December is finally here, and Christmas is only 23 days away! You can help make this holiday season magical for the kiddos by using your VTO to volunteer at the many wonderful events we have going on at all campuses.

If you plan to volunteer during normal work hours, please check with your supervisor for pre-approval to ensure that your shift will be covered. Staff who volunteer will also need to fill out the VTO form, which can be downloaded by clicking this link.

Black Hills Volunteer Opportunities

If you would like to participate in any of these Black Hills VTO opportunities, please contact Theresa Schreiner at 605-393-4297 or Abby Sharp at 605-393-4298.

1. DATE: Flexible dates and times in December and January. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: 2-6 volunteers DESCRIPTION: Moving items from Jolly Lane to new Rapid City campus. Assemble four clothing racks, transport and organize coat inventory along with additional totes and event supplies (all less than 25lbs). You will need to bring tools for the clothing rack assembly. We will need a volunteer with a truck to move metal floor easels. They are not heavy but are “bulky” and fit best in a truck bed.
2. DATE: Delivered to Theresa by December 12. DESCRIPTION: Christmas Baking. You schedule your group to bake bars and cookies for our Santa visit. We would love six dozen treats.
3. DATE: Delivered to Theresa by December 12. DESCRIPTION: Christmas Gift Wrappers. Pick up 32 Santa gifts from Theresa. Donate heavy duty gift wrap and bows. Wrap and label Santa gifts and return them to Theresa by December 12.
4. DATE: December 19, from 9 a.m.-noon. DESCRIPTION: We may need additional gift-wrapping assistance.
5. DATE: December 20, at 10 a.m. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Three volunteers with large vehicles. DESCRIPTION: Transport wrapped Santa gifts from Jolly Lane to Rockerville campus. Help organize gifts for staff working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
6. DATE: Deliver to Theresa by December 20. DESCRIPTION: Bake treats and create 44 special staff thank you/ treat bags for staff working on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Treat bags could contain goodies, Gatorade or soda, coffee gift cards, stress balls, fidgets and encouraging notes. These are for staff who will be away from their own families to spend Christmas Eve/Christmas Day with children served at Rockerville.
7. DATE: Flexible dates and times in December. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: 2-6 volunteers DESCRIPTION: Host donation collections AND share this information with other groups who may be interested in helping CHS this Christmas.
   Most Needed Donations as of today: New winter coats in Boys and Girls Toddler sizes 2T, 3T, 4T and youth sizes 5, 6, 8, 10, 12; New winter coasts in adult size XL, XXL and XXXL for larger teens served through CHS Community Based Programs and Child Advocacy Center, Craft and Science kits for pre-teens, Art Sets & Sketch Pads, Scrapbooking stickers & papers for kids, Acrylic Paints & 5” x 7” or 8” x 10” canvas, Etch-A-Sketches and pocket Etch-A-Sketches, Rubik’s Cubes, G-rated DVDs, Batteries-especially AA and AAA, Birthday treat bag size play PlayDoh 
   
   This is the entire donation wish list for all Children’s Home programs in the Black Hills: https://chssd.org/pdfs/FND162_WISHLIST_XMAS24_BHCH_8.5x11.pdf
8. DATE: Flexible dates and times in December and January. DESCRIPTION: Take Home “Build Bid Paddles” Project. Pick up project supplies from Theresa and assemble 100 bid paddles. You’ll need a glue gun, markers, colored pencils, crayons and scissors.
9. DATE: Flexible dates and times in December and January.DESCRIPTION: Make double-thickness fleece tie blankets. Donate the fleece and create 60” x 100” tie blankets for the children served by CHS in the Black Hills.

Sioux Falls Volunteer Opportunities

If you would like to participate in any of these Black Hills VTO opportunities, please contact Faron Lais at 605-965-3101. If you would like to volunteer at the Gift Wrap Booth, please contact Staci Kropuenske at 605-338-0116.

1. DATE: December 6, 2024. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Three people needed from 12:45-3 p.m. Three or four needed from 2:45-5 p.m.DESCRIPTION: Georgetown mall. Help kiddos with shopping, wrapping gifts, and creating a homemade craft for their loved ones. This is in the Admin building in Room with a View.
2. DATE: December 16, 2024. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Three people needed from 9 a.m.-noon.DESCRIPTION: North Pole Gift Wrapping. Wrap the children’s Christmas Eve and Christmas morning presents.
3. DATE: December 21, 2024. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Four people needed from 9-11 a.m., three people from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., and eight or nine people from 5-7 p.m. DESCRIPTION: Gift Wrap Booth. Wrap gifts at the Empire Mall to benefit Shelter for Family Safety. Shifts run 2 to 8 hours long.
4. DATE: December 24, 2024. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Five or six people from 9-10 a.m., two people from 12-1 p.m., and two people from 2-3 p.m. DESCRIPTION: Gift Wrap Booth. Wrap gifts at the Empire Mall to benefit Shelter for Family Safety.