Ottawa volunteer fair draws hundreds to new YMCA

Ottawa wouldn’t be the friendly, attractive, well-rounded place that it is without its citizens giving of themselves to make it better each and every day, and that spirit of volunteerism was on full display at the new YMCA on Monday.

A volunteer fair, complete with dozens of tables and more than twice as many representatives of various groups and organization from the greater Ottawa area, drew hundreds of people interested in donating their time to worthy groups and causes within their community.

“It’s great to put faces in front of organization so they have the opportunity to learn how they can help.

—  Ottawa Mayor Robb Hasty

When Ottawa Mayor Robb Hasty, who had campaigned for that position advocating volunteerism and community service, first began discussing the possibility of such a fair, he believed the new YMCA would be the perfect venue.

“We knew City Hall wouldn’t be able to house this, as big as it is, so the concept of having this – like a job fair for volunteering – we knew would be a great partnership with the Y,” Hasty said. “The focus of the Y was to have this be a community center, so what better place to have the volunteerism be on display.

“Seeing the first stages of this come to fruition like this, shows that there is not only a need for volunteerism, but there are people wanting to volunteer. It’s great to put faces in front of organization so they have the opportunity to learn how they can help. Doing this, it just makes our entire community stronger.”