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www.FredParent.NET 39 SAT 6 Les Miserables When: 8 - 11 pm Where: National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC cost: Prices vary. Buy tickets http://cwm.io/8e56fd FRI 12 Fabulous Friday: Mercer's Medicine Learn how Fredericksburg revolutionary Hugh Mercer treated colonial patients with leeches, snakeroot and crab claws. When: 4:30 - 5 pm Where: Downtown Library THU 18 superhero Party Join us dressed as your favorite superhero for gymnastics fun, crafts and a snack. When: 10:30 am - 12:30 pm Where: Stafford Gymnastics and Rec Center cost: $15. Pre-registration required: staffordparks.com Family Movie nights Relax and enjoy "The LEGO Batman Movie!" presented by CRRL and the Salem Run Neighborhood Watch. When: 7 - 9 pm Where: Salem Church Library cost: Free! FRI 19 the cage Play games, create and hang out with friends. For Grades 6-12. When: 3:30 - 5 pm Where: England Run Library cost: Free! Drop in! SAT 20 art Extravaganza Children will enjoy a variety of hands-on activities while expressing their creativity! When: 9 am - 12 pm Where: Rowser Building, Stafford cost: $8/adv or $10/door. www.staffordpakrs.com animal Encounters Meet some of Maymont's animal ambassadors during scaly, feathered and furry close encounters. When: 11 am Where: Maymont, Richmond cost: $8. Buy tickets: maymont.org MON 22 Board Game night Board games of all types. All ages welcome. Play one of ours or bring one of your own. When: 7 - 8:30 pm Where: Salem Church Library cost: Free! You can add your event to FredParent's online calendar at any time. Go to www.fredparent.net and click Add an Event at the very top of the page. Not all events will appear in the print magazine. continued from pg 37 out & about Be Flexible And Expect The Unexpected. Don't be surprised if the volunteer commitment you expected to be a cakewalk turns out to be full of unanticipated challenges. If you were in charge, things might be different, but chances are good, you are not the boss but rather a help- er. Volunteering is a great opportunity to flex skills like your ability to collabo- rate, trouble-shooting on-the-spot and not sweating the small stuff. Your goal is to suit up, show up, do your best, and walk out the door feeling good about what you contributed. Raise Money Even If You Cannot Donate. Your time and energy are like gold to any organizer, so if that is what you are contributing, let it be enough. If you don't have time or energy to offer, maybe you can open up your wallet and make a financial contribution. You don't have to offer your own money, if you have a network of friends, colleagues or local businesses you know who might wish to donate. If you are not comfortable in a fundraising role, make referrals to volunteers who excel at the job. Everyone will be grateful if any of your leads lean in. Ask For Help If Hardships Crop Up. Life happens. Despite our best intentions, sometimes a pet gets injured, a child becomes ill or a spouse has a career setback. When we put our family's needs first, we may not be able to fulfill our volunteer commitments as we'd hoped. All is not lost if you can communicate your limitations as soon as possible, rather than kidding yourself that you can still pull off everything with a flourish and a smile. If you can't complete your assignments for whatever reason, speak up, ask for help, and graciously hand over responsibilities to folks who step up. 3 Volunteer Tools These online tools make volunteering so much easier: Google Docs A universal platform for sharing information like schedules, deadline informa- tion and any type of collaborative documents. Doodle Poll If you are trying to figure out dates and times that work best for a group, this is an easy tool for taking a poll. sign-up Genius If you are coordinating timeslot signups, donated items or potluck commitments, this tool communicates what you need so folks can sign-up in advance. 7 Ways To Be A school Helper Without Losing Your Balance