“Volunteering allows you to connect with people who have similar interests – perhaps the most natural way to make friends, especially in a city. If you have spare time or money, recognizing your good fortune by offering it in the service of others feels great and is great for your community.”
What do you love about your hometown?
My neighbors’ friendliness, architectural diversity, and so much vegan food.
Tell us about your unique perspective when it comes to volunteer coordination.
I helped start a bike co-op in college, and now my best friend is a volunteer manager, so I can live a bit vicariously through her.
What is your favorite hobby or activity outside of work:
Going on walks with my dog, reading, and biking.
Who is your favorite musical artist?
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Where would your friends find you on a typical Friday night?
“I always come back to this: volunteering provides a shared experience with a common goal. It brings people and communities together.”
What do you love about your hometown?
Des Moines has the friendliness and familiarity of a small town with some big city perks, like good food, shows, and parks.
Tell us about your unique perspective when it comes to volunteer coordination.
I write from the perspective of the volunteer and participant. I have been involved in many different projects of all kinds and have seen first-hand the need and difference volunteers make. I’ve also attended more events that rely on volunteers than I can count and have benefited from the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
What is your favorite hobby or activity outside of work:
I like staying active! I practice yoga, teach barre, and rock climb.
Who is your favorite musical artist?
If I must choose one, Bon Iver.
Where would your friends find you on a typical Friday night?
On Friday night you might find me at a show downtown or sitting on the porch with some friends.
“I think volunteering is one of the best reminders that we’re all human. I just believe so strongly that we should all be good people and we should all help each other.”
What do you love about your hometown?
I can easily walk to anything and everything I could want.
Tell us about your unique perspective when it comes to volunteer coordination.
I began volunteering in elementary school and continued to keep it a main part of my life as I grew up. Volunteering has always been incredibly close to my heart, which is why I love writing for an organization like VolunteerLocal.
What is your favorite hobby or activity outside of work:
Eating! I love finding new dishes to cook and trying out new restaurants around Brooklyn and NYC.
Who is your favorite musical artist?
Impossible to answer, but I’m currently listening to a lot of Pinegrove.
Where would your friends find you on a typical Friday night?
Early dinner followed by drinks, a movie and bed (love being rested for a Saturday morning).
“Something truly given not just of your time, but of your heart can never be taken away. In my strange little corner of the world I see how much each of us gives to our sense of democracy and justice and equality through the time and space we share to come together; I am reminded of how much passion there is in the world and am validated in my own existence by this unity.”
What do you love about your hometown?
If I told you, you’d probably want to move here.
Tell us about your unique perspective when it comes to volunteer coordination.
I have been a volunteer for many occasions from parking at Renaissance fairs as a teenager to venue managing at major festivals as an adult. A lot of volunteer work occurs through my coordinator position at Naropa University with the student body and curricular events. As a community organizer in the writing community I host a regular series and am spearheading a mentorship program for queer youth with a therapeutic services non-profit, Queer Asterisk.
What is your favorite hobby or activity outside of work:
Cooking is a regular practice and one of my life passions. Also aikido & archery– I especially wish I had more time for these!
Who is your favorite musical artist?
Anne Waldman who is not techinically a musician, but if you have ever seen her perform you know she is a rockstar and her rendition of Jaguar Harmonics & Gimme Shelter” at the Jack Kerouac School is in my book of memories I’ll remember when I curtains close”
Where would your friends find you on a typical Friday night?
Holding an arts salon among our friends group, appreciating each others explorations in creativity while enjoying mixed drinks, delicious food, ultimately always dancing.
Ask anyone who has ever attended Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, and they’ll probably agree: it’s an unforgettable experience.
Over the course of this four-day event, Great Stage Park (the name of the festival site) becomes the eighth largest city in the state of Tennessee – and a veritable township blossoms in the General Admission campground. Amidst a sea of tents and tarps, flags are hoisted high, lifelong friendships are forged, and the deep reverberations of bass guitar, the rhythmic pounding of drums, and the soulful echo of vocalists can be heard all through the day and night.
