Volunteer fair hopes to attract hundreds of applicants

Local organizations are offering college students an alternative to sleeping away Saturday morning.\nThe City of Bloomington Volunteer Network Volunteer Fair is 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Accompanying the Farmers Market at Shower Plaza, the fair will give devoted, enthusiastic locals a chance to get information from nonprofit organizations looking for volunteers.\nBet Savich, director of the city of Bloomington Volunteer Network, said the local nonprofit organizations will be set up to recruit volunteers on the spot.\n"It's a chance to learn about the many programs in Bloomington that really are able to do their work because so many people are willing to volunteer their time," Savich said.\nSavich wants volunteers to know they do not have to be willing to donate every day of their lives to help in a big way.\n"(Most of) the nonprofit agencies have a variety of commitment levels," she said. "And all of them are used to working with students and understand their schedule."\nOf the 100 organizations the Volunteer Network works with, more than 40 of them, such as Options for Better Living and Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, will be attending the volunteer fair. Attendees can get information, sign up and apply to volunteer at any of the organizations, all with different needs and time commitments.\nSavich said most organizations have a simple applications process followed by an orientation and training, but in some cases there are more screening requirements, such as police background checks.\nOrganizations like Middle Way House, a domestic violence program and rape crisis center, will be at the fair to give out contact information and take applications. Colleen Yeakle, crisis intervention services coordinator at Middle Way House, said volunteers outnumber its staff eight-to-one. \n"It's absolutely essential to our mission," Yeakle said. "We train 300 new volunteers every year."\nMiddle Way House is one organization that is more selective when choosing volunteers. \n"We really talk to the people to make sure they're in a good place to receive difficult information from our clients," Yeakle said. \nSavich said she is hoping for 300 to 400 people to come to the fair.\n"It's really an opportunity to figure out how to mesh one's personal interests with public need," Savich said.\nThe IU Volunteer Students Bureau will have a similar volunteer fair 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 27 in Alumni Hall of the Indiana Memorial Union. Students who can't make the community fair can also visit the Web site at www.bloomington.in.gov/volunteer.