Volunteers wanted: U of G community service event returns for 28th year on Sept. 13
One day. Hundreds of volunteers across Guelph.
Project Serve, the beloved volunteer event led by the University of Guelph, returns for its 28th year on Saturday, Sept. 13. This time, organizers want to see more than just undergrads, but also staff, faculty and graduate student volunteers.
Jess Detweiler, a third-year co-op student and the event’s lead organizer, has a message for anyone hovering over the sign-up button:
“The number one reason is trying something new and meeting new people,” she says. “It’s amazing to give back to the community and watch the city come alive again.”
1. Make a difference while making friends
From tending to orchards to helping staff in the Guelph Humane Society, the annual initiative will see more than 300 U of G volunteers supporting community groups across Guelph and Wellington County.
It’s a chance to make a real difference, Detweiler says, and the community feels the impact very quickly.
“Our partners already have it in their calendar,” she says.
This year, Project Serve sees new partners like the City of Guelph’s community gardens and the Fergus Agricultural Society, as well as returning favourites like Habitat for Humanity and the Guelph Food Bank.
More than 20 partner organizations are confirmed. Volunteers might plant trees or sort food donations, or they might tidy trails and parks, edging and mulching paths.
“There is a place for everyone,” she says. “You sign up with friends or make new ones.”
Last year, eight Project Serve Days were organized by Student Volunteer Connections (SVC), a unit within U of G’s Experiential Learning Hub, which coordinates hands-on learning opportunities, internships and research placements while answering career questions for students.
Attended by 431 volunteers, Project Serve translated to roughly 1,300 hours of community service in 2024.
“Partners see how hardworking and dedicated U of G volunteers are,” Detweiler says, “and they’re eager to see us again.”
2. Explore Guelph, find your spot
Though it comes just off the highs of Orientation Week, Project Serve is not an O-Week event, and not for first-year students alone. “Project Serve is for everyone,” Detweiler says. “It’s inclusive and accessible.”
New U of G students are especially drawn to the event – a chance to explore off campus and the community beyond.
“Most students haven’t really had the chance to explore Guelph, and this is a great way to do it, right off the bat.”
So, what to expect?
The day starts at 10:30 a.m., with volunteers gathering at the University Centre on campus. From there, they board a bus and are sent as teams to community partner locations.
After about three hours of volunteering, students are given a free lunch, can interact with service dogs and have the opportunity to attend a volunteer and career fair. There, they’ll network and learn about different organizations across the city, potentially finding a regular volunteer spot.
3. Students bolster their CVs
“Volunteering is a great way to get employment skills,” Detweiler says. “It’s a lower-commitment way to enter the job field, and we hope it bridges into longer-term opportunities.”
To that end, a new program run by SVC, the Volunteer Experience & Career Training (VECT) will offer support for volunteer placements semester-round. It launches after Project Serve, and organizations are encouraged to use it in order to recruit new students.
For Detweiler, an international development studies student, Project Serve is especially significant, as the day lands right on her birthday.
“Everything on one day,” she says. “I’m very excited and only wish I had gotten involved sooner.”
Sign up now to volunteer at Project Serve at this link.
