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Looking for some ways to help out this weekend? Here’s a roundup of some volunteer and fundraising opportunities in Erie County. If you have any suggestions for future posts, please send me an e-mail at fiona.branton@timesnews.com or drop off your announcement at the Erie Times-News, 205 W. 12th St.

1. Give blood. Memorial Day weekend is traditionally one of the three worst weekends of the year for blood usage, due to all the travel and activities, and it kicks off the unofficial blood shortage season. Help the Community Blood Bank go into the weekend with the blood supply at a high level by donating. The blood bank, at 2646 Peach St., is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  A photo ID is required.

2. Bike Around the Bay. The 11th annual Bike Around the Bay benefiting Environment Erie’s education programs will take place Saturday. Riders can choose among 10-, 30- and 50-mile rides. The rides will begin at 8 and 9 a.m., starting and ending at the Pilot House, 1 Holland St., behind the Intermodal Transportation Center. Day-of-ride registration is $25 for an individual and $45 for families. Call 835-8069 or visit www.environmenterie.org to learn more.

3. Erie Animal Network’s Art for Animals. Have fun and purchase an original piece of art by local professional and amateur artists, Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m., at Performing Artists Collective Alliance, 1505 Peach St. Admission is free; proceeds from the sale help support the Erie Animal Network’s pet food bank and its mission of reuniting lost and found pets with their owners.

4. Rummage sale at Orphan Angels Cat Sanctuary. Find some great stuff — clothing, books, DVDs, knick-knacks, pet items, household goods and more — and help the cats at Orphan Angels. The sale will be held Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 3 p.m., in the shelter’s parking lot, 5439 West Lake Road.

Have you contemplated creating a unique decorated ceramic bowl for your pet — or yourself? If so, head over to Claytopia, 2503 W. 15th St., on Thursday, between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. If you bring a “Claytopia for Kitties” flier with you, Claytopia will donate 20 percent of the profit from your purchase to Orphan Angels Cat Shelter. You can drop in anytime that day without a reservation, or join the Ladies Night party that evening from 5 to 9 p.m.

How does it work? You simply choose a piece (or two or three) from the upainted pottery items available at the store — mugs, bowls, dinner plates, animal figurines and more — then paint it and add any decorative touches you like. When you’re happy with your creation, the Claytopia staff will fire your piece in the kiln, and your finished masterpiece will be ready for you to pick up a week later.

The cost is a studio fee of $6, plus the price of the bisque (the pottery), which ranges from $5 to $50.

Visit Claytopia’s website, www.claytopiaerie.com, for more information and decorating ideas.

Claytopia for Kitties fliers are available at Orphan Angels, 5439 West Lake Road, or you can call 746-0511 or 504-3246 or send an e-mail to orphanangels@ymail.com to request one be sent to you.

Spring is here, and Orphan Angels Cat Sanctuary is filling up with kittens. To help raise funds to feed and vaccinate all the shelter residents, Orphan Angels will hold a rummage sale on Saturday, May 18, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the parking lot in front of the shelter, 5439 West Lake Road.

The group is seeking donations of clean, dry items to sell, including books, movies, household items, clothing and other goods. Donations can be dropped off at the shelter any day of the week, including the morning of the sale, except for Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

In addition, volunteers are needed to set up the night before the sale, to work the day of the sale and to rebox the items after 4 p.m. on May 18. If you are willing to help out, please visit Orphan Angels’ Facebook page and post the times you are available.

Get the new hairstyle you’ve been wanting for spring at a haircut-a-thon for Orphan Angels Cat Sanctuary on Sunday, April 14, 1 to 4 p.m., at The Classic Image Salon in the Giant Eagle plaza, 9125 Ridge Road, Girard.

A professional stylist will cut your hair in exchange for a donation to benefit the rescued cats at the sanctuary. You can also work on your tan in exchange for a donation. The group also hopes to have a massage therapist giving relaxing chair massages. For more information, visit Orphan Angels on Facebook or send an e-mail to orphanangels@hotmail.com.

Volunteers are needed to help Because You Care at the Cat Nation Fanciers All-Breed Cat Show on Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28, at JMC Ice Arena, 423 W. 38th St. The show takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, and volunteers are asked to sign up for a 2- to 4-hour shift on one of those days.

