Local Volunteer Opportunties

Residents of Barton Creek Lakeside generously donate their time, talents and treasure to a variety of area charities. There are opportunities for all interests and abilities.

Ladies of Charity Lake Travis Thrift Shop

Ladies of Charity is a 400-year-old international organization founded by St. Vincent de Paul with the motto: To serve rather than be served. Founded in 1991, the Ladies of Charity Lake Travis Thrift Shop, at 440 Medical Parkway, Lakeway, TX 78734, resells, re-distributes, re-purposes and recycles donated items. Proceeds from the Thrift Shop provide funding for Crisis Ministries and several shelters for the homeless in the area, as well as financial and in-kind assistance for 25+ additional charities. The thrift shop partners with the Rotary Club of Lakeway, providing educational scholarships to Lake Travis High School seniors. The dedicated members and volunteers provide over 36,000 hours of service to the Lake Travis Thrift Shop and community.

Donations of gently used items in good condition for resale in the shop are welcome. The website, laketravisthrift.com, details what items can and cannot be accepted. These gifts are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.

The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, (subject to any changes noted on website).Profits from purchases are donated to local charities. All are invited to subscribe to The Thrift Shopper Newsletter to receive weekly sales and special coupons!

The thrift shop is staffed by member volunteers. Join the team by volunteering for at least 3 hours per week. Simply fill out the membership application which can be found on the website, laketravisthrift.com.

Contact 512-263-0314

Helping Hands Crisis Ministry

Helping Hand Crisis Ministry is a 501(c)(3) faith-based volunteer organization serving the needy in the Spicewood area. Located in the Pedernales POA building at 512 Pace Bend Road in Spicewood, our services operate Tuesday from 4 – 6: 00 p.m. Check our website, helpinghandspicewood.org for current hours of service

Our volunteers assist in picking up food from the Central Texas Food Bank, stocking the pantry shelves, distributing the canned goods, fresh vegetable, meats and sundry supplies to the clients. In addition, volunteers serve as in-take specialists. They greet the guests with respect and compassion and record necessary information in a case file.

Due to unfortunate circumstances, families can also receive financial assistance for housing, including utility bills, propane, rent, storage and repairs; for transportation, including fuel, vehicle registration, insurance, and repairs; for medical and dental expenses; for miscellaneous expenses, including legal fees, funeral expense, and holiday gift cards.

One of the most important things we do is to listen with compassion. We are not professional counselors; however, our volunteers have large hearts and a talent for conversing with clients about their problems. Clients are always welcomed and treated with respect and dignity. Privacy concerns are maintained.

We invite you to get involved!

Contact Bob Dilley 512.761.4688

Highland Lakes Canine Rescue (HLCR)

Craving unlimited quantities of unconditional love? Love dogs but can’t have one at home? Want to give back to your community?

Volunteering with Highland Lakes Canine Rescue is the answer to all those questions.

HLCR was founded in 1999, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, by community members who wanted to rescue homeless dogs in the Central Texas region. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and secure loving and healthy forever homes for abandoned dogs in the Texas Hill Country. We strive to be the best no-kill shelter in the Hill Country.

HLCR is more than just a shelter. In addition to working with area Animal Control Officers, we rescue dogs who are “at risk” in public shelters throughout the Central Texas area. We provide an exceptional collection of support facilities for our rescued dogs, including indoor kennels, large outdoor pens, and extensive walking trails where dogs interact daily with our staff and volunteers. We have a dedicated group of foster families who provide special, in-home care for dogs who need that. We are the only area shelter that provides this level of support for every dog in our care:

· Fully vaccinates every one of our dogs
· Takes in AND TREATS heartworm positive dogs so they can recover and become someone’s new best friend
· Ensures all our dogs are spayed and neutered
· Works to ensure our dogs obtain optimum health before they are available for adoption
· Fully reviews applicants who want to adopt our dogs to ensure both adopter and dog are a good match
· Follows-up with adopters to help both the adopter and the dog transition successfully
· Allows our adopted dogs to be returned to us under certain circumstances so we can work to find them more suitable homes
· Has 24-hour onsite staff caring for our dogs

Unlike some shelters that claim to be “no kill,” once we rescue a dog, it will never be euthanized for space limitations, treatable medical or behavioral issues, or inconvenience.

While HLCR occasionally receives small amounts of funding from grants, most of our financial support comes from donations by individuals and businesses in the Central Texas region.

