The first community service fair was held at Oak Park High School in the Pavilion on Jan. 23.

Various community service organizations came to promote their group as students were given an opportunity to explore each station and decide whether or not they’d like to volunteer. The representatives for each organization displayed signs and offered cookies, candies and sweets of all kinds.

“It’s good to get an early start on [volunteering hours], so I think the fact that they opened it up to the entire school is really cool,” freshman Charlotte Scott said.

The fair gave students in all grades an opportunity to contribute. The representatives shared with students about how they can give back to the community.

“Learning about the causes and different ways to help in our little town made me even more inclined to support our community,” freshman Ella Marsh said.

Oak Park, being the small town it is, still has so many ways in which people can contribute.

“Many students had no idea there were so many organizations near our community that help out in so many different ways,” a local representative for justserve.org, Shawna Driggs wrote in an email to the Talon. 

There were around 15 booths at the fair, which focused on different causes. Organizations included Ventura County Rescue Mission, School on Wheels, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the LucStrong Foundation, JustServe, Manna Conejo Valley Food Bank and more.

“Talking to [the organizers] and getting a feel for what they do, gave us an inside view,” Scott said. 

The organizations spoke about their project and cause, as well as ways students can sign up to become a part of the project. 

“Justserve.org is a national website that connects volunteers with local nonprofit organizations who are seeking volunteers for free. Many of the organizations at the fair post their volunteer needs on justserve.org,” Driggs wrote. 

Most of the organizations present at the fair are participants in justserve.org. 

“It gave students a starting place to get creative and figure out how they can make a difference,” Driggs wrote.