Ball Leads Volunteer Oxford as New Director

Oxford, Mississippi – Volunteer Oxford, the Lafayette-Oxford-University community volunteer center, has named Sarah Ball as the new Director. Ball was named Director in early-July and started the in the position late-July.

“I am really excited to be part of a program that provides such a great service to the L-O-U community,” says Ball.

Raised in Thousand Oaks, California, she graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2008 with a bachelor’s of science degree in exercise science and in 2012 with a master’s of arts degree in parks and recreation management. Ball has over five years of special event planning and nonprofit work experience.

She worked five years for the North Mississippi Regional Center as a special projects coordinator in the recreation therapy department. Most recently, she served as the area 4 director of Special Olympics Mississippi.

As Director, Ball’s focus for Volunteer Oxford is to recruit and match volunteers with nonprofits and groups from the L-O-U community. The volunteer center acts as a contact point between local agencies looking for volunteers and community members looking for volunteer opportunities.

“The L-O-U community is made up of a diverse group, from college students to local residents and retirees, many looking for service and volunteer opportunities,” says Ball. “Volunteer Oxford’s goal is to serve as the information source for community volunteering for this group.”

Volunteer Oxford recruits, connects, and manages volunteers from businesses and corporations, universities and high schools, faith communities, social and civic groups and the L-O-U community. Volunteer Oxford also hosts community service projects for national days of service. One of these projects is the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, which will be Ball’s first event to oversee as director.

“During these first few weeks in the position there has been a lot of planning for the L-O-U community 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance event. One of the projects planned for this year will provide the L-O-U community an opportunity to show thanks to L-O-U first responders and our nation’s military by writing and sending ‘thank you for your service’ letters.  The local partners of Volunteer Oxford have been a great help with planning. We are really excited to see this project go through.”

For more information on Volunteer Oxford, visit their website volunteeroxford.org, “like” them on Facebook (Volunteer Oxford), or follow them on Twitter (#oxfordvolunteer). To volunteer through Volunteer Oxford, contact Sarah Ball at (662) 236-6662 or click to email.