Write a commentIf one was to walk through Breitbeck, East, and West Park in the morning during the Harborfest season, one would not have known of the massive amounts of people that walked through those areas the day before.
The parks were cleaned, the booths maintained, and smiles were ever so present. This type of work was not paid for in cash but by hours of dedicated community members who believe in giving back through volunteering
I have had people ask why I continue to take the position of Volunteer Coordinator for Harborfest and it all stems down to one thing: Community. I have lived here in Oswego for almost 7 years and it was very apparent that there are so many people in our community who want to share their passion, knowledge, and love of Oswego. It has become Harborfest’s mission to show Oswego how we can not only prepare an amazing four-day festival, but empower local residents to give back through volunteering and that is so awesome.
For every four-hour shift a volunteer completes, they are automatically placed in a raffle system for a Murdock’s Bicycles and Sports gift card. Murdock’s has continuously shown their support of the Harborfest Volunteers by donating a generous gift from their shop. This is something that truly represents the relationship our local business have with local volunteers. Thank You, Murdocks for your continued generosity.
It is with great pleasure that I announce our winner of the raffle: Jennifer Cogswell. Jennifer, along with her son Josh and daughter, Gabby volunteered multiple four-hour shifts, two of which included getting up at 7 a.m. and picking up Breitbeck Park. Their dedication to being involved in the community and giving back is very apparent. Congratulations and thank you for your service!
We look forward to seeing Jennifer and her kids next year in making sure our parks and areas are clean, maintained, and ready to go for our 32nd year of Harborfest. Congratulations, Jennifer and thank you, again, to all the volunteers who made this year the best one yet!
- Nick Little, Volunteer Coordinator, Harobrfest, Inc. 2018
Greg Mills, the owner and operator of Murdock’s Bicycles and Sports stated, “Murdocks is always happy to support Harborfest to highlight everything Oswego has to offer. This year we provided a gift card that works as a thank you for the volunteers as well as an opportunity for them to buy other products that might be of interest for them in the store.”
The volunteer winner, Jennifer Cogswell, stated, “The experience was a lot of fun. Helping out the community really makes you feel good and is therapeutic and surprisingly, very fun. Harborfest is fun for everyone to get together, have fun and relax. Every summer Harborfest is the one thing we do together as a family and look forward too.”
For more information on volunteering, contact the volunteer coordinator, Nick Little, by email at volunteer@oswegoharborfest.com.
Harborfest is one of the few admission-free music festivals in the country. It was founded with the mission of creating nationally recognized festivals and events that attract and engage a broad and diverse audience, celebrate and build community, and advance economic development in Oswego, New York. It would not be possible to continue the event without the massive continued support received from the City of Oswego, businesses, organizations, government entities, and individuals and family members. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, about Harborfest itself, or to support this amazing region-wide event, visit the Harborfest website (www.oswegoharborfest.com) , or contact the Harborfest offices at 41 Lake Street, Oswego, NY 13126 or via phone at (315)-343-6858.
