The Accord, Volunteering

Volunteering

“…but I don't ask much - just to keep in touch
and waste a little of your precious time” – Joe Jackson

So you’ve received your Beltaine/Samhain Information Packet and anticipate the experience of another (or maybe your first) CMA festival. And, as usual, there’s all this stuff about volunteer shifts. What’s up with that? Why do we need to do a volunteer shift? Nobody else I know bothers to show up for theirs, so why should I? Isn’t this stuff supposed to be taken care of by the hard-earned money I spent to go to this thing anyway? Well… it doesn’t work that way. Your money goes toward many things, but not EVERYTHING.

Some members may not be aware of this, but there isn’t a single paid position within the CMA staff. There are many costs involved in the running of this organization, but staffing isn’t one of them. Your membership fees go toward the land payments and general administration of keeping CMA alive. This includes such things as attorney fees, CPA’s, supplies, etc., as well as the publishing of the Accord (which will hopefully be fully back on track soon). The festival fees pay for as many things festival-related as the money from paid tickets can stretch to fit. This includes such things as insurance, sewage services, electricity, entertainment… the list goes on and on, and we get a pretty remarkable experience for our dollar. Staffing simply cannot be covered by the relatively low prices of our festival tickets.

This is where volunteer shifts fit in. There are a number of people within CMA who spend their entire festivals working. Not that this isn’t enjoyable to some extent, but it seems odd to pay a festival ticket for the privilege of spending every day of the festival “on duty”, as well as the days leading up to and following the event. With such a large festival, these people can’t possibly be responsible for making sure the drinking stations have water, the showers are clean, the kids are being supervised, the cuts, bruises and allergies are being attended to, etc.

As members of CMA, and as festival attendees, we all have a responsibility for making our events enjoyable to ourselves and the rest of the members. It’s a good feeling to know that when you want to take a (HOT!) shower, you don’t have to wade through piles of other peoples’ trash and stand on a floor with several days of built-up crud on it. It’s comforting to know that when you realize you’re dying of thirst, there will be water at the water station. It’s a secure feeling to know that there are Guardians all over the land to assist in any problems you might have. The people performing these and many other tasks are all volunteers. Without them and you, the festivals would not be nearly as safe and enjoyable as they are.

So why show up for your volunteer shift? The main reason is simply that if you don’t, it may have a very negative effect on another’s enjoyment of the event. Nothing like having a sudden bowel emergency, only to find there isn't any paper in the Porta-John! A second reason (as I’ve learned myself) is that volunteering can be a lot of fun. Along with taking pride in being a part of the event’s success, it’s a great opportunity to meet and interact with other members – some of whom you may not otherwise have had the chance to meet. Some great relationships have developed between our members that started with a volunteer shift at an event. Being a somewhat shy person myself, I look forward to my volunteer shifts as a chance to meet new friends.

So when you get to the part of your festival packet that contains the volunteer information, be open to it. Look for duties that reflect your interest. Choose something you’re good at, or something you’ve never done that might present a new challenge for you. Some shifts are more social than others – if you want a party on wheels, go for the Rowdy Recyclers. Every duty is an important one. Take an active interest in volunteering, and you might be amazed at the rewards. But... you’ll never know if you don’t show up for your shift. Please play your part. We’re counting on you.

Thanks!
Brad Allen
A CMA member