For students anxious to fulfill hours of volunteer service each year required by various clubs, this upcoming event might just be a gift they truly need.

A volunteer fair will occur on Sept. 8 at 1 p.m. in the Carmel Clay Public Library Program Room.

Susan Wylin, reference librarian at the Public Library and coordinator of the fair, said that a variety of organizations will set up booths or tables in the Program Room and will be available to answer questions and hand out materials about their need for volunteers.

“The organizations will tell individuals how to sign up or how to get started,” Wylin said. “People can go from booth to booth, or they can just go to the organizations that interest them.”

Wylin said that this is the first year for the volunteer fair. According to Wylin, the fair was created to spread awareness of accessible volunteering opportunities to the community. “We noticed that people wanted to get involved and volunteer but didn’t really know how to get started. We thought it would help to bring a variety of organizations with a need for volunteers together to educate people on what’s available and how easy and fun it is to get involved,” she said.

Tianyi Zhang, Key Club president and junior, expressed a similar opinion. “I think many students at this school want to volunteer. Showing (students) different service opportunities, I believe, is a good way to encourage them to volunteer,” she said.

Zhang said that she recognizes the significance of volunteering. “I think volunteering is important for students because they can learn a lot and feel a sense of accomplishment at helping other people,” Zhang said.

Wylin said she thinks the fair will be advantageous to the community as well as the volunteers. “National Honor Society students need volunteer hours, and they find organizations that need help. (However), we believe there are many others who would benefit from volunteering and they need to know what opportunities are available,” she said.

Zhang said that she believes the benefits of volunteering to be more far-reaching. “Volunteering can help students develop and improve life skills, such as group work, leadership and dedication,” she said.

Zhang herself has experienced these benefits firsthand. “Through Key Club, I volunteer at Sunrise Retirement Home. Several Key Club members go together to talk with the people living at Sunrise Retirement Home. We try to make them feel better and to get to know them,” she said. “Through this experience, I also learned a lot from these older people. They have been through many experiences, and it’s nice to hear about them.”

Wylin said that she hopes that there is something for everyone at the upcoming local volunteer fair. “We really hope that people get involved with the community and with a cause that interests them and has long- term appeal.”