“A smorgasbord of opportunities” – that’s how Oxford Village resident Justin Willcock described the upcoming volunteer fair he has spent months planning.

Twenty nonprofit organizations have registered to participate in the April 13 event at Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC) in Oxford Village.

Admission is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to help stock the Oxford-Orion FISH pantry.

“I’m just hoping for a good turnout,” Willcock said.

The fair is scheduled for 12-3 p.m.

“If it runs longer, it runs longer. But that’s the set time,” Willcock said.

The fair is an extension of the public group Facebook page that Willcock created last October. It’s entitled, “Volunteers of North Oakland County (VONOC)” and its purpose is to connect “those who wish to volunteer” with “those who seek volunteers.” The fair has the same mission.

Organizations scheduled to be at the fair include Love In the Name of Christ of North Oakland County, Oxford-Orion FISH, Offering Alternative Therapy with Smiles (OATS), Grace Centers of Hope, Oxford Lions Club, Oakland County Fair, Crossroads for Youth, Oxford-Addison Youth Assistance, Paws for a Cause, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Michigan Animal Rescue League, Habitat for Humanity, CARE, Polly Ann Trail, Cardinal Wishes, Oxford Pregnancy Center, Pregnancy Center of Lapeer,  North Oakland Community Coalition, Rochester Area Jaycees and Immanuel Congregational UCC.

Each group will have a booth from which they will mingle with the public and disseminate information about who they are, what they do and the volunteer needs they have.

“Come explore the opportunities. See what’s available,” Willcock said. “A lot of these groups I’ve never even heard of before.”

Willcock established VONOC and organized this fair as a way to give back to the community.

“People were so generous with my hearing aids, I wanted to pay it forward,” he said.

Last year, community members contributed approximately $3,500 to help Willcock purchase new hearing aids.

He requires them because he was born with Usher Syndrome, a condition that leads to partial or total hearing loss and vision loss that worsens over time. He’s been wearing hearing aids since he was a young boy and was legally blind by the time he turned 30. Willcock is often seen walking around with his guide dog Alex.

Because of his condition, Willcock is limited in the ways he can give himself.

“I wanted to volunteer myself, but being legally blind, I can’t drive anywhere. And no one in their right mind is going to give me a power tool and tell me to go climb a ladder,” he said.

Willcock decided the “next best thing” was to create a central place that matches folks who want to give of themselves with groups and causes that need helping hands.

“I kind of made myself the middle man,” he said.

VONOC is now 265 members strong and continues to grow.

Willcock hopes to make the fair a regular event.

“If this goes well, I’ll do it again next year,” he said. “Maybe I’ll do it downtown. But, we’ll see how this year goes first.”