The biggest need is for volunteers to staff the kitchen at the event, serving and selling prepared food to the exhibitors and visitors at the show. Volunteers are also needed to help with the basket raffle and work at the BYC booth selling baked goods and other items. You can also help set up for the event on Friday or clean up after 4 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday.

The money raised through the sales of food, baked goods and other items at the cat show helps BYC fund its programs for foster animals. If you want to help out, call Ann Bucceri at 459-1697.

Warm up tonight at the Cocktails for Kitties fundraiser for Orphan Angels Cat Sanctuary, 5439 West Ridge Road. Stop by the Bel-Aire Clarion Hotel and Conference Center, 2800 W. Eighth St., tonight — Wednesday, March 20 –  between 5 and 8 p.m.  Have a drink or two, and the wait staff will donate their tips to the cat sanctuary. 

Eat out on Saturday, March 9, and help Because You Care raise funds to help local stray and abandoned pets.

Head to Bob Evans, 8041 Peach St., on Saturday, March 9, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., for breakfast, lunch or dinner — or all three if you like. The restaurant will donate 15% of sales that day for which the diners present a BYC coupon when they order their meals.

Coupons can be downloaded from Because You Care’s website, www.becauseyoucare.org, and are available upon request at the restaurant. Visit BYC on Facebook for more information.

Area artists — here’s a chance to express yourself and help local pets in need at the same time.

The Erie Animal Network is a social networking project that helps connect lost and found cats and dogs with their owners and finds homes for stray and unwanted dogs and cats.

The group is collecting donations of artwork (from everyone from novice to professional) for the Art for Animals show, a fundraiser scheduled for Sunday, May 19, 1 to 5 p.m., at PACA, 1505 State St.

If you’d like to donate a piece of art, or otherwise help with the event, send a note to EAN’s Facebook site.

 Because You Care animal rescue organization is seeking volunteers to coordinate its annual Walk for Small Animals, which will be held on Sunday, Sept. 8, at Liberty Park on Erie’s bayfront.

This is BYC’s biggest fundraiser, and the proceeds from the walk are key to helping to save animals in the Erie area. This year will be the 18th annual walk, so there is a lot of past experience and information to guide volunteers. Any help or talent volunteers can offer to help put on the walk is welcome, as are new ideas.

The planning committee will meet monthly from April to October (maybe a little more as the Walk gets close). Most communication is by e-mail or phone. Volunteers are needed to serve on the Walk Event Committee and/or to help out on the day of the Walk.

Walk committees include:

1. Sponsors (contact major and lower-level sponsors from previous years);

2. Logistics (procure location, arrange for setup the day of the walk, arrange for vendor tables, etc.);

3. Publicity (get word out through radio, BYC newsletter, newspaper, etc.);

4. Registration (staff one table for preregistered walkers and another for those who have not preregistered);

5. Route/Safety (determine route and sign up volunteers to work along route);

6. Refreshments (contact donors);

7. Distribution (order, arrange to pick up and distribute posters and sponsor forms and shirts);

8. Premiums (solicit donations of door prizes and other prizes for most money, etc.);

9. Special Events (arrange for entertainment);

10. Basket Raffle (contact donors from past years and find new donors if needed).

If you are interested in helping, please post a message on BYC’s Facebook site or send an e-mail to BYCVOLCOORD@gmail.com, and a coordinator will be in touch. In your message, please indicate any committees on which you might like to serve.

If you eat at Hoss’s Steak and Sea House, 3302 W. 26th St. — or purchase a Hoss’s gift card — on Saturday and present a Cash Cow card when you make your purchase, Orphan Angels Cat Sanctuary will receive a percentage of the sale. Simply by eating lunch or dinner (or both, if you like) between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. that day, you can help support this no-kill cat shelter.

You can pick up a Cash Cow card at the shelter, 5439 West Lake Road, or you can have one e-mailed to you, which you can print out, by sending an e-mail to orphanangels@hotmail.com. The shelter is open Friday from 1 to 5 p.m.

For more information, visit Orphan Angels on Facebook or at http://orphanangels.weebly.com/.