“We work year round to watch thousands of people come together and enjoy a complete experience. Not just the bands on stages, but the food, the campgrounds, the artwork, even the new flushable toilets, but especially the people all make this an incredible time.” – James Shinault, Vice President of Festival Projects and Fan Experience at AC Entertainment
A ticket to Bonnaroo grants attendees access to performances by world-class comedians and mega-stars in the music industry, alongside exclusive (early) showings of movies in the Cinema Tent, local artists in Centeroo, and many other miscellaneous attractions (an iconic fountain, a Christmas Barn and a Broo’ers Festival). The Bonnaroovian Code encourages all attendees to “radiate positivity” – and the good folks at AC Entertainment (aka the production wizards behind Bonnaroo) make that pretty easy.
AC Entertainment is internationally recognized as an innovative leader in creating, producing, booking, and marketing first-class live entertainment experiences. James Shinault is the Vice President of Festival Projects and Fan Experience.
“My job centers around making sure that our festivals are being executed at the highest level while maintaining a set budget and ensuring that our fans have an amazing time,” says Shinault. “A big part of that deals with fan interaction, which is where our volunteers come in.”
Each year, almost 2,500 volunteers participate in helping to make Bonnaroo the phenomenal experience that has become for so many. “Volunteers are extremely important to Bonnaroo because they are often times the most fan facing part of the event,” says Shinault. “They are some of the first people you interact with when you enter the site and they can be seen on each and every corner of the site ensuring that our fans are having a great time.”
“VolunteerLocal essentially acts as a one-stop shop for everything that I need to recruit the volunteers, organize them, and communicate with them.”
For a job this big, Shinault and his team trusted VolunteerLocal. “I’ve used pretty much every basic form of online recruiting from Google Forms and spreadsheets to just emailing to sign up, and I’ve even used other volunteer management softwares,” he explains. “VolunteerLocal is by far the most organized, consumer friendly, seamless way I’ve found for online recruiting of volunteers.”
We’re definitely feeling the love, too – Bonnaroo has become something of an annual company retreat here at VolunteerLocal. Look out for the #HappyVolunteering flag in Guest Camping next year!
The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series is a one-of-a-kind running festival experience. The concept behind this series began as a simple, fun idea: what if the race director could book live bands to perform along the course as runners passed? Perhaps the finish line, too?
The year was 1998 and the first Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon was born. It was an unforgettable experience, a huge hit amongst both runners and artists in San Diego, CA – and something that decidedly could be scaled and shared with other runners around the world. Today, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series produces 5k races, half-marathons and full marathons in more than 30 cities annually – including Las Vegas, Chicago, Nashville, Washington DC, Madrid and Mexico City. The finish line concerts feature hugely popular artists such as Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Goo Goo Dolls and Train. We’d run a marathon to see those shows! Well, we’d try.
“While entertainment and the energy of a festival weekend define the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series experience, runners have raised more than $310 million for participating charities shows our heart and soul,” the website reads.
In addition to the impressive charitable component to each race, these events also rely heavily on the helping hands of local, community volunteers. For this, the team at Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon trusted VolunteerLocal.
The volunteer coordinator can easily manage multiple events at once – and with most of these marathons recruiting volunteers concurrently, the task of ensuring jobs and shifts are filled to capacity is almost nonexistent.
Interested in signing up to volunteer for an upcoming Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon? Peruse those opportunities here – and happy volunteering!
The subway is packed, the buses are full, and even the water ferries keel and tow with fired-up music lovers. They’re wearing purple lipstick and neon sunglasses, carrying LED hula-hoops and giant beach balls, gleefully interspersed between the usual pedestrian traffic. It’s an open invitation, a shock of color and vibrancy, a reminder that “you’re doing great.”
Credit: Paraiso Adventures
It’s festival season in the city that never sleeps – and Randall’s Island in Manhattan is host to the largest of them all: Governors Ball Music Festival.
