Over 15 nonprofits from Ripon and its extended region gathered together on Memorial Lawn for Ripon College’s 8th annual Community Engagement Fair last Tuesday, September 4.
The fair gave student the opportunity to meet face-to-face with representatives of organizations in which they were interested as well as to discover many new service opportunities.
Lindsay Blumer, Director of the Office of Community Engagement (OCE), explains “The OCE hosts the fair every year to make students aware of the array of opportunities in Ripon. Regardless of their interests—animals, kids, healthcare—there are ways for them to share their passion with others.”
Patti Cavaleri, representing a variety of volunteering opportunities through Easter Seals, noted that volunteers were crucial to her organization. Discussing a camp for physically disabled students to interact one-on-one with counselors, Cavleri notes that “over half of our weekend staff are volunteers. [The camp] just wouldn’t work without them.”
Alyssa Koralewski, a junior at Ripon, manned the table for STRIPES, an afterschool tutoring program for high school students. Explaining why she was at the fair, Koralewski notes, “Ripon students love to volunteer.” Looking at the long list of names on her signup sheet, she added that this year’s first year class seemed particularly excited to get involved.
Despite the hot, humid weather and unrelenting sunshine, Ripon students turned out in full force for the event.
While at the fair, Krista Oelhafen, a first year student, talked with the representative from Big Brothers Big Sisters, a mentor program the matches volunteers with children. Oelhafen had been a “Big Sister” in her home town.
“When my Little Sister and I first met, I was nervous,” Oelhafen shares. However, the two quickly became close friends. Even though her little sister moved to Tennessee, ending their official part in the program, Oelhafen notes that they still keep in touch. She is equally enthusiastic about being matched with another Little Sister.
“I like the satisfaction I get when I volunteer,” she shares. “It gives me insight into what other people’s lives are like.”
Ripon senior Reilly O’Gorman also loves to volunteer and has been active in the community since she became a student at Ripon. “This is the fourth [Community Engagement] fair I’ve been to,” O’Gorman states. “I come to look for opportunities to give back to the community.”
The fair not only aids students in finding places to volunteer but also lets students know what resources are in community. Mandy Canovan from Ripon Public Library states that while the library was at the fair to recruit volunteers, they were also there to let the student body know about the resources of the library In addition to signing up to volunteer, students could register for library cards at the table. “Even if you’re not a reader,” Canovan adds, “we have an extensive DVD collection.”
When asked about the volunteering experience at Ripon Public Library, Canovan states, “a lot of people think volunteering is this big project, but it just can be something little here and there that creates an amazing experience.”
Did you miss the fair? Would you like to know more about volunteer opportunities or to get involved? For more information, visit the Office of Community Engagement on the second floor of Hardwood Union, at www.ripon.edu/oce or by emailing oce@ripon.edu.
