classics, fiction, science fiction, how-to-books, social issues, spiritual, sports and expecially books dealing with contemporary teenage issues. Drop off donations at the Main Campus at 2 Compton Drive in Leicester or call 254-254-5356 for more information.

The Child Advocacy Center sponsors a Help Young Parents program that needs individuals who are interested in spending time with new mothers, helping them to understand their newborn and how to properly care for them. Training is provided for volunteers. The Child Advocacy Center is also seeking volunteers to assist in their office and in their community outreach program. For more information, call 254-2000.

Four Seasons Hospice helps establish meaningful relationships, they get involved with the physician, they provide meaningful information on end-of life issues and they replace despair with hope. If you want to volunteer, please call 692-6178 for more information.

The North Carolina Arboretum has many volunteer opportunities which include interpretive guiding in the gardens, greenhouse and trails, grounds maintenance, assisting staff in areas such as nursery, bonsai and interior plantings, visitor services as well as clerical and library support. The Arboretum is located on a beautiful 426-acre site southwest of Asheville. If interested in volunteering, call Patty Lyons at 665-2492.

Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club needs between 500 and 700 volunteers between now and the end of the year to assist as bell ringers and to help with the Christmas Angel Tree program. Last year they helped over 3000 of our neighbors with these programs! To volunteer, call 253-4723 to speak with an extraordinary volunteer coordinator, Dawn Morton.

Our Voice: provides support and counseling for survivors of sexual assault. Their volunteer advocate program enables the center to provide services on a 24-hour basis. Volunteers receive extensive training and are on call 3-4 times per month. The center can also use volunteer assistance with their educational programs and for office tasks. For more information, call 252-0562.

WNC Alliance Volunteer Opportunities is a grassroots organization concerned with the environment. This group needs volunteers to help with mailings, clerical work and data entry. For more details, call 258-8737.

World Market Place helps low income craftpersons in developing nations by marketing their handicrafts. They need volunteers to be sales clerks, to unpack merchandise, stock shelves and help with inventory. Training is provided. Call 254-8374 for more information.

In addition, the United Way is now supporting a new Volunteer Center which matches an individual's skills and interests with community needs. There are many opportunities for you to share your time and talents. Below are listed just a few. If you have interest in any of these or you'd like to learn about other volunteer opportunities, please call Jacquie Buttles who directs the Volunteer Center at (704) 255-0696.

The Later Years COMPASS program, needs volunteers to donate 10-14 hours per month to help plan, develop and implement life enrichment programs for seniors. This volunteer opportunity is ideal for persons who like working with seniors and want to plan activities such as music appreciation, creative writing, pottery, exercise or life review.

Meals on Wheels is desperate for volunteer drivers in the downtown and Enka-Candler areas to deliver a hot nutritious lunch to the elderly and homebound. Call 253-5286 for more information.

The American Red Cross is looking for a youth volunteer coordinator for the Asheville-Mountain Area Chapter for 5 to 8 hours a week. Individuals who work well with middle and high school age students and who want to make an impact on the quality of life for youth in Buncombe County should apply. Call 258-3888 for more information.

Habitat for Humanity is seeking individuals who are good with their hands, organized, able to give direction to others and have good people skills to volunteer as a Crew Chief on the jobsite, 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. one day a week. Volunteers are needed in the Home Store for help as Clerks, Repair Crews, and Pick-Up and Delivery help. Call 251-5701 for more information.

AIDS Projectneeds enthusiatic volunteers for the buddy program, transportation, office administration, reception, public speaking, fundraising, committee work, community outreach and home repair through programs affiliated witht the WNC AIDS Project. For more information call 252-7489 ext 15.

The Buncombe County Council on Aging needs individuals who enjoy public speaking and who have good people skills to talk to civic groups and clubs about the services the Council on Aging offers to the 60+ age group. Training provided. Call 258-8027 for more infomation.

Asheville Humane Society needs help from anyone who loves animals. Call 253-6807 for more information.

Land-of-Sky Regional Council's Retired and Senior Volunteer Program has needs for volunteers who are 55 and older and enjoy helping others. This program has many fulfilling opportunities. Please call 800-727-0557 for more information.