Volunteer Fair Highlights Deep Needs of Wilton Nonprofits — and Opportunities for Residents to Build Community [PHOTOS]

Saturday’s Volunteer Fair, co-hosted by Wilton Youth Council, Wilton Mental Health Task Force and Wilton Library, brought together more than two dozen Wilton nonprofits in need of volunteers. It also attracted several hundred residents looking for ways to connect with the community.

Organizations represented at the fair included new organizations like the Wiltonians, Newcomers and Neighbors Club; student-run organizations like Feeding 500; long-established organizations including the Wilton YMCA, Rotary Club, Ambler Farm and Minks to Sinks; and many more.

The idea for the event grew out of discussions between several nonprofits as part of their collective work on Wilton’s Coalition for Youth. Many of the organizations wanted to create events and start programs but didn’t have the volunteers to transform talk into reality.

The turnout by members of the public at Saturday’s fair was very encouraging, and it was a win-win all around, according to Youth Council Board Member Carolyn Lyon.

“It’s incredible to see all the people, and the range of people, who are here, from the young to the older members of the community. Everyone’s looking for something to do now, they want to feel part of something again. Coming out of COVID, that’s what everyone was missing,” she said.

Beautiful weather, live music, and an ice cream truck parked outside made for an optimal setting for the event. Library staff opened the doors between the Brubeck Room and the interior open-air courtyard, and set up organizations at tables ringing the space.

Demand is high for volunteer participation across the board — making things even more critical because the organizations play a big part in Wilton’s overall success and fill in the social support fabric — from Ambler Farm, Wilton Library, the Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, to the YMCA and dozens more. And with budgets tight all over, volunteers can be the engines to that success, so the number of volunteers they’re able to recruit can be make-or-break.

Ginna Yerrall was at the Volunteer Fair representing the Wilton Education Foundation, which annually funds several thousands of dollars of programs at the Wilton Public Schools outside of the school budget.

“We just approved two grants [this week], and gave [Wilton Schools Superintendent] Kevin Smith $25,000 but we can’t support that and keep doing our [fundraising events] unless we have bodies,” Yerrall said.

It’s not just a one-off problem. Finding both volunteers for limited time commitments as well as those willing to devote more time to keeping the organization running is hard. Unfortunately, like many others at the volunteer fair told GMW, WEF makes do with the same handful of people.

“Volunteering has really fallen off. And we are holding on by a string, to be honest, with about five or six of us, and then we have maybe three or four other people on the side, working on [projects like] Reading Rocks! or the 5K. We had a board meeting this week — it was just five of us. So it’s really fallen off,” Yerrall added.

Feeling it just as acutely is Ambler Farm, a large nonprofit on the other end of the spectrum. Special Events Director Laura Guzewicz said it’s only because of volunteers that Ambler Farm “can continue to be one of Wilton’s town treasures.”

“Whether they’re working in the field with Farmer Jonathan helping harvest and weed, whether they’re helping [Program Director] Kevin Meehan run the educational programs that we offer throughout the year. As the events director, I wouldn’t be able to put on the events for the entire community without the help of our volunteers,” she said.

That’s true exponentially for Ambler Farm’s signature upcoming event, Ambler Farm Day on Sunday, Oct. 6. “We have 79 shifts during Ambler Farm Day for different ways that you can be a part of the big event. We have over 100 volunteers, including the kids, that participate in our most pinnacle event of the year that brings families from Wilton and beyond to the farm to allow people to engage with each other and the land, which is what we’re all about,” Guzewicz said.

Like those in other towns, Wilton residents are often pulled in many directions and time is precious. Guzewicz said Ambler Farm — as many other Wilton organizations do — is coming up with creative ways for people to be involved.

