Local organizations seek volunteers at Service Learning Fair

Study Abroad table at fair. Photo by Bayleigh Davis.

The Center for Service Learning at Western Carolina University hosted their 8th annual Service Learning Fair on Tuesday, Jan. 29.

The Service Learning Fair is a way for students to find volunteer positions on campus or in the community. There were 43 different organizations represented at this year’s fair including The American Cancer Society, CatMan2, and Barium Springs. All of the organizations rely on volunteers for a large portion of their everyday activities and major events.

“A large amount of the year-round volunteers that the Mountain Heritage Center receive find out about volunteering during these fairs,” said Sonrisa Crespin, a graduate student working at the center. Most of the help the center receives for Mountain Heritage Day is from volunteers.

The Campus Kitchen Garden and the Cullowhee Community Garden are both starting something new this semester. The Campus Kitchen Garden will be renting 5 foot by 5 foot plots for $5. The cost for the Cullowhee Community Garden plots will be half of the harvested products.

The Campus Kitchen Garden is in need of serious help. Onion seeds that were once planted in plots have been blown all over the garden and weeds have taken over the area.

Haywood Spay and Neuter came to the fair looking for a student that could help with photographing animals.

Campus Kitchen Garden. Photo by Bayleigh Davis.

“We would love for a student to get involved with social media and advertising,” said Chandra Spaulding.

One of the major projects happening on the Western Carolina University campus is the completion of the trail system, a 7-mile loop that has been constructed and maintained by Base Camp Cullowhee. Volunteers are still needed to complete the trail.

Every Monday is a trail work day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and volunteers meet at Base Camp Cullowhee to get started. Base Camp Cullowhee is planning on completing the trail before the grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 23.