Thursday, October 10, 2002, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. STRENGTHENING "TEMPORARY CONNECTIONS" THROUGH EFFECTIVE EPISODIC VOLUNTEERING Harriet Edwards, North Carolina State University, North Carolina; R. Dale Safrit, North Carolina State University, North Carolina; Mary Merrill, Merrill Associates, Ohio Session Description: This session assists participants in understanding, accepting and strengthening episodic volunteering opportunities in their respective programs.  Based upon first-of-its-kind applied research conducted at North Carolina State University, three key "points" of episodic volunteering will be explored in depth: People (staff and volunteers); Place (organizational readiness); and Process (programs and procedures). Learning Objectives: 1. Increase knowledge of episodic volunteering 2. Demonstrate a more positive attitude towards the roles of episodic volunteers in their respective programs 3. Indicate plans to strengthen/expand their program's/organization's involvement of short-term/episodic volunteers Level:  Intermediate Conference Theme(s): Balance, Community, Opportunity, Reflection