The Riverside Educational Center is in desperate need of more volunteer tutors to help its growing class size.

The non-profit center works with students ranging from kindergarten to the high school level. The program runs Monday through Thursday beginning at 4:00 p.m.

According to program coordinator Patrick Ebel, the center helps educate 60 to 80 students each day.

The service is open to students all over Grand Junction, and because of the high volume of kids, the center needs about 30 to 40 volunteers each day to best meet the needs of the students.

But according to Ebel, you only have to be at school for one to two hours per week, and training is provided.

"None of the kids are made to come here, they all want to come here, they look forward to it. And we all just have a great time and the kids are really doing so much more in school with the extra help," said Ebel.

For elementary-aged students, tutors should be able to read and write well as most of the tutoring involves help with homework and supplementary reading.

For secondary students in middle school and high school, the center is in need of tutors with a background in math and algebra.

The center always welcomes Spanish/English speaking tutors as well because the majority of the kids at the center speak Spanish or are bilingual.

Ebel says an instructional folder is provided to each tutor and students are matched with tutors on a basis of their educational strengths.

The Taste of Riverside takes place on Saturday, October 6. It's one of the biggest fundraisers for the Riverside Educational Center.

There will be plenty of great food and all proceeds go to benefit the educational center.

The Taste of Riverside will be held at the Moose Lodge from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

For more information on the fundraiser, the Riverside Educational Center, or to learn how you can sign up to volunteer, visit http://www.rec4kids.com.