Mother Earth Harvest Fair Volunteering

A lot of the magic that you see at the Fair happens because people like you become enchanted with the atmosphere they find here and want to become a deeper part of it.

• Help on the day of the fair or help prepare for the fair.
• Your organization (Girl/Boy Scouts, church or other youth group) could use the Mother Earth Harvest Fair to satisfy requirements for a badge or other project. Your high school may accept volunteering at the festival to meet Community Service requirements. Spoutwood is a 501(c) 3 non profit educational organization.

Helping on the Day of the Fair

• You must be at least 13 years of age to volunteer.
• Volunteer slots range from 90 minutes to 2 hours or longer.
• If you are a member of an organization such as the Girl or Boy Scouts, a church youth group or an  arts organization, we could be mutually beneficial! Maybe your members need a project for a badge, or a project for a grade or credit.
• High school students, you may use your volunteer hours towards your community service credits.
• Go to the jobs page to read specific job descriptions. Send the volunteer coordinator an email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information, or call Rob at (717) 235-6610.

Preparing for the Fair

• Come to our meetings!  Our meetings are scheduled more and more closely together as the fair draws near! Watch this website for announcements.
• Subscribe to our general Mother Earth Harvest Fair Group and/or our Volunteers Group.
• We have great work parties! Get ready! Build stages, clean up areas, help decorate... come on over, it's fun!

Job Descriptions

Customer Service

Customer Service Folks come in all forms assisting people during the Fair. They are very friendly, helpful and outgoing folk greeting the public, answering questions, handing out programs, maintaining the lost and found, providing basic supplies from the first-aid kit, finding lost parents, sign volunteers in for their shifts, and assign eager new volunteers to unfilled positions and attempting to troubleshoot problems. Some positions may be asked to collect money from fairgoers, make appropriate change, and distribute festival programs. You may be assigned to one of the following positions:

• Information : Keep patrons informed about what is happening at the Fair, handing out maps and Craft tickets as well as keeping watch over lost and found items.
• Entrance:  Greet patrons as they come into the festival and help collect money.
• Volunteer:  Help Volunteers get to their jobs and place walk-in Volunteers in needed positions.
• Merchandise:   Sell Spoutwood gear such as t-shirts, stickers and more.

Skill or Requirements

Requirements are for some but not all of the positions above: Ability to interact with the public, patience, the gift of maintaining grace under pressure, elementary math and money handling skills, as well as keeping track of inventory sold at the merchandise table.  **Familiarity with the Spoutwood System is helpful, but not necessary, to fulfilling this role. There will be experienced people on hand to help steer these CSE's in their appointed tasks.

Schedule

We are looking for people to help out on the day of the Fair in 1 hour 45 min to 2 hour shift increments beginning 15 minutes before the fair opens and ending 15 minutes after the fair closes. We ask that you arrive for your job 15 minutes prior to your start time so we can get you signed in properly at your station.

Zero Waste:

"Are you interested in creating a Zero Waste Fair???  Do you love the environment and want to protect it as well as teach festival folks about how they can eliminate waste down to Zero in even in their own homes?  This is the job for you!

Skill or Requirements:

One person will be posted at each of the Waste Stations at the Festival, telling folks what is compostable, what is recyclable and what is true Trash!  We will not have a sorting area this year, all waste will be sorted by our patrons by placing their waste in the approriate container.  You may be asked to help move bags of waste to a holding area so being able to lift 30-40 lbs is helpful.  You will need to be on your feet for two hours at a time!

Schedule

We are looking for people to help out on the day of the Fair in 1 hour 45 min to 2 hour shift increments. We ask you arrive 15 minutes before your shift starts so we can relieve the person who started before you and to be briefed on what to do.

General Helpers

These positions are extremely hectic, but then it's over...Here are some of the positions you may be asked to be a:

• Market Place - Unloading the vendors' vehicles and finding their booth space gets really frantic at about 8:30. When the festival is over, repeat in reverse.  **We are looking for people who will be there a couple of days before the fair, as well, to help out so if you are able please indicate that you will be there sometime from Thursday thru Sunday before the fair starts to help mark out the areas we will be placing the vendors in.

Skill or Requirements

Ability to interact with the harried staff members, patience, the gift of maintaining grace under pressure, can think on your feet, or on your hands if you happen to be standing on them instead, common sense, willingness to move at fairie speed to relay messages if needed For Market Place  - you will need to be able to lift 30-40 lbs mostly likely less than that though.

Schedule

We are looking for people to help out Sunday in 1 hour 45 min to 2 hour increments. Market Place may be asked to do earlier shifts however that means you get to see the Festival at it best! We ask you arrive 15 minutes before your shift starts so we can relieve the person who started before you.

Stagehands

Assist performing groups in carrying equipment too and from the performing stage.  Assistance will be individualized to each performing group as needed/requested.

Skill or Requirements

Stagehands should have the following skills/abilities: ability to lift 30-40 lbs, set-up/tear-down stage knowledge, able to follow directions and to be flexible to the needs of the performers.

We are looking for people to help out Sunday between 1 hour 45 min to 2 hour shift increments depending on the day scheduled. We ask you arrive 15 minutes before your shift starts so we can relieve the person who started before you.

Crafty Folks

Help patrons create our Hands-On Crafts!

Skill or Requirements

Patience, ability to work equally well with children and parents, creativity, mellowness, willingness to learn a new craft, flexibility, ability to deal with crowds, quick thinking and quick acting.

Schedule

We are looking for people to help out Friday, Saturday and Sunday in 2-3 hour shift increments beginning 15 minutes before the festival opens and ending 15 minutes after the festival closes.

Apply