More than 20 Kane non-profits looking for volunteers
More than 20 nonprofit organizations attended last week’s “The More the Merrier Mayor Mixer” held at Kane Manor.
Kane Mayor Brandy Schimp organized the event as part of this year’s “Kane’s 25 Days of Christmas Kindness Challenge.” The mayor invited both non-profit organizations and potential volunteers to attend the event. This year’s challenge was for guests to commit in some capacity to one or more of the organizations and for local organizations to send one representative to the event to chat with potential volunteers. Representatives were on hand for a casual, fun evening of chatting and discussing volunteer opportunities and estimated time commitments.
“It is fantastic to see all of these fabulous volunteers who work day in and day out to make Kane what it is. There are so many volunteer opportunities that presented themselves tonight, so that anyone who is looking to get involved, we have something for you,” Schimp said. “Just reach out to myself or Kate (Kennedy) at the Chamber office and we’ll connect you with an organization. The more the merrier.”
Julie Clelland with Arts in the Wilds was looking for volunteers to help with next year’s 17th Annual Juried Fine Art Show at Evergreen Park in Kane.
Clelland said the organization needs help every year to get the word out to surrounding communities about the upcoming art show.
“In mid-april to May, we need people who will take our posters out to surrounding communities to distribute them in various stores and other locations. You can sign up for a town and do it in a day,” Clelland said.
She said the organization also needs people to help put out larger signs at all the entrances into Kane to promote the show. The event, which will be held on June 24 and 25, 2023, will also need volunteers to walk the grounds of the park to talk with patrons and check in with artists during the event. In addition, she said the Arts in the Wilds is looking for a marketing guru to help with promoting the event.
Kane Historic Preservation Society Director, Dick Bly said the organization is looking for volunteers to help out at the historic Train Depot retail shop because they
are hoping to extend the hours of the shop in the future.
“That would be from greeting customers, engaging with customers and telling them a little bit about the Kane history and just running the store,” Bly said.
An online store will be a new shopping feature the preservation society is starting next year and will need volunteers to help with packing and shipping orders. The organization is also in need of anyone who is willing to help with lawn maintenance of both the Train Depot and the Thomas L. Kane Memorial Chapel.
Bly said the preservation society is also looking for someone to help with scanning photos for historic collections.
“We have thousands and thousands of photographs
and we need to scan those and organize them,” he said.
Wildcat Park Board Member, Sue Szymanski and Treasurer/secretary, Pam Johnson said the park organization needs volunteers for the park's annual events, such as the Easter egg hunt, Fishing Derby, Ludlow Days, Octoberfest and holiday events. The park is also in need of volunteers to help maintain the park throughout the course of the year.
While many organization representatives who attended the event admitted that it can be challenging finding volunteers for various tasks, Szymanski and Johnson said sometimes the lack of volunteers requires cutting back on events.
“A lot of functions are geared toward whether or not we're going to have the help. We don't have a lot of events that are going to need people
to man them, so we have cut back,” Szymanski said. “Ludlow Days is a two-day event and we're actually considering it being just a one-day event because we don't have enough people for the two days.”
Both added that they are always looking for volunteers through their Facebook page and letters to members that they are in need of volunteers in order to continue holding these events.
“We have emphasized the fact that we need volunteers. To have these events keeping going, we need to have volunteers,” Szymanski said.
Deb Wensel, a volunteer at the Mckean County Society for the Prevention Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and with the Kane Area Food Pantry, echoed those sentiments on getting volunteers. She said many older people who normally volunteer during the warmer months
often leave for warmer states and the organization is in need of helpers during this time.
Craig Wensel, a volunteer with the Kane Area Food Pantry, said the organization is in need of volunteers to help pack boxes and distribute the food boxes. He added they are looking for board members and volunteers to sub for when another volunteer can't make it.
“You can come as often or as seldom as you like. If you can only come once a month, then come once a month. You can set your own time commitment,” Deb said. “I think a lot of people really want to help, but they don't always know how.”
If you'd like to volunteer for a Kane nonprofit organization, contact Brandy Schimp at kanemayor@gmail.com or Kate Kennedy at director@kanepa.com.