Kathy Schreckengost, of Erie, is embarking on June 16 on what she calls the “ride of my life.”

Each week, she will raise money for a different local charity. Schreckengost hopes to raise one dollar for each mile. Charities range from the Leukemia and Lymphona Society to the Presque Isle Partnership.

So far, Schreckengost has raised over $2,000.

“I think I’m going to [reach my goal], and even if I don’t, it’s a good start,” said Schreckengost.

Donors can choose which charity and week they support. Schreckengost said that the Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation, which receives money from her trek across Wisconsin, has already exceeded its mileage.

When Schreckengost starting cycling about 23 years ago, it was to spend time with her son. Ten years ago, she set a goal to ride across the country.

Her voyage will start in Everett, Wash. and end in Gloucester, Mass. Schreckengost will be cycling with a group called Cycle America. The ride will average 80 miles per day.

“The more I got into it, the more I thought I should do it for a reason,” said Schreckengost.

Schreckengost could not choose just one charity, so she is supporting nine. Each sponsored charity was selected because it has meaning in Schreckengost’s life.

To donate to Schreckengost’s ride, contact her at schreckandghost@yahoo.com.

Jamie Kiehlmeier, 35, and her daughter Jessica Kiehlmeier, 17, have collected 16 formal prom dresses in the last month and a half. Jamie Kiehlmeier said she recently ordered 50 used dresses to add to their supply.

The Kiehlmeiers’ campaign, called “Share the Prom,” was inspired by similar efforts in other northwestern Pennsylvanian communities. The work of Family Services of Northwest Pennsylvania, which lacked the resources to host its prom dress donation program this year, stood out to Jamie Kiehlmeier.

“Share the Prom” is collecting dresses, shoes, purses, suits, jackets and slacks, as well as clothing racks and dry cleaning services.

“It is amazing seeing a young ladies face light up knowing now she can go to prom and not worry about the cost of a dress,” said Kiehlmeier, in an e-mail.

Donations can be made at Girard High School from Wednesday until Friday.

The Kiehlmeiers have also set up year-round donation centers at Mister Pizza at 312 W 31st St and Amy Liebel’s Cutting Crew at 2016 Water St. in Erie.

Jamie Kiehlmeier said she posted listings for “Share the Prom” on Facebook, Craigslist and Freecycle.

For more information about “Share the Prom,” contact ShareTheProm@yahoo.com or check it out on Facebook.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

And I need your help.

I’m seeking nominations of people who are working to make a difference in your community. I’m looking for people who spend hours tutoring at the library, shelving canned goods at a local food bank or building homes with Habitat for Humanity. Tell me why your local hero should be featured.

Please send the name, story and contact information of special volunteers to catherine.cloutier@timesnews.com.

I look forward to reading and sharing these important stories.

Memorial Day Weekend is traditionally one of the three worst weekends for blood usage due to the amount of travel and activities. On top of that, the holiday kicks off what the blood bank calls “unofficial blood shortage season.”

To help stock the blood supply in anticipation for the weekend, the Community Blood Bank is entering all donors this week in a raffle for 18 holes of golf for four people (with a cart) at the Lake Shore Country Club. One donor will win brunch for four at the Grill Room.

“Summer is here and everyone wants to get out on the links,” said Dan Desrochers, director of marketing at the blood bank, in a news release. “And Lake Shore Country Club’s generosity will help get them there.”

To donate blood and win a golf gam, visit the Community Blood Bank, located at 2646 Peach Street in Erie.  The blood bank is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The blood bank asks that donors bring photo identification.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

“Our goal this year is to obtain as much produce as we can since produce is high in nutrition and low in fat and sodium,” the food bank wrote on Volunteer Match.

The food bank will compile a list of interested volunteers. Due to the nature of the activity, volunteers will often be given 24 hours notice before a shift.

Food-picking opportunities may arise before the harvest as well. Second Harvest Food Bank predicts this opportunity will run from the spring until November.

To participate, visit Volunteer Match or contact Brian McCaleb at 459-3663, ext. 106, or volunteer@eriefoodbank.org.

Want to help out but can’t participate in the food-picking? Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania has several opportunities.

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), run by the Greater Erie Community Action Committee (GECAC), matches the skills of retired people with the needs of community organizations across the Erie area.

GECAC only asks that participants “possess interest and ability in the volunteer task.”

RSVP volunteers may tutor children, pack items for food assistance programs or assist health screenings for other seniors.

To be eligible to participate, volunteers must be age 55 or older and an Erie County resident. Volunteers can donate up to 40 hours of their time a week.

To get involved, contact Ron Howze at the GECAC by telephone at 459-4581 ext. 463 or via e-mail at rhowze@gecac.org.

