This Wednesday, representatives from twenty-three local service organizations attended the Buckhannon Volunteer Center official web launch and training session held at the Buckhannon Public Safety Complex Training Room. Participants learned about features that would allow them to share volunteer needs, connect with those looking to volunteer, and track and report service hours.

Organizations ranging from American Red Cross, Create Buckhannon, St. Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliary, and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) were all in attendance, just to name a few. Jason Keeling, Executive Director of the Northeast Chapter of the American Red Cross, appreciated the event, sharing that the Red Cross is “always looking to expand our volunteer base and tools such as this are going to help us to continue to get the message out about the opportunities that we have and educate people about the need for disaster preparedness and response.”

Sarah Campbell, Buckhannon Volunteer Center Coordinator, led the training and walked participants through the steps taken to activate their volunteer base through the Galaxy Digital platform. Many appreciated the ability to track their volunteers’ hours and share service opportunities with community members who wish to find ways to help others in the area, be it through a hunger drive, river cleanup, or emergency response.

The Buckhannon Volunteer Center will be holding an open house in September prior to the Governor’s Day to Serve and will be an active partner in the City of Buckhannon’s Community Unity, Kindness, and Service Day planned for October 13th. This day of service will be a fun way to give back to the community while having fun with friends and family, meeting new people, and celebrating our shared hope for a healthy, happy, thriving society.

The Buckhannon Volunteer Center is a grant-funded program through Volunteer West Virginia and the Volunteer Generation Fund. The grant funding is a part of the Be Kind, #VolunteerWV initiative, a campaign developed by Volunteer West Virginia to dedicate a year of kindness to West Virginia. The campaign’s goal is simple: to spread kindness and volunteerism across the state.

Interested volunteers and organizations may reach out to Sarah Campbell, Volunteer Center Coordinator, by calling City Hall at (304) 472-1651 or by emailing sarah.campbell@buckhannonwv.org.  Watch for Buckhannon Volunteer Center news and updates at www.buckhannonwv.org/volunteer.