We’re excited the winter market starts up for the season November 5th. The winter market runs once a month, on the first Saturday of the month, from 10-2 at River Market, which is a new location for us this year, along the river at 810 Quayside Drive.
We’re looking for some volunteers to help out. Volunteering is a rewarding way to get involved with the farmers market. As a non profit society, we rely on the support of individuals to make the market happen and we appreciate our volunteers. There are some perks to volunteering as well – after 10 hours we offer a small token of appreciation, and after 25 hours of service we offer a free membership for the next year. Shifts are brief and easy to do.
At the market:
What we most need are volunteers who can assist the vendors to unload and set up from 8am to 10am and again at 2pm until 3:30pm to help them pack up. This is light physical work – you won’t be asked to carry anything ridiculously heavy, but you might be asked to carry small boxes or the end of a table, for example. You should dress for the weather, as you’ll be inside and outside.
We can also use some volunteers during the market to work at the info desk. At the info desk, we sell a few fundraiser items of our own, and provide information to market goers about where certain vendors are. We also have a selection of information about food security and eating healthy. For this job, you need to be comfortable talking with strangers and talking about the market.
Finally, we can use some volunteers to assist during the market as “floaters”. Floaters might spell off a vendor while they use the washroom or perhaps carry some packages to a shopper’s car, or possibly bring something from a vendor to the info desk. This job is varied and is good for folks who don’t want to sit at a desk.
Before the market:
We’ll need some folks to help promote the market by postering around town. This means going into businesses and asking if it is okay to put up a poster. The posters are at the printer right now, but should be available about a week before the first market. You’ll be supplied with the posters and tape. This can be done in the evenings, but we find during the day you have better success because of the hours of business.
We also can use help with the street signs we use for the market. These signs are put up very early in the morning on the day of the market in the neighbourhood surrounding the market site. If you’re an early bird, this might be a good fit for you. This job does require carrying a few signs and staking them into the ground and it is definitely one you need to dress warmly for.
If you are interesting in helping out, the commitment is small. We ask that you commit to at least 3 shifts per season. We are a fun, friendly, and supportive environment that welcomes all levels of ability, regardless of age. Please get in touch with us! You can email us at volunteer@newwestfarmers.ca or download the application right here. Feel free to give us a call at 778-928-7236.
