The Compeer Program at Far West Center is looking for adult volunteers!
The Compeer Program at Far West Center in Westlake needs adult volunteers that can give one hour per week to offer friendship and encouragement to an adult in recovery from mental illness. The Compeer Program is a branch of Compeer Inc., an international nonprofit organization (www.compeer.org). Compeer has been serving the Cuyahoga County community from Far West Center (www.farwestcenter.com), a nonprofit community mental health services agency, for almost twenty-one years.
Being a Compeer Volunteer is very rewarding and can easily fit into anyone's busy schedule. Compeer Volunteers are trained about issues regarding mental illness, isolation, and mental health services. Volunteers are matched one to one with a same gender adult who is in recovery from mental illness and is ready to get back out into his or her community.
Volunteers are asked to spend one hour per week, or four hours per month, communicating with their matches. Volunteer time includes phone conversations, visits, meeting out at a community place for coffee or a walk, and participating in some of the many events offered on the Compeer Quarterly Calendar of Events.
All Compeer Volunteers receive ongoing support from the Compeer Program staff. Volunteers are required to commit one year to their matches. Many Compeer matches have lasted for several years. The goal of the Compeer match is friendship! The Compeer Inc. motto is "Making Friends. Changing Lives."
This summer the Compeer Calendar of Events is filled with fun and interesting activities. The Compeer Program has a garden club that is growing vegetables as part of the Bay Village Community Garden. Compeer also bowls twice monthly at Bay Lanes. The Compeer Calendar includes several local outdoor concerts provided by the cities of Westlake and Olmsted Falls. In September the Compeer Program is honored to be having a performance by the Blue Water Chamber Orchestra.
The Annual Compeer Summer Picnic will be held Friday, August 27 at Clague Park. This summer celebration of friendship is made possible by generous community donations. Compeer welcomes donations of picnic food items or necessary picnic items.
The Compeer Program at Far West Center will participate in the Annual Greater Cleveland NAMI Walk on October 2. Please call 216-875-7776 for additional information on the Greater Cleveland affiliate of National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Annual NAMI Walk. Mental health is an important part of overall health.
To ask about becoming a Compeer Program Volunteer and/or to donate food or items to the Annual Compeer Summer Picnic please call 440-835-6212, ext. 242 or send an email to compeer@farwestcenter.com.