Be a Volunteer

Volunteer Opportunities

Not running the Fool's Run? Volunteer instead! It's for a good cause, and you'll earn the appreciation of the participants and organizers. You'll also get a Sunshine Coast April Fool's Run Volunteer long-sleeved T-shirt and the chance to win a draw prize!

Use our on-line form to apply to be a volunteer. Job descriptions are given below, for those not familiar with running event volunteering. Except for package preparation, Saturday package pickup and late registration, nearly all jobs take place on race day.

One person can do more than one job where the times required do not overlap, for example: start area setup + package pickup + finish line helper. Please read over the descriptions on this page and choose the job(s) best suited to your abilities and interests.

Race week

Wednesday Race kit assembly

Time: noon - 5:00 pm or portion of
Location: Halfmoon Bay (organizers' house)
Description: Help assemble each race kit (envelope) with bib number, pins, timing chip, shirt if ordered, and sponsor flyers or samples, etc. Pizza and snacks/beverages provided!
Number of volunteers required: 1-2

Saturday package pickup

Time: 1:00-6:00 pm or portion of
Location: Gibsons & Area Community Centre, Park Road
Description: Help set up room; hand out race envelopes (pre-stuffed), check names off a printed list. Write down any changes to participant information, on the list.
Number of volunteers required: 3

Saturday late registration

Time: 1:30-6:00 pm or portion of
Location: Gibsons & Area Community Centre, Park Road
Description: Help take late registrations the day before the race. Make sure the entry form is completely filled in and signed, check the amount owing, take payment, give change if necessary, record amount and form of payment. Give the participant their bib and timing chip, and race day instruction sheet.
Number of volunteers required: 2

Saturday preparation of race morning area

Time: 6:00-6:30 pm
Location: Gibsons & Area Community Centre, Park Road
Description: Help prepare remaining materials for race morning, set up volunteer check-in, gear check area, etc.
Number of volunteers required: 2-3

Saturday preparation of finish area

Time: 8:00-9:00 pm
Location: Mission Point Park, Davis Bay
Description: Help set up large tents (weather permitting) and bring some supplies into the park.
Number of volunteers required: 2-3

Race day (Sunday): pre-race

Course setup

Time: 5:30-8:45 am
Location: Gibsons to Davis Bay, race route
Description: Help put cones and signs along the race route. Drive a truck slowly along the route from finish to start while Larry Nightingale places 300 traffic cones, distance marker signs, and exchange barricades along the course.
Number of volunteers needed: 1

Volunteer Coordinator

Time: 7:00 am-12:30 pm
Location: Gibsons & Area Community Centre, Park Road and Davis Bay
Description: Check in all volunteers, sign out safety vests and paddles (numbered), give volunteers t-shirts, info tags and basic instructions. Following the race, collect vests and paddles at the finish area and sign them back in.
Number of volunteers required: 1

Start area setup

Time: 7:00-7:30 am
Location: Gibsons & Area Community Centre, Park Road
Description: Post signs outside, set up start line, parking signs.
Number of volunteers required: 4 (can also do package pickup and event day registration, see below)

Package pickup

Time: 7:30-8:45 am
Location: Gibsons & Area Community Centre, Park Road
Description: Hand out race envelopes (pre-stuffed and sorted alphabetically). Answer basic questions.
Number of volunteers required: 4

Event day registration

Time: 7:30-8:45 am
Location: Gibsons & Area Community Centre, Park Road
Description: Accept day of event registrations. Make sure the entry form is completely filled in and signed, check the amount owing, take payment, give change if necessary, record amount and form of payment. Give the participant their bib # with timing chip. Be able to answer basic questions (start time, location of start line, gear check).
Number of volunteers needed: 2

Bus Ambassador

Time: 7:50-8:10 am
Location: Langdale Ferry Terminal
Description: Meet the foot passenger runners off the 7:20 am ferry and make sure they all get onto the school and public buses. Collect $2.25 pp from school bus riders. Instruct those who already have their race kits to take the public bus, so those who haven't got their kits or need to register can take the faster school bus. Bring bus $ back to registration area at Gibsons Community Centre.
Number of volunteers needed: 2

Gear check

Time: 7:30 am to 9:15 am and 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Location: Gibsons & Area Community Centre & Davis Bay
Description: Accept runners' bags for gear check (labelled with runners' bib number, a labelling system will be provided) and load into school bus. Meet bus at finish area by 9:40, unload bags and place in roughly ordered rows by bib number, under a large tent in Mission Point Park. Make sure bags are attended to at all times and are available to the participants when they need them. Participants need to show their bib number to claim their tagged baggage.
Number of volunteers needed: 4-5

Race day: during race

Finish area setup

Time: 7:00-9:45 am
Location: Mission Point Park, Davis Bay
Description: Assist in setting up the finish line structure, barricades, flagging tape, tents, tables, finish chute and display clock. Under the direction of the finish line manager. Everything must be in place before 10:00 am.
Number of volunteers required: 5-6

