Care Fair moves to Farmers Market for 2026

MOSES LAKE — There are a lot of volunteer opportunities for people who want to get involved, and organizer Michaelle Boetger said helping people find those opportunities is what the Care Fair is all about.  

Boetger is the founder of Care Moses Lake, which is hosting the fifth annual Care Fair from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 12 in McCosh Park. Care Moses Lake is partnering with the Moses Lake Farmers Market for 2026. It will be the first year the Care Fair has set up shop in the park.  

“We’re excited for this new location, and we feel we’ll be able to get the community to attend the Care Fair as well as the farmers market,” Boetger wrote in response to an email from the Columbia Basin Herald. 

Care Fair 2026 will showcase 16 nonprofit organizations in Moses Lake to get the word out about their services and connect with prospective volunteers. Organizations signed up for 2026 include Communities in Schools, the Dispute Resolution Center, PEACE from the Lord’s Kitchen, Moses Lake Kiwanis, Moses Lake Lions, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Moses Lake, Catholic Charities, JustServe, Mutual Aid of Grant County, Moses Lake Youth Dynamics, Moses Lake Community Coalition, Columbia Basin Allied Arts, Down Syndrome Society of Grant County, Central Basin Community Concert Association and Care Moses Lake.  

“Care Moses Lake’s mission is to support local nonprofits and promote giving back to the community,” Boetger said. “We invite the community to come learn more about them and how they can show their support. Whether that be through financial donations, volunteering their time or just sharing information about the nonprofit.” 

Rebecca Mabius, Habitat for Humanity executive director, said it’s proven to be a valuable event. 

“We are excited to participate in Care Fair again,” Mabius said. “It is a fantastic event that gives Habitat of Greater Moses Lake and others the opportunity to share our mission and how we make it happen with the community.” 

Care Moses Lake has a signature project; its volunteers make sack lunches once a week throughout the year. The group also makes snacks for the Boys and Girls Club every week during the summer. 

“We make 280 sack lunches and 160 snack bags every week,” Boetger said.  

The lunches include a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and a couple of years ago that gave Boetger an idea for the bean bag toss game children and adults can play during the Care Fair. Well – participants don’t toss beanbags. They toss peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  

“We do it often at the golf tournaments, and the community knows us for it,” Boetger said. “We just have to bring it back.” 

It’s a good way to highlight Care Moses Lake’s feature project, she said. 

“It all makes sense, and the community has a fun time throwing PB&Js around,” Boetger said.  

Volunteers from Numerica Credit Union, one of the sponsors, will be running the sandwich toss. Lighten the Load Counseling also is a Care Fair sponsor 

Activities will include a pinwheel booth for children, Boetger said. Care Moses Lake will be selling “Care-ing Bears” as a fundraiser. A bear is donated to local agencies and organizations for each bear purchased. Bears have been donated to the Moses Lake Police Department, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, Grant County Fire District 5, the Columbia Basin Cancer Foundation, among others, she said.  

“It’s a fun, cute and cuddly fundraiser that gives back,” Boetger said. 

And she considers volunteering a win for everybody involved. 

“We love when we can bring people together to volunteer, everyone having a common goal of helping out others in our community,” she said. “It’s really what makes our community what it is. And volunteering is good for us, good mentally, good physically, and it’s a great way to build friendships with others who want to make our community better.” 

CARE FAIR 2026 

Sept. 12 

8 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

McCosh Park 

    A participant takes aim at the target with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at the beanbag toss at the 2025 Care Fair. The 2026 Care Fair is Saturday.
  

    Volunteers traditionally assist children with activities at the Care Fair.