Karma Chameleon
‘Tis a far, far better thing doing stuff for other people. Man, that Cher Horowitz really knew her philanthropy.
You on the other hand are totally clueless about how to give back to your community. He-LLO! Looks like you could use a little direction (and we don’t mean towards the mall).
To help, we’ve rounded up a handful of fantastic (and totally fun) local volunteer opportunities. From giving out fashion snaps to rolling with the homies down to the beach for a little sea life protection, we’re sure you’ll find something you can get into—even if it’s just sporadically.
Now if we could only get Marky Mark to plant a celebrity tree.
A Honu World
Protect newly hatched baby hawksbill turtles from mongoose, birds, rats, and other predators as they make their way from their nests in the sand dunes at Kamehame Beach down to the ocean for the National Park Service's Kamehame Turtle Monitoring Project. Volunteers are needed to guard the nests night and day, and record important data. Kamehame Beach, Big Island. To sign up, call 808.985.6090. For more info, click here.
A Cut Above
Got a cosmetology license? Put your scissor skills to good use at the Queen's Medical Center Barber Shop. Give patients free haircuts in their rooms and help chemotherapy patients dealing with hair loss. To sign up call 808.547.4397. Click here for info on volunteer requirements and to download an application form.
Just Your Style
You already donate your closet's stylish overspill to Dress For Success. Take things a step further by using your amazing fashion sense to help disadvantaged women put together professional head-to-toe outfits for job interviews as one of the organization's Personal Shoppers. Dress For Success Honolulu, YWCA of O'ahu, 1040 Richards St., Honolulu, 96813. To apply, call 808.538.7061 Ext.9, or email hr@ywcaoahu.org for an application. For more info, click here.
Whale Bonding
Help the Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary to monitor whale population during peak season by participating in its annual Ocean Count event. Park a beach chair on the sand or grab a seat cliff-side and watch the water for signs of activity, record behaviors, and complete a site map. The data collected will benefit humpback whale protection services. Ocean Count event, March 27. To register on O'ahu or the Big Island, call 1.888.559.4859 Ext.253. To register on Kaua'i, call 808.246.2860. For more info, click here. View a photo slideshow of past Ocean Count events, here.
Natural Selection
Nature meets nurture at UH Manoa’s 200 acre Lyon Arboretum. Located at the top of the Manoa watershed, it’s the only university botanical garden located in a tropical rainforest in the U.S. Early risers can join the Morning Trail Sweepers Group and help to clear paths of fallen branches and leaves while hiking. Or, join in on of the many other volunteer opportunities, like clearing brush from valley, weeding the Children’s Garden, or offering up greenhouse support. Harold L. Lyon Arboretum, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 3860 Manoa Road. For more info, call 808.988.0456 or click here.
