School is back in session and fall is almost in the air. That means more time for volunteer activities for many in our area. Listed below are some of the volunteer activities that we encourage you to consider:

• Vet Meet-up – If you are a veteran or know of a veteran, please spread the word that the CBI will be hosting a Vet Meet-Up on August 17^th. The goal is to be able to match veterans who successfully transferred the skills they learned in the military with veterans who would like to start their own business or grow their existing business. This is a kickoff information session for a 14 week program to help vets start or grow their business.
• STEM Scouts – If you are an engineer, techie, scientist, educator or anyone interested in helping the students in our area have a greater exposure to STEM -Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, consider volunteering for the after school STEM Scout program for 3^rd – 5^th grade students. The group meets weekly throughout the school year for 90 minutes.   We will need a group of committed volunteers to guide the students through the pre-defined lab each week. Volunteers do not need to attend all weekly meetings, but be available for a majority of the meetings.
• Junior Achievement Company Program – An after school program for high school students to fill a need or solve a problem in our community by launching a business venture and unleashing their entrepreneurial spirit. Students will learn how to start a business, capitalize their venture, generate sales, develop marketing plans, develop supply chain relationships and keep financial records. The group will meet weekly for 13 weeks, 90 minutes per session. We will need a group of committed volunteers to guide students through the curriculum developed by JA.
• Student Idea Pitch Events – Early in 2017 the CBI will be sponsoring Student Idea Pitch Events for high school and college students. We will need volunteer judges to evaluate the ideas the students come up with. Think of the show Shark Tank, but with caring and encouraging judges asking for clarification of the students’ ideas looking for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place winning ideas

If you are interested in volunteering for any of the programs listed above, let us know. Call the office at 931-456-4910 or email us at cbi@roanestate.edu. Background checks and training are required for most volunteer opportunities.

Let’s make a difference in our community!