The weather is getting slightly cooler, it is getting darker a bit earlier, and the Red Sox are slowly slipping from their spot in first place.  It can all only mean one thing: fall is right around the corner!  If you’re stuck saying, “wait, wasn’t it just Memorial Day?” you’re not alone.  This summer has flown by, and here at Calvary Women’s Services, our volunteer family has been in full force making sure both Pathways and Calvary Women’s Shelter have had solid support and coverage.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that our volunteer team has set some sort of record in June, July, and now, August. By the end of this month, our volunteers will have covered 141 overnights and 99 meals this summer.  That’s nearly 94% of all volunteer openings.  That is HUGE! We know summer can be a tough time to join us — between family vacations, work travel, and excursions out of town to avoid the heat — to hit nearly 100% volunteer coverage is a true testament to our incredible team of volunteers.

With summer rolling to an end, we’re looking forward to welcoming back two dedicated groups to our volunteer lineup — both the Junior League of Washington and the University of Maryland Terps for Change will be starting back up with us in September.  Junior League members have been leading Life Skills classes and serving Sunday lunches for over three years here at Calvary.  On top of their classes and meals, Junior Leaguers also join us for holiday activities (such as decorating and wrapping) and lend hands at our annual Hope Awards Dinner.  Calvary also has a long partnership with the Terps for Change group from UMD.  These dedicated students join us as overnight volunteers, and typically cover 6-10 overnights per month, between our two programs.

I have no doubt that our summer of record-setting numbers will propel us into the fall and the, dare I say, upcoming holidays.  To all of our volunteers who have joined us this summer, THANK YOU!!

Want to get involved?  It’s not too late to get on the calendar!  For more information on becoming a Calvary volunteer, please contact Catherine at cbisson@calvaryservices.org or (202) 289-2111.