If you like shift work, local B.C. Summer Games organizers have a job for you.
As of today (June 17) there are only 30 days left before the start of the Games in Nanaimo July 17-20.
The B.C. Games A-team, the team of volunteers setting up accommodations for more than 3,000 athletes and their coaches in 19 Nanaimo schools, needs volunteers to work as dorm hosts, site preparation workers and dorm captains.
Dorm hosts man dorm desks, making sure athletes sign in and out of the dorms and pass along information to athletes and coaches as needed.
Dorm captains are the dorm hosts team leaders. They oversee dorm host operations and make sure shifts are filled.
Site preparation volunteers put up signs and set up desks at dorm sites and distribute and collect sleeping mats before and after the games.
Pam Donnelly, accommodations director, said she currently has 60 volunteers, but needs at least 200 more for the Games. At least 30 more site prep volunteers are needed.
“We need people signing up now – and they’re out there,” Donnelly said. “They just have to get the information and envision themselves being there.”
Here’s the urgency: every dorm volunteer must be more than 18 years of age and have a criminal record background check completed, which – even though they’ve been fast tracked for the Games – still take two weeks to complete.
“We definitely have a need and we’ve only got two weeks to get signed up because we’re within four weeks of the Games,” said Jenn Houtby, games director of promotions.
Dorm host shifts are about six hours long and tasks aren’t too demanding since all they have to do is check people in and out of the dorms. The main aspect of the job, aside from signing people in and out, is making them feel at home.
Since the job isn’t physically demanding it’s a good position for seniors or people who might have mobility problems.
The shifts run ‘round the clock, so even shift workers or people who would prefer a graveyard shift over daytime hours can pretty much pick their favourite time of day to volunteer.
The criminal record checks are done free of charge for Games volunteers.
To register as volunteer for the B.C. Summer Games, please call 778-441-2014, visit www.bcgames.org or stop by the Games office, at 1111 Dufferin Cres. Volunteer registration forms can also be picked up at any City of Nanaimo recreation facility.