Volunteer Placement Chair

What is the Purpose

The Volunteer Placement Chair is responsible for recruiting a pool of volunteers from internal and external sources for the Indian Fair & Market.  The pool of volunteers is a back-up resource to support those Committee Chairs who have not been able to fill all their volunteer positions.  The Volunteer Placement Chair also prepares the badges to be worn by volunteers who are working at the Fair.

Who is Involved

The Volunteer Placement Chair is appointed by the Indian Fair & Market Chair.  The Volunteer Placement Chair may select a co-chair to assist.

What are the Tasks

Submit a line item budget to the Chair of the Indian Fair & Market.

Consult with all the Committee Chairs in recruiting volunteers for the Fair. 

• Provide a list of last year’s volunteers when requested by a Committee Chair.
• Committee Chairs are responsible for recruiting their own volunteers.
• Committee Chairs will advise
• when they have recruited enough volunteers or
• if they need volunteers from the Placement pool.

Write and submit articles requesting volunteers for inclusion in the appropriate issues of Artifacts.   Design and print Volunteer Request forms for insertion with the articles.

Contact schools, organizations, and businesses for volunteers.

Communicate closely with external volunteer sources:

• to request the names and number of volunteers being sent.
• to  provide information about shifts, parking, entrance location, etc.,and
• to assure the volunteers enjoy a quality experience. 

Recruit volunteers to help in the Volunteer Placement booth during the two days of the Fair.

Attend the General Fair meetings with Division and Area Chairs.

Confer with the Fair Chair, Staging Chair, and Signage Chair concerning booth and sign needs.

Compile a list of volunteers for each Committee Chair, including names, days/shifts available, affiliation, and contact information.

Prepare Volunteer badges for all volunteers to be worn during Best of Show and the two days of the Fair.

• Consult with appropriate Chairs for special badges for Receiving, Judges, Judging Support, BOS Security, and Silent Auction personnel.
• On Saturday and Sunday, volunteers will stop at the Volunteer Booth to receive their assignments and badges.  The badges give them free admittance to the Fair.

Consult with Heard Shop and any other Museum department that will have workers during the Fair and make volunteer badges for them.  This includes sponsors and members of non-profits who staff information booths.

Set up booth on Friday prior to the Fair and clean out booth when Fair ends on Sunday.

Acknowledge, by thank you note or other means, appreciation for the work done by the volunteers.

Submit vouchers (with receipts) for expenses to the Guild Treasurer.

Prepare and submit four copies of the annual Volunteer Placement Chair Report to the Indian Fair & Market Chair using the Sample Committee Report Format as a guide.   These reports will be distributed to the incoming Indian Fair & Market Chair; Volunteer Placement Chair; and President.  One copy will be filed in the Museum’s Library and Archives.

What is the Suggested Time Line

August

Prepare and submit line item budget to the Indian Fair & Market Chair.

October

Design and print copies of the Volunteer Request form as an insert for the November issue of Artifacts.

November

Attend the General Fair meeting with Division and Area Chairs.
Distribute Request for Volunteers form to the appropriate Committee Chairs at the November meeting.
Order blank badges and badge holders.
Design and print copies of the Volunteer Request form as an insert for the December issue of Artifacts.
As internal volunteers’ requests for assignment arrive, begin the dialogue with the appropriate Chairs to place them.

December

Print copies of the Volunteer Form to insert in the January issue of Artifacts.
Enter volunteers by name in a spreadsheet or data base.
Contact external sources of volunteers.

January

Attend the General Fair meeting with Division and Area Chairs.
Consult with Committee Chairs about their volunteer needs.
Contact external volunteer sources by phone and/or mail.

February

Continue dialogue with Committee Chairs to lock in volunteer names and determine shortages.
Confirm volunteers from outside sources and verify their schedules.
Prepare badges from volunteer list, sorted by committee and last name.
Obtain parking information from the Fair Chair to send to external volunteers.
Distribute the Chairs’ badges to the Committee Chairs.
Assure timely distribution of badges for pre-Fair activities such as Receiving, Judging, Best of Show, and Silent Auction.

March

Set up and staff Volunteer Placement booth.
Arrange all badges in badge holders for distribution.
Obtain map from the Fair Chair to direct external volunteers to work sites.
Open booth at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday and 7:00 a.m. on Sunday.
Remind volunteers to return their badges when leaving. (Note: This is important on Saturday because volunteers do not enter free on days they do not work.)

After the Fair

Acknowledge, by thank you note or other means, appreciation for the work done by the volunteers.
Prepare and submit written report to Indian Fair & Market Chair.
Attend the General Fair meeting in April.