Volunteers sought to aid vaccine sites

Volunteers are needed to help Lake and Porter counties distribute the H1N1 flu vaccine for the next several weeks, local United Way officials said.

Both counties will establish several sites where area residents can get the vaccine to reduce the chance of acquiring the H1N1 virus now responsible for hundreds of deaths this year across the United States.

Chris Eller-Esparza, a volunteer coordinator from the United Way's Lake County chapter, said the group plans to staff the sites. Generally, volunteers will man the registration tables at each site to track who is being given the vaccine. Some volunteers will receive medical training to aid in administering the vaccine.

Eller-Esparza said anyone can volunteer, regardless of experience, although volunteers should be prepared to work three-hour shifts.

This is not the first time the United Way has offered volunteers.

The United Way provided similar volunteers in September 2008 in response to the Little Calumet River flooding.

Anyone interested is asked to call Eller-Esparza at (219) 923-2302, ext. 311, or Kathy Wojkovic at (219) 464-3583.