Volunteers are special treasures essential to the operations of HLCR. They make a significant difference in our rescued dogs’ lives and their opportunities to find loving homes. Whether “out front” with the dogs or behind the scenes supporting our staff and program, our volunteers are key to fulfilling our mission. We have volunteer opportunities at the shelter, at off-site adoption events in the area, at fundraising events throughout the year, and work that can be done from home. Visit our website at hlcr.org.

Contact 830-693-0569 info@highlandlakescaninerescue.org

Spicewood Elementary School

Reading Buddy Program

Volunteers spend 15-30 minutes a week listening to 1 or 2 students read and discuss what they’ve read to confirm understanding. It is a rewarding experience to help students learn to read!

Watch DOGS (Dads of Great Students)

Fathers, grandfathers, uncles, or other father figures volunteer at least one day during the school year. Fathers and father figures call Spicewood Elementary to sign up. WatchDOG volunteers perform a variety of tasks during their volunteer day including monitoring the school entrance, assisting with unloading and loading of buses and cars, monitoring the lunchroom, or helping in the classroom with a teacher’s guidance by working with small groups of students on homework, flashcards, or spelling.

Click here for more information

STEM Day (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math)

Volunteers spend a day presenting or leading hands-on activities to groups of students related to science technology, engineering, and/or math.

MAE Day (Music-Art Education)

Volunteers spend a day presenting or leading hands-on activities to groups of students related to music and/or art education.

CEIC (Campus Education Improvement Committee)

Community members (school/district administration, teachers, parents, business leaders, residents) meet on average 4 times during school year at Spicewood Elementary to discuss the progress and possible ways to improve the district/campus education.

Mustang Store

Volunteers staff the campus store one day every 4 to 6 weeks where students purchase trinkets or make donations to the campus fund using earned Mustang Bucks.

Spicewood Community Library

Seeing the need for a local library, a group of Spicewood residents established a privately owned, public library which opened in 2007. Located at 1011 Spur 191, just north of the Spicewood Post Office and in front of the Spicewood Elementary School, the Spicewood Community Library provides resources for all area residents.

Library cards are free. Funding for operations, book purchases, and programs comes from memberships, donations, fundraising, and the library’s thrift store sales. All staff members are volunteers, except for one county employee.

The collection contains over 9,000 books, audiobooks, and DVD movies for all ages, available to library card holders. The library is a member of the Central Texas Digital Library Consortium which provides an additional 10,000+ digital titles downloadable for 14-day loans in all e-reader formats (e.g., Kindle, Nook, iPad, Android, and more). Area residents have access to the library’s computers and highspeed Wi-Fi is available 24 hours/day in the library during business hours and the parking lot all other times.

Check the library website, spicewoodlibrary.org, for business hours and events.

Many BC Lakeside resident are, or have been, volunteers, board members, library members and donors. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors. Simply go to the library’s web site and click on the “How you can help” link at the top of the page.

If you have gently used donations (no clothing please) for the thrift store, you may drop them off during business hours or call, Geri DeLeon, 630-915-6332. For large item donations please contact Geri DeLeon or the library before you deliver your donations.

Contact 830-693-7892 spicewoodlibrary@gmail.com

Spicewood Arts Society

The Spicewood Arts Society (SAS) was formed with a mission to promote and educate about the performing, visual and literary arts in Spicewood. The historic first performance by the Austin Chamber Music Center was held in May 2000, at Spicewood Vineyards.

While our mission had remined the same, SAS has grown significantly, developing a performance season which has included at least five performances each year. The performances are held at Spicewood Vineyard’s 250-seat event center spicewoodvineyards.com.

SAS had added the Arts Round-Up, a fine arts festival with live local music. This juried art show features Hill Country artists working in a range of media and is typically held the last weekend in October at La Cabana Grill on Highway 71, in Spicewood. Additionally, several times a year, SAS sponsors Art Treks to visit local artists’ studios and area museums. We are also a strong supporter of the Lions Club Spicewood 4^th of July parade.

Literary arts have been featured through storytelling performances for adults as well as for children at both the Spicewood and West Cypress Hills Elementary Schools. Also, SAS supports the growing Spicewood Community Library.

By far our greatest accomplishment is our expanding high school scholarship program to students to further their education in the arts. SAS awards six $1,500.00 scholarships to both Lake Travis and Marble Falls High Schools. Scholarships are not available to recipients beyond their freshman year. Check out www.spicewoodarts.org for more information.

Contact Karen Noecker 832-858-0782 karenjnoecker@gmail.com