Big Sunday happily welcomes you to Our Really Big Community Calendar.
We try to include all kinds of volunteering and helping opportunities for all kinds of interests, talents, passions, and ages! As you’ll see, these include volunteering opportunities (one-time and long-term) as well as the chance to support a nonprofit by attending fundraising events. Plus, of course, we include all of Big Sunday’s homegrown events, too! Whoever you are, and whatever you do, there is someone out there who could use your help.
If you have questions about our calendar, or would like to add a listing, please contact calendar@bigsunday.org or submit your event/opportunity via the button below.
Celebrate America’s largest annual Latin culinary celebration at ¡Latin Food Fest!’s 2017 action-packed line-up March 24-25, adjacent the Santa Monica Pier (1550 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, 90401), featuring tastings, a celeb chef dinner, parties, and workshops.
The signature event, Gran Tasting, is an all-inclusive tasting festival. Guests pay one price to enter and indulge in a variety of local and international Latin food, wine and spirits; meet acclaimed chefs who will conduct demos, and you won’t want to miss the Best of Fest Awards – the fest’s showcase of culinary excellence.
For more information, visit www.latinfoodfest.com.
2017 Orientation Dates
March 25, 9am
May 20, 9am
July 22, 9am
September 23, 9am
November 18, 9am
Signup links for orientations are posted on this page three weeks prior to the orientation date.
Adult Volunteer
The Volunteers of the Burbank Animal Shelter (VBAS) is a 100% volunteer-run organization looking for committed volunteers who are able to provide basic care for the animals and assist with adoptions as well as participate in and run their various programs.
Volunteer Requirements
- You must be 18 years of age or older.
- You must commit to volunteer 8 hours per month.
- You must commit to volunteering for a minimum of one year.
Orientation
- Orientation occurs every other month.
- Please allow 60-90 minutes for the orientation.
- During Orientation they will cover general Shelter duties, event committees, VBAS requirements, training, KFP, take a tour and Q&A.
- Orientation is on a first-come, first-served basis. The first 30 people to sign up will be able to attend Orientation. If you miss this, you will have to wait and attend the NEXT Orientation posted date.
- Sign up for the March 25th orientation session to sign up for the next orientation session starting March 4th.
Volunteer Application Process
- Applications are available at http://thevbas.org/volunteer for one week after each orientation.
- Upon receipt of your application you will be given a list of Volunteers with their schedules and observe them at the Shelter at least 2 times.
- You will then be move on and be interviewed by a VBAS member.
- You will then go through LiveScan and a minimal background check as required by the City of Burbank.
- Please note: completion of any or all of the above steps does not automatically constitute acceptance as a VBAS volunteer. Upon approval from both the VBAS and the Burbank Police Department, your badge will be available and you will be contacted to schedule your first training session.
- Please allow approximately 3-6 months to complete this application process.
In honor of Cesar Chavez, join From Lot to Spot for a day of working in the Heart of Watts Community Garden. From Lot to Spot engages with disadvantaged communities in developing healthy public spaces in their neighborhoods.
Email arlene@fromlottospot.org and learn more details here.
Oil Painting: Capture the Beauty of Nature
Saturdays, (6 week sessions):
January 14 – February 18
February 25 – April 1
April 8 – May 13
May 20 – June 24
1:00pm – 3:30pm
Ron Pettie, Instructor
$69 Arboretum members / $79 non-members (includes Arboretum admission)
All materials are included.
Capture the beauty of nature! The instructor will guide a beginner to draw and paint with confidence. More advanced students will be able to paint independently at their own pace and will be able to choose their own subjects.
Each subsequent six-week class will explore other areas of painting such as landscape, still life, domestic animals, structures, deserts, and seascapes. Master artist Ron Pettie will guide you on this adventure.
At the end of a six-week session students will learn the following:
- Composition styles
- How to read a color chart
- Color mixing
- How to use the grid system and the rule of thirds
- Use of dark and light values and gray scales
- Learn a variety of techniques for painting , including using different brushes and the palette knife for texture and depth
- How to use the magic frame on photographs
- Self-Critiquing – Standing back and squinting
- Choosing a signature
Reservations REQUIRED; To register please call the Education Department at 626-821-4623.
On March 25, don’t miss Self Help Graphics and The Big Read’s Postermaking Workshop! The workshop will explore Emily Dickinson's affinity for flowers and gardens and how she used them throughout her writings. Participants will then create mono-silkscreened posters based on her works and new poems created by each participant. The workshop is free and all ages are welcomed.
NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.
Click HERE to secure your spot.
The series returns to Occidental March 29 with Youth Movement: Mayors Aja Brown and Robert Garcia, featuring Brown, mayor of Compton since 2013, and Garcia, mayor of Long Beach since 2014. As two of the youngest (Brown is 34, Garcia 39) mayors in Southern California, they represent a new generation of political leadership in the region. They’ll discuss their own paths to election, the state of their cities and the opportunities and challenges of piloting cities in the shadow of giant Los Angeles. Don’t miss Youth Movement: Mayors Aja Brown and Robert Garcia!
Don’t miss the opening reception of the "What does DTLA mean for you" art exhibit (runs through April 14) curated by awesome LA artist Kathryn Pitt. This unique exhibition will showcase art work by artists from LA who live/work/exhibit in the Arts District of Downtown and the artists of Skid Row who live and work adjacently. For more info, please visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1801914516727167/.
Join Create Now on Friday, March 31st from 6 – 9 
pm for a relaxing and memorable evening at Kiehl’s. For only $50, you will receive a rejuvenating mini-facial, a goodie bag with samples, scrumptious refreshments, raffle prizes, and intuitive readings for ten people. Come have fun and party with Create Now! Space is limited! Click this link to purchase your tickets.
All proceeds enable abused, neglected and homeless children ages 2-21 to heal through Create Now, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit that helps youth find their voices through arts mentoring and education.
Don’t miss Star, Inc.’s 17th Annual Children's Earth Day event at the STAR Eco Station in Culver City, California! Two exciting volunteer opportunities are available as helpful participants are needed to assist with set-up on Saturday, April 1st and the actual event on Sunday, April 2nd. Shift times are below. Please contact Volunteer Coordinator Lili Miller at 310-842-8040 if you are interested in helping!
Set-up: Saturday, April 1
- Shift 1: 8:00am-12:00pm
- Shift 2: 11:30am-2:30pm
Star, Inc. is a charitable 501(c)(3) non-profit education organization serving kids, families, schools and communities.
