On Wednesday September 13th, UND had a volunteer expo behind the union. From 10 am to 2 pm about a dozen organizations looking for volunteers were in attendance. The expo was busy all day with excited students looking for good causes to get involved with. I was able to speak with three organizations looking for volunteers: Circle of Friends Animal Shelter, the BIG event, and Grand Forks Senior Center.  

Circle of Friends Animal Shelter is always looking for volunteers who are energetic and passionate about working with animals. Volunteers help with socializing animals and providing care. A typical day for a volunteer includes playing with the animals, cleaning kennels, sorting donations, office work, laundry, and many more tasks. Circle of Friends is looking for individuals 18 and older who are ready to help these animals find their forever homes. You can find more information about this shelter at their website www.cofpets.com or by emailing [email protected].  

The BIG event is a popular day in the spring for UND students to give back to their community. When asked what the big event is they responded with, “we are the largest student-led volunteer organization in Grand Forks. Our committee organizes a massive one-day volunteer event in the spring to give back to the Grand Forks Community.” This is the perfect event if you have a busy schedule but still want to prioritize volunteer work. For more information about the BIG event, you can visit their Instagram page @thebigeventund.  

The Grand Forks Senior Center is another great place to volunteer extra time. They are looking for volunteers for five different types of roles. The first is meal delivery volunteers. They are looking for individuals who have a few hours to spare around lunch time and can deliver hot meals to homebound seniors. They are also looking for Bingo volunteers who can help with their Bingo events on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 3:30 pm. The Center is also looking for musically gifted individuals who can help lead their senior choir and play the piano or other instruments. The final volunteer role they are looking to fill is their tech support volunteers. The Center also has a social work internship opportunity for social work majors. Overall, this center is looking for many gifted, caring young people who are willing to help out some of the most vulnerable members of our community.  

Whatever your reason for volunteering, there are so many amazing opportunities in Grand Forks for anyone looking for opportunities to give back to our amazing community. 

Aubrey Roemmich is a Dakota Student Section Editor. She can be reached at [email protected].