The District of 100 Mile House’s second Volunteer Fair was held on Sunday, April 21 and organizations new and old came out to attract volunteers and interact with each other.
The Volunteer Fair was held at the 100 Mile Community Hall from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., and around 30 organizations attended according to Coun. Donna Barnett, the main organizer of the volunteer fair. She was happy to see the event being held again.
“The volunteer organizations have come out very well - done a great job - great to see them and appreciate them.”
Barnett, however, noted that the public did not attend the event as much as before - throwing the future of the fair into question.
“I’m going to re-evaluate it and maybe do it a different day - maybe do it one day when the town is open.”
Barnett was still thrilled that new volunteer organizations came to the Fair to recruit new volunteers and interact with others. One of the new organizations that attended the Volunteer Fair this year was 100 Mile House’s Royal Canadian Legion Branch 260. The club joined after Darleen Holmes, a member of the Legion, saw an advertisement for the Volunteer Fair, leading to her calling to book a table at the Fair.
“We are very excited to be here,” Holmes said.
Holmes had nothing but great things to say about the Fair overall.
“I feel that it’s important and much needed in the community and I think that it brings the community together with organizations that are in need.”
Another new attendee was the 100 Mile House and District Blind and Visually Impaired White Cane Club a social and recreational group for people with low vision and/or blindness. Lori Fry, the director of public relations and fund development, said they decided to participate to give back to the community.
“It’s a good feeling in the sense that again it is a community involvement of community spirit - again, giving all of our volunteers just that reciprocal support - that what we all do for the community is important and valuable.”
The 100 Mile & District Historical Society, who run the 108 Heritage Site, was one of the volunteer organizations that returned to the Volunteer Fair. Kelly Carnochan, the society’s president, said that the people who joined at the fair last year are still with the organization. Overall, the backbone of 108 Heritage Site has always been people who have wanted to work there.
“We are always looking for volunteers down at the Heritage Site - we operate 100 per cent with volunteers.”
Despite low turnout from the public, Barnett still thinks the fair was a success.
“I feel we gave everyone an opportunity and a lot of people have met each other for the first time and collaborated, and you know some people may go and volunteer with another organization as well as their own,” Barnett said. “It’s great.”