Photo courtesy of GECAC

And helping to shift those gears is the Lake Erie Speedway (yes, please note the car pun.)

The first 100 blood donors starting this morning receive a 6-pack of tickets to opening night at the speedway on May 26th. The tickets are valued at over $50.

“We are so grateful to the Lake Erie Speedway for stepping up like this,” said Dan Desrochers, director of marketing at the Community Blood Bank, in a news release. “They truly understand the importance of supporting the local community.”

Blood donation decreases during the summer months, as about 30 percent of blood donation comes from students, said Desrochers.

To help assuage the blood supply shortfalls and receive Lake Erie Speedway tickets, visit the Community Blood Bank at 2646 Peach St. in Erie.

The blood bank is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. No appointments are necessary.

It has an emotional ring to it.

The Greater Erie Area Habitat for Humanity is building two homes, side by side, this June.

The homes will complete Habitat for Humanity’s efforts at East 23rd and Elm streets. The organization has built three homes in that neighborhood  in the past three years during its accelerated June building project.

It is the first time the project will attempt to build two homes during its three weeks.

Habitat for Humanity is currently recruiting volunteers for the project.

Building runs from June 4 to 23 on Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Volunteers are required to commit to an entire day of work.

No experience is required. Tools are provided. Habitat for Humanity only asks that participants bring a sandwich to the work site.

Volunteers must be at least 16 years old; minors need parental permission. Shifts must be planned in advance by calling 454-7025.

“We tell them they need to come with a servant’s heart,” said Nancy Milkowski, executive director of Greater Erie Area Habitat for Humanity.

Depending on the day, volunteers could be constructing walls, painting or building a porch. Supervisors at the work sites assign tasks.

Milkowski said they are doubling the number of shifts and volunteers to complete the project.

Normally, it takes nine months for Habitat for Humanity to build one house, said Milkowski. The organization constructs three to four houses a year.

The project is daunting, but when it is finished, it will provide two deserving families the opportunity for home ownership.

The receivers of Habitat for Humanity homes are predetermined by a family selection committee, said Milkowski. Families must fulfill three criteria: they must be able to afford a mortgage with an interest rate of 0 percent, they must complete 300 “sweat” hours of work for the organization and they must have a housing need.

“Our mission continues due to the poverty housing in the city,” said Milkowski.

At the end of June, Habitat for Humanity will leave behind the House that Love Built, the House that Faith Built, the House that Hope Built, the House that Joy Built and the House that Peace Built. The names of this year’s houses were decided by past volunteers.

“We’re going to ultimately leave the neighborhood with peace,” said Milkowski.  “It couldn’t have been better designed.”

You learn something new everyday. Today I learned that the Erie County Department of Health has a list of all the walks and runs coming up this summer.

Here are a couple upcoming events:

5k Run-Walk for Life, Women’s Care Center of Erie County

The Women’s Care Center of Erie County is a faith-based pregnancy resource center. Their run-walk fundraiser will be taking off on Saturday at Presque Isle State Park.

Participants in the event should fill out these run and walk participation forms and record their fundraising efforts on this pledge form.

Registration for the run begins at 8:30 a.m. Walkers can start registering at 9:30 a.m.

The run-walk takes off from the Cookhouse Pavilion.

The top three individual and group fundraisers will receive prizes at the event.

For more information, call the Women’s Care Center of Erie County at 836-7505.

Erie Runners Club Mother’s Day Race

The Erie Runners Club is hosting 5k and half-mile races at Presque Isle State Park on Sunday.

The races start and end on Lake Road at Beach 1.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Dr. Gertrude A. Barber Foundation and the Erie Runners Club Scholarship Fund.

To register, visit Achilles Running Shop, 2309 W. 12 St. in Erie, on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or show up at 7 a.m. the day of the race.

Registration fees are $17 for people over the age of 13 and $10 for ages 12 and under. Fill out this registration form.

All participants will receive a T-shirt.

Stay with Volunteer Erie for more exercise-friendly fundraisers as the weather continues to improve.

Photo courtesy of Wikicommons

So many, in fact, that I thought it best to simply list them. Here’s are (several) ways to get involved:

-Organize a food or clothing drive; work with Erie County schools on drives
-Speak at chapel services
-Drive our vans
-Lead bible study or mentor clients from the men’s department
-Sort clothes, dress windows or tidy up the mission’s Thrifty Shopper stores
-Perform maintenance or renovations on the mission’s buildings.
-Interview family care ministries clients
-Help out in the kitchen during the mornings or sort food
-Share your computer skills
-Answer the telephone and greet visitors at the mission’s reception

And that’s not all.

The Erie City Mission is collection monetary donations and clothing and furniture donations for its Thrifty Shopper stores.

Don’t forget: Shopping at the Thrifty Shopper is also a great way to give to the city mission.