To encourage student contributions to the community, Del Val Supervisor of Special Projects, Colleges, Careers and Assessments Kristina Sterbenc organized the first Del Val volunteer fair in the Commons on Sept. 24.
The fair hosted representatives from eight different organizations, ranging from the medical field to museum work, to give students direct information on volunteering opportunities. During unit lunch, students were free to attend each group’s table with representatives available to speak to them.
Coryna Barberis, a representative for St. Lukes University Health Network, explained the need for more local contributors.
“Volunteering is one of the most important things you can do for your community,” Barberis said. “…Almost all of these organizations are non-profit organizations, so they do not have a lot of funding; they do not have a lot of staff. So, any time that you can give to them is helping them.”
Del Val has a variety of clubs, including Key Club and National Honor Society, which require volunteer hours for student participation. The fair gave opportunity for students to find new and different ways to get involved in their community.
Sterbenc planned the fair in hopes of increasing student participation in the area by bringing the organizations to them.
“It’s something that we are trying to impart on our students: to be more community minded” Sterbenc said. “…I was just trying to come up with a way to put students in touch with local organizations that need volunteers.”
Students who missed the volunteer fair can reach out to Sterbenc for the contact information of the listed organizations. Following the high turnout and interest for this year’s fair, Sterbenc hopes to make the event an annual occurrence.
“It never hurts to see what you can do for your community,” freshman fair attendee Tayler McGuire said.
