Krystin Hall of Batavia stopped by the Batavia Chamber of Commerce’s third annual Volunteer Fair on Tuesday afternoon hoping to find a volunteer opportunity for herself and her two children who are currently in high school.
“I have some teenagers and we want to do something together as a family that does good for the world and give back to the community,” Hall said at the event at the Batavia Public Library. “I just wanted to get out here and talk to some people. I’d love to do something with animals because my son, who is a junior, wants to be a vet tech and maybe the food pantry for my daughter.”
More than 40 organizations had representatives looking for volunteers at the event.
Margaret Perreault, president and CEO of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, said the fair is “great for the community. A lot of people in our town have never heard of these organizations or volunteer opportunities.”
“A lot of people think about volunteering at the food pantry which is a wonderful thing in town, but there are so many other opportunities residents have said they are not aware of and have found out about as a result of coming to our Volunteer Fair,” she said. “Our not-for-profit organizations tell us each year they get good, quality, long-term volunteers from this event, so it’s very beneficial.”
Perreault said the one-stop shop nature of the fair as well as the time slot from 2 to 6 p.m. hopefully makes the process of finding the right organization easier for those looking for volunteer opportunities.
“We have this until 6 p.m. for those who can’t come until after work and with us being the connector with all the non-profits in the area, it makes it easier for us to gather them all in one spot and it makes it easier for residents too,” she said.
New groups participating this year included the Lifelong Learning Institute from Waubonsie Community College and the SAYv Animal organization as well as Furnish Forward, a not-for-profit that collects furniture and provides it to people who can’t afford to furnish their homes.
Diane Moreau of Batavia, who works for the SAYv Animal organization, said the all-volunteer group was founded five years ago and offers a number of services.
“We wanted to be part of the fair as we’re pretty much grassroots and are a total volunteer organization – no employees. Everything is about services for dogs and cats – primarily cats,” she said. “We do marketing, developing, adoption, transporting animals for medical supplies and fostering pets at home which is the most common thing we do.”
The Founders Room at the library began to fill quickly as the doors opened for the Volunteer Fair on Tuesday.
Ezra Johnson of Geneva said she came to the event to find a volunteer opportunity for her husband.
“He’s kind of a handyman, a DIY guy, and I picked up a Habitat for Humanity brochure because I thought he would love to help with the construction sites as well as something from the Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly in case there are seniors who need a friend,” Johnson explained. “He’s a very amiable person and loves to help other people and fix things around their houses.”
James McGingy of Batavia was also looking for volunteer options at the fair.
“For me, a perfect fit would be something that includes my experience. I’ve been an educator and also worked in retail a lot of my time and I’m also an artist,” he said. “I can do a bunch of stuff. I need to see what’s available.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
