Students Learn About Volunteering at Penn State DuBois Volunteer Fair

DUBOIS – Students at Penn State DuBois recently had the opportunity to learn about volunteering in their community at the campus Volunteer Fair. Representatives from area service organizations were on hand in the Student Union to provide information and answer questions about giving back to the community.

“We want students to get involved both on and off campus,” said Penn State DuBois Student Life Coordinator Marly Doty. “It builds character and interpersonal skills, plus it helps the communities that support our campus.”

Many students learned about ways to serve the community that they never knew existed. “I didn’t realize they did as much as they do,” sophomore Jacey Royer said after visiting representatives from the American Red Cross. Bob Newell, the Executive Director of the DuBois Chapter of the Red Cross told Royer that volunteer opportunities with the Red Cross include work in business, accounting, health and safety, and disaster assistance.

“When people think Red Cross, they think blood drives. We’re much more than that,” Newell said.

Discovering these new opportunities inspired Royer to get involved. “The fact that they help people in so many different ways, like after a disaster, is really great. I like to help people,” she said.

Cory Ball, a sophomore student from DuBois, agrees that it’s good to lend a hand. “Just getting involved and helping the community makes you feel good about doing things for others,” he said.

Newell also stressed the importance of volunteers, telling students like Royer and Ball how much organizations depend on them.

“Volunteers are everything,” said Newell. For us, classes are taught by volunteers, blood drives are run by volunteers, disaster relief is conducted by volunteers. If it weren’t for the volunteers we wouldn’t exist.”

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