Mayor Bonnie Rietz continued coordinating efforts between the Global Volunteers and Austin last week as a member of the organization's international committee.

The committee's meeting, which took place in St. Paul May 24-29, was originally scheduled to be held in China, but was rescheduled due to concerns about SARS.

The committee, with representatives from around the world, met to go over challenges facing the organization's efforts, which focus on helping children, teaching English as a second language, working on building projects and helping meet the medical needs of communities around the world.

Austin received the benefits of the Global Volunteers last August when people from around the world came for a week to help children learn English and prepare for the coming school year.

Rietz said that is a need in Austin, especially after the summer, when kids are not exposed to as much English as they are in school.

"We have a growing population of children where English is not the first language," she said.

That event will take place again this year on Aug. 11-15. Rietz asked participants last year about the program, and she said the feedback was positive.

"They felt it really helped them get back into their English and get back into school," she said.

She talked to teachers as well, who said they noticed a difference in the students as they began the school year again.

Programs organized by the Global Volunteers require a local match in funds, and the Hormel Foundation is picking up the tab again this year.

However, local volunteers are still needed, Rietz said, to help out with things like lunches, transportation, taking the volunteers to dinner or out for the evening. Also, donations of time, money or talent would be appreciated.

People that are interested can contact Laura Kuehl, Director of Community Services for the school district, at 433-0971.

Rietz said one of the issues the committee talked about in St. Paul was how to attract volunteers in the community. She said this is not a problem in Austin.

"We are a city and a society where volunteerism is looked on highly," she said. "We certainly don't have trouble getting volunteers for projects."