“You don’t have to just come and donate your time — if you want to bake a dozen cookies with your kid one morning and bring them to the farm to be a part of our ‘Sweets & Treats’ booth on Ambler Farm Day. If you’ve been driving around with that bag of clothes you’ve been meaning to take to Goodwill for two weeks and you just haven’t made it there, bring it to Ambler Farm, drop it in the bin in front of the carriage barn, and we’ll use it for our “Build a Scarecrow” activity. There are ways to be a part of the farm and to give back without physically being here, and that’s okay. Everyone has a different schedule, so we want it to be easier to give back,” Guzewicz said.

Minks to Sinks, which has been running its twice-yearly tag sale fundraiser for Family & Children’s Agency for 90-plus years, has had to adapt its needs to attract new volunteers and keep them involved.

“It’s been harder to find people that can commit the hours that we like,” says Minks to Sinks’ Jennifer Davatzes. “We used to have four-hour shifts, now it’s just two-hour shifts. So if you’re a working person, you can leave for a long lunch, you can come early in the morning, or later in the day. We’ve also said if you have a preschooler or are working full time, your [required] commitment is 12 hours of a sale, and if not, it’s 16 hours of sale,” she said, adding there are other flexible scheduling options the organization makes to attract new volunteers.

The fair also allowed the organizations to network and connect, sparking some opportunities for collaboration.

“I just had a conversation with Boy Scouts about connecting with Wiltonians, Newcomers and Neighbors about publicizing Girl Scout and Boy Scout opportunities,” said Caroline Unger in her role representing Girl Scouts. “So I think that connection between organizations is also super important.”

GOOD for the Mind, Body and Soul

The other overarching reason the Coalition for Youth member organizations wanted to encourage volunteering was out of a concern for growing mental health issues and community disconnectedness.

Library Executive Director Caroline Mandler was thrilled with the positive impact the fair would likely have for both the organizations as well as prospective volunteers.

“Volunteering is the best way to get connected to the community and meet people at any life stage. If you have young kids, if your kids have just gone to college, if you don’t have kids, if you just moved to town, if you’re a young adult living with your parents after college, there’s really something for everyone,” Mandler said.

Many representatives spoke about what they got back from volunteering, including the Wilton Education Foundation’s Yerrall. She started volunteering when her children were younger and chose organizations related to things her children were involved with or that impacted them, including Wilton Soccer Association, Wilton Youth Council (which she chaired for four years), the PTAs, WEF (where she’s secretary), Ambler Farm, and more. Even though her children are now in college, she has continued volunteering with many of those same organizations nonetheless, even though her family may not directly benefit.

“Like anything in life, until you’re in it, you don’t know what you reap, what the benefits are. And it’s wonderful to get to know the school people, get to know the town people, to work with great people,” she said. “I just get joy out of giving back.”

The Minks to Sinks representatives talked about similar added benefits for people who volunteer.

“One of the wonderful things about Minks to Sinks is the multi-generational aspect. Ours meet people at different stages of life all the time,” Davatzes said of the Minks to Sinks volunteers who range in age from 30s to 80s. “And we have started doing some more social things, before our meetings we have a little mingle time, we go to Nod Hill Brewery after the sale is over as a celebration. We like to be together,” she said.

Davatzes and her fellow Minks to Sinks volunteer Linda Koch echoed what many organizers at the fair said: seeing the impact of the good work they do and feeling a sense of accomplishment from actively helping others is very gratifying.

“It’s a good feeling raising all that money for the Family and Children’s Agency. There’s more and more need, and they reach out to more and more people,” Davatzes said.

Koch agreed. “I think a lot of volunteers really like the hands-on aspect, instead of stuffing envelopes or sitting behind a desk. It can be kind of physical. It’s outside, it’s under the tents. And I think a lot of people like that. You go in there, you work hard, and then you go home. There’s no downtime, there’s no sitting. I find that people enjoy that way of volunteering,” she said.

“There’s a reason we’re in our workout clothes. You get a lot of steps in. Before noon, you get your 10,000!” Davatzes added with a laugh.