The Hopkinsville-Christian County community will have the opportunity to pledge volunteer hours for public schools during the second School Volunteer Challenge.

            Scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 3 from 6-8 p.m. at the War Memorial Building on South Virginia Street, this telethon style event aims to build upon the success of last year’s event, which produced a community-wide pledge of 8,712 volunteer hours for public schools during the 2008-09 school year.

            The School Volunteer Challenge is co-sponsored by the Christian County Board of Education and the Christian County Education Coalition.

            Each of the 15 public schools, along with the Career and Technical Center, will be present during the event to recruit volunteers to lend a helping hand in the overall effort to improve public education.

            Booths for each school will feature information on the various volunteer opportunities available for interested community members along with the steps potential volunteers must follow to sign up.

            This year’s event includes a satellite sign-up location at the Holiday Inn Express on Fort Campbell Boulevard. Representatives from both Pembroke and South Christian elementary schools will be on site to sign up volunteers from the Oak Grove community. In person visits are encouraged at the Oak Grove site as live television and radio broadcasts and a telephone line to call in and pledge will not be available at the Holiday Inn Express.

            In general, schools need volunteers to act as mentors, guest speakers, readers and tutors. Volunteers are also used to help make classroom activities realistic and to draw connections between curriculum and the world of work.

            The School Volunteer Challenge will be broadcast live on WHOP-AM 1230/95.3FM, BOOMER Radio Oldies 96.5/100.9 FM, HCC Channel 10, City TV Channel 12 and WKAG TV3 along with a phone number for interested community members to call to pledge their volunteer hours.

            Citizens can also pledge volunteer hours by attending the fair on Sept. 3 or by calling USHARE2 (874-2732) anytime between Aug. 26 and Sept. 3 and leaving a voicemail with their pledge and contact information. This will also serve as the number to call the night of the event to pledge hours.

            Brochures about the event will be sent home with all elementary and middle school students this week.

            All volunteers must pass a criminal background check before being placed in a volunteer capacity. Laptops with wireless Internet connections will be available at the event to allow volunteers to begin their background check process.