On April 5, 13 Williston students from the Community Service Club volunteered to go to the Riverside Industries to help out with the local group’s annual auction.

Riverside Industries is a non-profit organization that helps adults with disabilities with life skills development, according to RSI.org.  They have nursing services, job training, and different types of therapy available, including physical and dog therapy.

Every year they hold an auction — both live and silent — attended by hundreds of people.  The proceeds for the auction go toward the funding of the Riverside Industries’ programs.  The items auctioned include a private plane ride, tickets to a James Taylor concert, tickets to a Red Sox game, and a skydiving experience.

This year’s auction raised a total of $112,000, which is the most earned amount in the auction’s history.

The 13 students arrived at Riverside a little bit before 6:00 p.m. to learn the logistics for the night. Most of them walked around with trays of appetizers or stood behind stations serving food. Among the 13 were also two photographers taking pictures of the event.

It was a successful turnout, with hundreds of people showing up and supporting the community. Many clients from Riverside were present at the event and welcomed guests in. Food was also served throughout the building including.

Shez Zangmo ’20, a member of the Community Service Club, was a photographer at the event.  She has been taking photography for four years and is currently taking Advanced Photography with Mr. Hing

She told The Willistonian she enjoyed helping out others and giving back to the community. “I think community service is very important to society,” she said. “It helps everyone to live a rich life and not only is community service fun and rewarding, but it also helps you feel very fulfilled and [satisfied] that you had an impact in someone’s life.”

The auction, which took three hours and a lot of patience, was on a green Friday, which means Shez could have hung out with her friends. It was never a thought, she said, however, to back out. “It was very nice to do something that you wouldn’t normally do.” And although it was time consuming, she said, “at the end, I felt really good because I was able to make a positive impact.”

Sarah Markey ’22, a three year member of the Community Service Club, was a waitress during the auction.

She chose to volunteer, she said, because she “loves the community service club events and looks forward” to future events. Even though she said the auction was “exhausting” because she was on her feet the whole time, she’s still excited for any chance to help the community outside campus.

Katherine Garrity, Assistant Dean of Students, said the Riverside Auction, at which students have has helped for at least the last four years, is always a popular choice for kids looking to give back.

“RSI is such a wonderful and important place in town – we do anything we can to support them in their mission,” she said. “It’s just a bonus that our students have so much fun volunteering down there.  We have a wait list every year to help at the auction!”