At the Middle Country Public Library in Selden, community leaders gathered to share with teens and adults various volunteer opportunities within the community.

With plenty to gain, including a sense of pride in helping fellow community members, animals or the environment, there is no reason to not volunteer. According to website Indeed, volunteering can provide you a sense of purpose, community, help you meet new friends, increase social skills and improve self-esteem, as well as teach you valuable skills, provide job prospects, bring fun into your life, build a sense of happiness and it can get you out of your comfort zone.

While I got to the volunteer fair a tad bit late, I was able to speak with some community leaders from four different organizations about how you can help your community.

Atlantic Marine Conservation Society:

The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, according to its website, conducts aerial surveys and live animal captures in an effort to collect and disseminate data. Collecting this data helps volunteers and biologists achieve their mission of long term survival for the animals populating the ocean. The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society also performs cold stun treatment on sea turtles, autopsies on large whales, seals dolphins and sea turtles, responds to reports of stranded sea animals and treats distressed and injured seals, dolphins and whales.

Volunteers, said Lindsey Reisz of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society , can assist the organization by cleaning the beach, helping with outreach programs, rehabilitating sea turtles, among other initiatives.

“I think volunteering with our organization is really getting the first foot in the door in figuring out what interests you as far as marine conservation, as there’s many different areas within that field,” Reisz said. “For our volunteers, they’re able to get real hands on experience.”

If that interests you, visit amseas.org/volunteer.

Bethel Hobbs Community Farm

Bethel Hobbs Community Farm, located in Centereach, is not only the last farm in Centereach, but the last African-American family farm on Long Island. When the owner of the farm, Alfred Hobb, son of founder James Hobb, passed away in 1996, he left the property to Bethel AME Church in Setauket. In 2007, a 50′ X 100′ plot was planted with the goal of providing produce to local food pantries and since then, with a garden now over five acres of space, an average of 30,000 pounds of fresh and organic produce is donated to several food pantries and soup kitchens.

“We do everything from planting seeds, taking care of them and then transplanting them into the fields,” said Ann Pellegrino of Bethel Hobbs Community Farm. “And then we take care of them until it comes time to harvest and then we start the cycle all over again.”

Ninety percent of the vegetables goes to food pantries, Pellegrino said, and the other 10 percent is sold at the farmers market there, with profits going right back towards the farm.

If volunteering here interests you, visit hobbsfarm.info/volunteers-are-always-needed/.

Centereach Fire Department

K. Sandtory and Cathy Padro of the Centereach Fire Department. Photo by Jennifer Corr.

The Centereach Fire Department was established in 1933, a time when forest fires were a common occurrence, and since then has served the community and beyond. On Sept. 11, 2001, the Centereach Fire Department sent help and manpower to aid New York City to help in the recovery effort of those lost or missing at the World Trade Center. In 2010, the Centereach Fire Department continued its service to the community by forming an EMS program and today, it has over 200 active members.

Whether you want to become a firefighter or emergency medical technician, volunteers will receive the training necessary to provide this life-saving support to the community.

When asked what entails volunteering for the Centereach Fire Department, Cathy Padro, an EMT, said “the heart.”

“A real want to help and a real love for what you do,” Padro said. “It’s hard work.”

If volunteering for the Centereach Fire Department interests you, visit centereachfd.org/learn-more/.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island

Incorporated in 1977, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island has worked towards its mission of creating and supporting a one-on-one mentoring relationship for children by making meaningful, professional and supported matches between volunteers and the kids.

“Volunteers take children out into the community,” said Eric Schranm of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island. “They build a relationship with them. When they’re out in the community they go bowling, they play basketball, they go to the park. They just build a relationship with the child and as time goes on, they can be a positive influence in their life and support them in a lot of ways.”

Children enrolled in the program, according to Schranm, are less likely to drink, take drugs and are more likely to succeed in school and have a better relationship with their parents.

“Just about every volunteer I talk to has a million different stories about their relationships they have with their child, seeing them grow,” Schranm said. “And they’ll tell me what they learn from teaching. They’ll say ‘hey, you should be doing this. This is something that will benefit you in your life.’ Then they’ll self reflect and say, ‘wait a minute. I’m not doing that.'”

Taking on this responsibility entails spending time with the child two times a month, for a minimum of four hours a month. Volunteers must commit to at least a year.

“A lot of the kids in our program have abandonment issues,” Schranm said. “They might lack confidence. Having a full year with a mentor is going to help build up their confidence and hopefully get rid of some of those abandonment issues they might have.”

If interested in volunteering with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, visit bbbsli.org/become-big/.