Harlequin and 5 Amazing Women Encourage You to Roll Up Your Sleeves!

TORONTO, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The recipients of Harlequin Enterprises' annual Harlequin More Than Words award know about volunteerism; it is the backbone of their organizations. To celebrate National Volunteer Week in North America, they have drawn on their experience to provide these expert tips for incorporating meaningful volunteer work into a busy schedule.

• Get started. Search for a satisfying volunteer position online at websites like www.charitynavigator.org and www.charityvillage.com.  Or contact the organizations you are interested in helping and ask them if there are any volunteer opportunities available. Organizations will often work with you to find something that you find interesting and rewarding. –Lara Tavares, founder, Sky's the Limit Youth Organization:  www.stlonline.org

• Share your talent. Do you have a heart for giving and expertise in a particular area? Are you a good driver, a computer geek or a carpenter who has an extra hour a week? If so, find a charity that can put your particular talent to good use. –Barbara Huston, co-founder, Partners In Care: www.partnersincare.org

• Host a night in.  Host a night in where you can discuss an issue you'd like get involved in and how it affects your community.  Then, come up with ways that you can combat that issue in your area.  You might even suggest that your guests donate to a non-governmental organization in your area. –Katherine Chon, President and co-founder, Polaris Project:  www.polarisproject.org

• Involve your children.  Kids are compassionate and love to feel that they can make a difference.  Spend time with your kids, and teach them about giving and thinking of others. Hopefully they too will pass it on to their own children. –Roni Lomeli, Executive Director, Shoes That Fit: www.ShoesThatFit.org

• Read for inspiration. Find a good "self-help" book that you have been wanting to read and volunteer to lead a small group of women through the book with you for the next 8 weeks or so. You'll all be empowered and inspired, and ready to take on any challenge. –Rhonda Clemons, founder, Zoe Institute: www.zoeinstitute.com

The five amazing women above were recently honored with a Harlequin More Than Words award.  The Harlequin More Than Words program aims to enhance the well-being of women by raising awareness, providing financial assistance to important charities and engaging others to make a difference.  With the help of some of Harlequin's most acclaimed authors, an anthology of stories inspired by the award recipients is published, with proceeds returned to the program. To find out more information about each of these incredible recipients, their charities and what you can do to help please visit www.HarlequinMoreThanWords.com.

Harlequin Enterprises Limited is the global leader in series romance and one of the world's leading publishers of books for women, with titles issued worldwide in 32 languages and sold in 114 international markets. The company produces over 110 titles monthly and publishes more than 1,100 authors from around the world. Harlequin Enterprises Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation, a broadly based media company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TS.B). Harlequin's Web site is located at www.eHarlequin.com. Harlequin has offices in 19 countries, including offices in Toronto, New York and London. For more information please visit www.eHarlequin.com or press.eHarlequin.com.

SOURCE Harlequin Enterprises Limited