Medical support

Time: 8:00 am to 12:30 pm
Description: (Certified in First Aid) Provide on-site medical support if needed, at start, on course and at finish area. Own vehicle required. Your expenses (gas, supplies) will be covered by the race. Honorarium available if requested. Must have cell phone so volunteers and organizers can contact you during the event.
Number of volunteers required: 3 (2 on course, 1 at finish)

Course marshal

Time: from 8:45 am, end time varies depending on location along route (finished when all runners have passed)—early route locations will be finished quite quickly.
Description: Stand at designated location to provide visibility and make sure vehicles emerging from side roads do not interfere with the runners, and in some cases to direct the runners to turn at an intersection. You will be wearing a reflective vest and in some locations will have a STOP/SLOW paddle. You will sign out the vest (and paddle if applicable), be given a map showing where to go and where the runners will be on the road.
Number of volunteers required: 25 minimum

Aid stations (4)

Time: from 8:30/9:00/9:15/9:30 am until last runner passes
Locations: 1. Veterans Rd at Carole Pl; 2. Lower Road at Joe; 3. Beach at Marlene Rd; 4. Jack Road on Hwy 101 (bottom of Rat Portage Hill)
Description: Hold out paper cups of water and sports drink to passing runners who want it (they will grab the cup as they pass). Use dispensers (provided) to pre-fill a number of cups to be ready to hand out in quick succession. Collect all discarded cups into garbage bag during and afterwards. Bring drink/water dispensers, any empty bottles and extra water/cups to the finish line. Vehicle required. Aid station captain to receive or pickup supplies prior to race day.
Number of volunteers required: Minimum 6 per station—total 24. This is a great job for a family or group of friends, kids (age 8 and up) can either fill cups or hand them out, under supervision.

Race Photography

Time: 8:30 am-12:30 pm
Location: Start area, on course, finish area, awards presentation
Description: Capture the excitement and spirit of race day on digital camera. See 2006 and 2007 photo galleries for examples. Photos to be provided on CD to event organizers for website posting. Honorarium provided if requested.
Number of volunteers required: 1-2

Finish line refreshments

Time: 9:00 am-12:00 noon
Location: Mission Point Park, Davis Bay
Description: Set up and maintain refreshment area at the finish. Set up tables and put out fruit, cookies, water, coffee, etc., pacing it out so the last runners get some. Fruit and bagels need to be sliced. Set up water dispenser and cups (self-serve for runners). Keep tabs on water supplies, if running low contact race director by cell phone to arrange transfer from another location.
Number of volunteers needed: 4-5

Green Team / Recycling

Time: 9:00 am-1:00 pm
Location: Mission Point Park, Davis Bay
Description: Set up and manage recycling of waste at the finish line. Position bins (provided by Direct Disposal) with signs and make sure people put items in the correct bin; keep them tidy. Work with refreshment and other finish line volunteers to get waste put into the correct places. Following the race, help with clean up and management of recyclables.
Number of volunteers needed: 3

Backup results

Time: 10:00 am-12:30 pm
Location: Mission Point Park, Davis Bay
Description: Working with a partner in the finish chute just behind the line, write down finish times and bib numbers. This is in case a chip doesn't register on the mats, we'll be able to fill in the results. One person calls out numbers, the other one writes. Timing company to provide a watch with the running time. Suits those who have good focus and aren't distracted easily; and can write fast!
Number of volunteers required: 4 (two pairs in split shifts)

Finisher medal handout

Time: 10:00 am-12:30 pm
Location: Mission Point Park, Davis Bay
Description: Give a finisher's medal to each finisher as they leave the finish chute. Relay team finishers get one medal per team member. Cheerful and outgoing personality suits this job best!
Number of volunteers required: 2

Awards Pick-up Tent

Time: 10:00 am-12:45 pm
Location: Mission Point Park, Davis Bay
Description: In a separate awards tent with tables, be in charge of handing out age group, relay awards, and draw prizes (pre-drawn) to winners. Organize the awards before 10:30. You will be given lists of winners as soon as they are available (more added as more results are available). Critical to check off which prizes have been picked up.
Number of volunteers required: 2

Awards Assistant

Time: 10:30 am-11:30 am
Location: Mission Point Park, Davis Bay
Description: Assist organizers in setting up, then handing out awards during ceremony.
Number of volunteers required: 1-2

Race day: post-race

Course take-down

Time: 10:00 am-1:00 pm
Location: Davis Bay to Gibsons, race route
Description: Similar to course setup, only picking up all signs and cones from finish to start.
Number of volunteers required: 1-2

Finish Line clean-up

Time: 12:00-2:00 pm
Location: Mission Point Park, Davis Bay
Description: Pack up all materials, tents, tables, cones, finish structure, etc. and load into vehicles. Must be prepared to stay until clean up is complete.
Number of volunteers required: 8+

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