Local non-profit organizations are in constant need of volunteers and are sending out the call for help as COVID-19 has limited their ability to obtain new candidates.

Normally, this weekend would have been the time for the annual Volunteer Opportunities Fair that aims to match non-profit organizations in the Twin Harbors with potential volunteers, but due the coronavirus pandemic, the event has been cancelled for the first time in 20 years, said Betsy Seidel, who usually helps organize it to coincide with national Make a Difference Day.

“It is sad that we can’t have (the fair), but I understand it’s not a good year to have it,” Seidel said. “It’s a positive thing to have.”

Approximately 35 non-profit organizations of the 115 across the Twin Harbors relied on the volunteer fair to help fill much-needed volunteer positions. Seidel said anywhere from 120 to 150 volunteers sign up to help during the fair, but the lack of a fair this year creates a gap in the local volunteer pool.

“There is a concern (among local non-profit organizations),” Seidel said. “During this pandemic, it’s really tough to make sure the organizations have enough volunteers and if they can’t have volunteers, what will happen when the pandemic is over? Will they be able to boost their number of volunteers?”

Seidel added that Grays Harbor and Pacific counties have proven to be “very caring communities,” but a lack of volunteers for charitable causes creates a domino affect that hinders the ability of non-profits to serve the community.

“If we don’t have these volunteers to keep these non-profits going, it will affect our way of life,” she said. “The non-profit organizations depend on volunteers because they don’t have money to be paying a staff to do all the things that they to do. So if they don’t have the volunteers, how can they keep going to keep the Twin Harbors the caring counties that they are?”

For a list of available volunteer opportunities in the Twin Harbors, visit gograysharbor.com/volunteer-list or call 360-533-5968.