There’s a lot of summer left, and you don’t need to spend the entirety of it passed out by a pool; why not sign up now to volunteer at Red Butte Garden’s summer camp? This weekend, head to the Haiti Kanaval 5K to check out a charity supporting better education and greater opportunities in the Caribbean nation. This weekend, you can also learn how to write for change at a free workshop on writing to elected officials and composing letters to the editor.

Volunteer with Red Butte Summer Camp
Through Aug. 22
Be the cool camp counselor you never had yourself by volunteering to help kids coming to Red Butte Garden’s summer camp. The garden is looking for folks who can help engage young minds with educational and interactive lessons. Volunteers must be at least 15 years old and can sign up for one day a week or for an entire week.
Visit RedButteGarden.org for more details

Haiti Kanaval 5K
Saturday, June 7
Zion’s Children of Haiti is a local charity taking the dollars and efforts of local Utahns down to the Caribbean to help create educational opportunities for Haitian children. If you register by Friday, June 8, you can run the 5K to help raise funds for the charity. Or you can simply learn about volunteering and enjoy the festival (Kanaval is the Haitian Mardi Gras) that will include a raffle, photo booth, games and food, plus bouncy houses and face-painting for the kiddies.
Sugar House Park, 2100 S. 1300 East, June 7, race registration 7:30 a.m., Kanaval 9-11:30 a.m., ZionsChildrenHaiti.org

Writing for Change
Saturday, June 7
The Community Writing Center’s free writing workshop is your opportunity to learn how to turn your passionate but overlooked letters to local politicians into the thoughtful, well-articulated missives that your local leaders won’t be able to ignore. The workshop is free, but registration is required.
SLCC Community Writing Center, 210 E. 400 South, Suite 8, 801-957-2192, June 7, 1-4 p.m., www.SLCC.edu/CWC/

Twitter: @EricSPeterson