WaHI Magazine
Volunteers Needed for Harvest Festival 2004 
21 August 2004
[From Maria Herrera and Alex Brown, event organizers.]
It’s the time of year when we begin to think about the early planning stages of the Harvest Festival 2004 [at Bennett Park]. The festival is a grassroots event planned and coordinated by local parents, run by volunteers, funded by local businesses and organizations and attended by our community. We are excited to begin to think about the possibilities for this year, but before we begin, we need to ask for significant help in planning and executing the event this year. We both have mounting commitments as our kids grow older and multiply! Not to mention school, work, other community projects and personal ventures. So, please contact us as soon as possible if you are able and willing to fill in a much needed volunteer spot.
There are three types of volunteering necessary to pull this event off, described below. Please note that the tasks have been broken down into very “do-able” categories, bearing in mind that most volunteers have family and work obligations to juggle. Thanks in advance for your support.
VOLUNTEER TYPE 1: Event Coordinators
A broad category of planning, we (including Julie McGarvey and Julia Attaway) have done a large part of this work the past two years, but need to break it down and farm out many of these responsibilities this year. People can certainly partner up to take on one of these roles or can be run by committee. We can provide a great deal of advice and support for each of these categories since we did them in the past. The categories and tasks are:
Fundraising
* Solicit and collect checks/gift certificates (we have last year’s list).
* Maintain list of donations.
* Write and distribute thank-you notes after the event.
Craft Tables
* Recruit table coordinators (volunteers who are willing to coordinate one specific table).
* Order supplies.
* Maintain list of activities (we have last year’s list).
* Facilitate table set-up (arrange table delivery from YM-YWHA, storage).
Game Tables
* Recruit table coordinators.
* Order prizes.
* Maintain list of activities (we have last year’s list).
* Facilitate table set-up (arrange table delivery from YM-YWHA, storage).
Pie Contest
* Publicize with flyers.
* Register entries/facilitate contest.
* Announce winners and give prizes.
* Sell slices.
Food
* Solicit food donations (we have last year’s list).
* Set-up/break-down table.
Publicity
* Create flyers.
* Post flyers.
* Contact newsletter/websites (optional).
Sports/Races/Pumpkin Patch
* Recruit volunteers to coordinate events.
* Order prizes/ribbons (all participants receive awards).
* Organize races.
Music
* Schedule performers (local people — we have a list of last year’s performances).
* Secure PA system (we have a contact).
Decorations
* Use decorations from past years.
* Create new decorations.
* Get hay bails (?).
* Set-up and break-down on the day of the event (recruit a team).
VOLUNTEER TYPE 2: Table Coordinators
These volunteers will organize a craft or game table activity. Tasks include:
* Recruit day-of-event volunteers to run the table.
* Schedule volunteers into 1/2- or 3/4-hour shifts.
* Create a list of supplies needed for event coordinator to order.
* Coordinate set-up and clean-up of table.
Activities have included, but are not limited to: pumpkin painting, goody bag stamping, clay impression necklaces, cupcake decorating, leaf rubbing, gone fishing, face painting, photo booth, guess the candy corn, pumpkin ring toss,
Races have included: sac race, mini-pumpkin and spoon race, relay race.
VOLUNTEER TYPE 3: Day-of-Event Volunteer
These volunteers will run a craft table, game table or race for a 1/2- or 3/4-hour shift. You schedule your shift with the table coordinator. Last year’s tables are listed above.
We hope you will join us in some capacity to make Harvest Festival 2004 a success. Thanks again.
— Alex and Maria
abrown100@nyc.rr.com
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