5 Things: April Is National Volunteer Month

1. April is National Volunteer Month and there's a couple of one-stop place to find your opportunities online.

Patch has a place to find opportunities and post volunteer opporunities at http://sarasota.patch.com/volunteer.

It's also located under More Stuff in our navigation menu. Some of the opportunities posted now include and

Gulf Coast Community Foundation also runs YoudBePerfectforThis.org. There you can filter the listings by interest area, professional expertise, zip code, and schedule.  They also can browse by “Inspiration”—categories such as “Get Your Feet Wet,” for outdoor service opportunities on or around the water, or “The Main Event,” for event-related volunteer jobs

2. The first-ever Sarasota Bay Awards will be presented tonight at the at Powel Crosley Mansion recognizing those who help protect and preserve the Sarasota Bay through the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program. The awards include the inaugural Blue Dolphin Awards to several individuals and groups who are champions of Sarasota Bay and the organization's mission. Stay with Patch to find out more about these stalwards of the bay.

3. It's possible that your Netflix DVDs and other mail will be sent to Ft. Myers before it comes to your home through a possible Manasota U.S. Postal Service consolidation. The  will host a public meeting tonight  to discuss its proposal to move some mail processing operations from the Manasota Processing & Distribution Center, 850 Tellevast Road, to the Ft. Myers center located 92 miles south of the current plant. The meeting is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Sahib Shrine Auditorium, 600 North Beneva Road in Sarasota

4. Think you have the right skills to help shape New College of Florida? The college is taking applications for its Board of Trustees. 

Individuals interested in this public service must complete an application. For more information,and the application: http://www.flbog.edu/aboutsus/ubt.php.

The deadline for applications with the New College vacancy is April 27 at 5 p.m. The term runs through Jan. 6, 2013, finishing the balance of the five-year term vacated following the recent death of New College trustee J. Robert Peterson.

Applications for seats appointed by the Board of Governors should be mailed to the address on the application for Board of Governors, and not sent to a university. The appointments made by the Florida Board of Governors are separate from appointments that are also made to university Boards of Trustees by the Governor of Florida.

5. It's Easter Egg hunt season, and blogger Candice McElyea shares details on where you can find 10,000 eggs in Lakewood Ranch. Where's your favorite place to take the kids Easter Egg hunting?