A new volunteer center has been created that will make it easier for Porter County residents to find organizations that need their volunteer help.

At the end of December, the Greater Valparaiso Volunteer Center dissolved as a not-for-profit corporation and transferred its physical and financial assets, including a grant received from the Porter County Community Foundation, to the United Way of Porter County. The merger in turn created a new volunteer center serving the entire county.

Three former GVVC board members, Kaye Frataccia, Pat Swanson, and Kaitlyn Cook, were elected to the United Way Board of Directors. Cook will be the first student representative on the United Way board. The United Way also established a Volunteer Development Committee, chaired by Frataccia.

Valparaiso Schools AmeriCorps volunteer Kathy Bonaventura was selected as the new volunteer coordinator. She will develop and manage a volunteer recruitment data bank for Porter County. United Way intends to have an on-line web-based software in the next few months to link all the agencies and civic organizations that need volunteers with anyone in the county interested in volunteering.

Access to the volunteer link will be through the United Way web site, www.unitedwaypc.org

“We will build on the previous hard work and dedication of the GVVC volunteers and develop a Volunteer Center which will be an asset and resource for all of Porter County, “ United Way president Sharon Kish said in a statement.

Added Pat Bankston, former chair of the GVVC Board: “Through this merger, we will accomplish what we had envisioned -- a truly comprehensive Volunteer Service Center.”

For more information, contact Bonaventura at 464-3583 or email her at kathyb@unitedwaypc.org

Posted 1/14/2003