"Un"employment Fair in Bluffton

Last Friday was the "Un"employment Fair. It was designed to help the unemployed and underemployed people in Wells County find out about services and programs that could help them through these tough economic times.

Some of the exhibitors were Wells on Wheels (affordable public transportation), Park Center (we all need some help coping with bad times), Faith Fund (housing and utilities assistance), and Wells County Health Fair (it will be held on October 31 this year).

There were also workshops presented that dealt with how to apply for public assistance, reducing some of your utility expenses, and shopping on a reduced budget.

This first-ever "Un"employment Fair was attended by about two dozen people - not the numbers we had hoped. But, for those two dozen that attended and learned something, it was very worthwhile.

We are looking at the possibility of holding such an event quarterly through these tough times - changing our venue (probably using the meeting room at the library), and holding it in the afternoon/early evening. We know that some people were unable to attend because they do have jobs and had to work. We also know that just because you have a job, doesn't mean you can make ends meet.

Watch for news of the next "Un"employment Fair.