BOARDMAN Agency seeks more volunteers

The executive director said there is a wide variety of volunteer opportunities.
By JAYME RAMSON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- The Volunteer Services Agency revealed its plans at an open house Tuesday afternoon.
"There are far more opportunities than there are volunteers," said Virginia Leskanic, executive director of the not-for-profit Volunteer Services Agency.
Leskanic said she hopes to attract and retain more volunteers, as the agency attempts to expand.
"We want the community to recognize that we exist," she said. "We want them to look to us as being the experts in volunteer recruitment, management, placement and training."
Leskanic knows that the potential volunteers are out there, it's just a matter of getting people interested. There are a lot of volunteering opportunities available, ranging from working in nursing homes to child-care centers. Not every volunteer opportunity involves working with people. There are environmental opportunities, such as volunteering to clean up at a local park.
"I would never encourage or direct anyone to respond in any one area, but rather, provide them with options because there are many options, and we like to match the volunteer with his or her strengths and interests. We have needs in a wide array of different opportunities," Leskanic said.
Three programs
Volunteer Services Agency works with three nationally affiliated programs -- the Senior Corps Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, the Points of Light Foundation Volunteer Center Youngstown/Mahoning Valley and the Faith in Action program that provides volunteer service to seniors
Volunteer Services Agency's office manager Jeff Williamson said more than 1,600 volunteers are split among the three programs.
Leskanic is working on a few ways that the organization can attract and retain more volunteers, starting with situations where the volunteers are already interested.
"We're hoping to reduce the amount of time it takes to get a volunteer placed so that while they're interested, we can insure the fact that they have that opportunity," she said.
Leskanic also stressed the importance of flexibility. "We can use volunteers anywhere from one hour a week to 40 hours a week," she said. "We also have episodic volunteer opportunities, which are things that would be done in a day."
Fulfilling activity
John Willis is one of the agency's Faith in Action volunteers who has taken on more responsibility. He used to work 40-plus hours a week at General Motors and volunteer to take care of three families. He still takes care of one family.
"For me it wasn't just volunteering, but what I got out of it was a lot of love. I could go into that house and I felt just like part of the family," Willis said. "I look back at it now and I think how much I've helped people. You don't think about it, you just do it."
The agency is now expanding to help develop programs in 13 Ohio counties.
"We are hoping to be the one central location to manage the data for volunteers throughout our community," Leskanic said.
To volunteer, or for more information, contact the offices at (330)782-5877 or check the Web site at www.volunteerservicesagency.org.
jramson@vindy.com