Complete with four stages, 60+ musical acts, local food vendors and beer tents, mini golf and (why not?) a fun-sized Statue of Liberty, this massive gathering promises attendees the weekend of a lifetime and “an endless supply of high fives!” Governors Ball has become an annual urban celebration of music, sparkling lights and bodies in motion – and to make things even more magical, this event is produced in the heart of Manhattan.
“It’s awesome to have a festival in the middle of New York City,” says Sami Slovy, Volunteer Coordinator at Governors Ball NYC. “The line-up is extremely well curated and the festival always puts a huge focus on the attendee experience.”
Now heading into its seventh year, ‘Gov Ball’ (as it is affectionately coined) is a logistical feat that requires the administrative prowess of many talented staffers like Sami Slovy, in addition to approximately 500 volunteers – all of whom Slovy directly oversees.
“[VolunteerLocal] is a user-friendly, sophisticated software that was customizable for our needs at Governors Ball.” – Sami Slovy, Volunteer Coordinator at Governors Ball Music Festival in NYC
“Volunteers are critical to the festival,” explains Slovy. “They put so much in – they’re awesome. Our volunteers are extremely hard working, dedicated and motivated. They’re driven.”
Credit: Paraiso Adventures
She adds, “They want everybody to experience a great time at the festival.”
We can relate. Prior to VolunteerLocal, Slovy and her team at Governors Ball managed volunteers using several third party organizing tools. “It was very extensive and extremely tedious,” says Slovy. “We saved hours by switching to VolunteerLocal.”
Slovy leverages the credit card processing tool to collect application fees (and temporary deposits) from her volunteers at the time of registration. No usernames, no passwords, and a single-step signup process have kept her volunteers happy – and the on-site check-in/out tool keeps Slovy informed on-site.
We at VolunteerLocal are special fans of the Gov Ball Gives Back program – an initiative of the festival in conjunction with New York area nonprofits. This program provides an opportunity for New Yorkers to volunteer at local food banks, kitchens and public parks to earn their free GA ticket to the festival.
Volunteers receive a free t-shirt, ticket to the festival and a “rocking good time.” If that sounds like a good deal to you, the 2017 Gov Ball dates have been released – and the volunteer registration will go live next spring. Happy volunteering!
The 4th of July: a day to celebrate our country’s great independence, the Constitution and the Magna Carta, beef jerky and (did we mention?) totally awesome fireworks. This year, with the 2016 presidential hopefuls surfacing on your televisions, radio stations and in your favorite coffee shops, our prediction is that tomorrow’s 4th of July celebration will be peppered with some good ‘ol fashioned politics.
So before you dive into a lively debate with your brother-in-law about the Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement, burn off some steam by celebrating like a true American: volunteer at the Red, White & BOOM! Half Marathon and Relay. Produced by Twin Cities In Motion, this event takes place on the morning of July 4th in Minneapolis, MN – and it’s an excellent way to kick off a weekend of patriotic festivities.
TwinCities In Motion (TCM) is a non-profit corporation that organizes and directs the annual Medtronic TwinCities Marathon, Medtronic TC 10 Mile, TC 10K, TC 5K & Medtronic TC Family Events, Valentine’s Day TC 5K, 100% Irish for a Day TC 5K and TC 10 Mile, Medtronic TC 1 Mile, Red, White and Boom! TC Half Marathon, TC Urban Dash, Fifteen’s 5K and all related events, as well as the TC Kids Marathon Program, as a community service for the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. We know – that sounds like a lot of running. Luckily, volunteers like you keep this organization in smooth operation, mile-after-mile.
From all of us here at VolunteerLocal – Happy 4th of July and (as always) Happy Volunteering!
Anne Summers 
Carta, beef jerky and (did we mention?) totally awesome fireworks. This year, with the 2016 presidential hopefuls surfacing on your televisions, radio stations and in your favorite coffee shops, our prediction is that tomorrow’s 4th of July celebration will be peppered with some good ‘ol fashioned politics.
Relay