City of Sherwood seeks volunteers for senior center, arts center

SHERWOOD, Ore. — There is no limit to the number of volunteers the City of Sherwood needs — particularly at the Marjorie Stewart Community Senior Center this summer.

The City of Sherwood is recruiting volunteers to step in at the senior center, as well as the Sherwood Center for the Arts, as shifts get dropped while volunteers take summer vacations.

Tammy Steffens, volunteer coordinator with the City of Sherwood, said there are currently 204 active city volunteers, plus council and commission members.

“Summer months are always a great time for community members to volunteer for the City,” Steffens said. “We have a lot of regular volunteers who will take some or all of the summer off for vacations, or to be home with their kiddos who are out of school.”

According to Steffens, the city is also accepting teens for lots of summer volunteering opportunities including the Sherwood Public Library’s summer reading program, camp counselors at the Center for the Arts, Music on the Green, and Movies in the Park.

“Teens always have a fun time volunteering at our Summer Reading Programs through the library,” Steffens said. “At the Arts Center, I’m currently recruiting a greeter to welcome guests, sign students in for classes, provide basic information regarding any art exhibits, and more.”

Regular volunteer opportunities at the arts center include greeters who would be welcoming in guest patrons, checking in kids for classes, answering basic questions on whatever art exhibit is currently being displayed at that time, and more.

“We need lots of volunteers (at the senior center) to cover shifts in the kitchen, dining room, front desk, delivering meals to homebound seniors, and more,” Steffens said. “It’s the perfect situation for people who aren’t able to commit to a set schedule.”

Although the regular shifts are filled at the senior center, the city needs on-call volunteers who can jump in when people are on vacation, heading to a doctor’s appointment, hosting family, or just taking time off during the summer. In May, the City filled 44 shifts with on-call volunteers at the senior center.

“There's really no limit to the amount of subs or on-call volunteers that we can have,” Steffens said.

These volunteers help deliver meals to home-bound seniors, make fresh lunches every weekday, serve meals in the dining room, wipe down tables, and refill the water and coffee stations. Shifts can be anywhere from 75 minutes to four or five hours, depending on the volunteer’s ability. 

“We are definitely looking for substitute volunteers who maybe don't want to commit to a set schedule,” Steffens said. “They would get an email weekly that says: Here are the shifts that are open this week that we need help covering.”

Benefits of volunteering

Steffens said citizens who volunteer can feel some great endorphins from it, gain personal connections, and also build their resumes. 

“When you volunteer, you almost always have a great experience,” Steffens said. “Especially at the senior center, the interaction you get with the patrons is a lot of fun — and heartwarming. At the arts center, if that’s their interest, they’re going to enjoy it because they’re going to be able to be around whatever art exhibit is being displayed at that time. They’re going to enjoy the patrons who come in, and be able to interact with some of the kids who are there for classes.”

When her own daughter volunteered at the senior center, it was her first time learning how to use a landline — a skill she brought into her office job. 

“You’re giving back to your community, you’re extending the amenities that we can offer to the community, so the benefits are endless,” Steffens said.

At the Western-themed annual volunteer appreciation night held by the City at the Center for the Arts on April 29, the tally of volunteer hours in 2025 in Sherwood totalled 14,531 — worth $547,237.46 to the community. This includes volunteering for public sector organizations as well as nonprofits.

At a May 5 City Council meeting, Council President Kim Young said the volunteer appreciation dinner was a fun event.

“(Steffens) brings in line dancers, and the amount of volunteers who went up on stage to learn a line dance, it was fun,” Young said. “But most importantly, she talked about the number of volunteer hours this past year … it was over half a million dollars that those volunteer hours gave to the city, which saves us money in the end because it’s not having to come out of our budget. That was pretty impressive.” 

For more information or to apply to volunteer, visit www.SherwoodOregon.gov/Volunteer or email Tammy Steffens at SteffensT@SherwoodOregon.gov.