Jesse Medina
South Coloradan
Adam State College hosted the Volunteer Fair on Wednesday, Sept. 23. The courtyard outside the E.S. Building was transformed into a colorful fair, with brightly colored tents and students all around.
The day was beautiful, lending to the activities very nicely. The wind tended to wreak havoc with the tents as the fair wore on, but that did little to damper the spirits of the people there. The event, held from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., gave students the opportunity to visit between classes or on their way to the Student Union Building. As Paul Simon loudly serenaded the crowd of students and volunteers from the surrounding speaker systems, the aromas of various foods filled the air. Brightly colored signs and banners dazzled the eye. The scene was somewhat reminiscent of an old Mexican market place. Everywhere students were laughing and having conversations with the various volunteers. The United Campus ministry invited non-profit organizations from throughout the San Luis Valley to come and represent their agencies and try their hand at recruiting volunteers. Some of the various organizations included the SLV Women’s Resource Center, the Vineyard of the Rio Grande, Alamosa Search and Rescue, and the Alamosa Community Garden. The Alamosa Search and Rescue volunteers brought an ambulance and dummy on a stretcher with them, giving students a chance to practice some life saving techniques. Various Adams State clubs were there also, the Earth Science Society and the National Honor Society just to name a few. The clubs were providing foods such as pizza, baked goods, and candy apples to raise money. (The food was delicious and it never hurts to help out your fellow students).
The Volunteer Fair also tended to give both the volunteers and clubs some excellent publicity. Students who might want to get involved with volunteer work or with clubs may not know where to or who to contact. The fair is a fantastic way to help inform and to get to know your community in a more intimate way. Anna, a student, remarked “I enjoy events like this. It gives other students a chance to help their community. It seems like people don’t like to get involved with community service because its “uncool” but to be honest I’ve met a lot of cool people when I volunteer for my church. Plus, I never turn down a chance to enjoy a good slice of pizza.” Students meeting with the various volunteers and sampling the multitude of foods available got to sample a perk of being a volunteer: making other people happy.
Happiness was definitely not in short supply at the Volunteer Fair. Even if you were only able to pass through the fair for only a moment, it was definitely a fun and exciting moment. Both students and volunteers got to enjoy good company, excellent food, some Paul Simon Graceland music, and great weather (aside from the wind) on a September Wednesday.
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