Speed dating at the Carnegie Center

On Tuesday evening the Jasper/Newton Foundation hosted a speed dating event that was intended to match organizations with volunteers. Organizations attending included Jasper County Animal Shelter/Control, DeMotte's Fairchild House, the Carnegie Players, Jasper County Historical Preservation, Jasper County Historical Society, Habitat for Humanity, the Vietnam Wall project, the Little Cousin Jasper Festival, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Rensselaer Parks, Franciscan Health Rensselaer, Birthright of Rensselaer, American Red Cross, the Brook Library, Whites/Christian Haven, Phil's Friends, SAGA (Senior and Adult Guardianship Advocates), and Made to Love. I remember one other that was supporting grandparents raising their grandkids but I do not remember what they were called. (I may have omitted a group or two and I apologize for not remembering them.)

Representatives from the groups sat around the inner circle. The potential volunteers sat around the outer circle. Every ninety seconds or so a bell would ring and the outer circle would move one chair to the left. In the ninety seconds people introduced themselves, with the groups telling what they did and the potential volunteers asking questions or telling a bit about themselves. At the end of the event, people could talk more length if they had found mutual interest.

Several of the groups that were there were new to me. If you would have asked me if Brook had a library, I probably would have guessed "No'. They were interested in a variety of volunteer tasks, including presenters for their thrice-weekly programs. Whites/Christian Haven is trying to re-invent themselves. They would like to provide space for other ministries. Phil's Friends is based in Crown Point and sends gift boxes to people with cancer. Made to Love advocates for adoption and is sponsored by Grace Fellowship Church in DeMotte. SAGA is like CASA, but for old people rather than children. It seeks people to act as advocates for old people who lack family members to watch out for them. It is based out of Kentland.

If you missed the event and would like to volunteer, I am sure that any of the groups that were there would be interested in talking to you.

It was a fun event that was not just about finding volunteers but also about people in the various organizations networking and finding what others are doing. I hope it was deemed successful enough to have it repeated in the future.