Phillyanthropy

Get Up, Get Out, Get Involved

by Dana Henry

Fall for Your Park

Oct. 13

Roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty: The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is sprucing up one of Philly's plentiful yet oft-neglected public spaces, Cobbs Creek Park in West Philly. This annual initiative, now in its ninth year, has plenty of local love and boasts more than 300 volunteers. Maybe it's the free T-shirt. But it's probably that feeling you get from working with your neighbors to beautify a place that everyone can enjoy. Call 215-988-1611, e-mail parks@pennhort.org or visit www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org for more info.

Oct. 12-14

Puppets aren't just for the little ones. Renaissance Artist Puppet Co., a nonprofit group dedicated to education-based performance through quality puppetry, seeks ushers for Goblin Market, its first-ever mature-audiences-only show. Volunteers will take tickets and assist in seating at the Montgomery County Cultural Center. In return, they'll get to watch opium-addicted puppets wander around a 19th-century goblin nightmare world. Call 610-630-4259, e-mail Liz at liz@renartpuppetco.com or visit www.renartpuppetco.com for more info.

Oct. 20

Ready, set, go make Philadelphia public schools a better place to learn. As one of 12,000 volunteers, you'll paint, landscape, restore and refurbish your way to a brighter future for the city's children. A 14-year partnership between Greater Philadelphia Cares and the School District of Philadelphia, this day of service reaches more than 100 public schools. Call 215-564-4544 or visit www.gpcares.com for more info.

Ongoing

For the not-so-athletic, it's time to put those nerdy pastimes to good use. After School Activities Partnerships is seeking some wordy volunteers to dedicate one hour a week as Scrabble team leaders. Incorporating fun into structure, ASAP provides a variety of supervised after-school programs at Beacon centers, churches and public schools. Their chess clubs have already sparked the Philadelphia Youth Chess Challenge. Help their latest board game initiative become an equal success. Call Peter English at 215-545-3077, e-mail penglish@phillyasap.org or visit www.phillyasap.org for more info.

Oct. 27

Brighten and beautify some senior ladies in an afternoon of something no girl can get enough of: pampering! Hayes Manor is looking for a few good manicurists or just some cosmetically inclined personalities to polish nails and provide other spa treats at their monthly parties. Call Karen Bates at 610-272-4912 or 215-444-8278 for more info.