Volunteer Opportunities
We would like to invite you to consider volunteering this year! Volunteering is a great way to meet members and get more involved with the organization. There are many opportunities that need a few more hands to make the Convention a successful event.
The RWCS is once again using VolunteerSignUp, an online service that helps events like ours promote volunteer opportunities to members. Please take a look at these opportunities and consider clicking on the link and signing up.
General Convention Support
- Convention Set Up Teams – Providing support for sign hanging, table placement, material preparation, and other convention preparations and designated. Members can come for any amount of time between the following hours:
Monday – Wednesday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Contact membership@redwingcollectors.org or call 651-388-4004 - Chapter Challenge Auction– Times are available both Thursday morning and Friday afternoon to assist with Chapter Challenge check-in, questions, closing, and cash out on Friday afternoon.
- Coordinator – Coordinate the above volunteers with Chapter piece paperwork, bidding supplies, and coordinate the close of the auction on Friday.
- Business Meeting Friday– Assist with the distribution of meeting agendas, door prize drawing tickets, and other handouts. Following, the meeting, assist with clean up and returning RWCS property to the storage room.
Contact membership@redwingcollectors.org or call 651-388-4004. - Membership Table – Members are needed to staff at Show and Sale on Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm.
Contact membership@redwingcollectors.org or call 651-388-4004. - Convention Wrap-Up Team – Friday afternoon and Saturday to pack up RWCS supplies. Contact membership@redwingcollectors.org or call 651-388-4004.
Convention Departments
- Display – Wednesday through Friday volunteers are needed to help with staffing room, balloting, setup/teardown, and general support. Please contact Display Chair __________ at ______ or email display@redwingcollectors.org
- Commemorative Distribution – Thursday – Saturday volunteers are needed to help with distribution, silent auctions, and the lottery.
To volunteer, follow the link above or call Bob Morawski commemorative@redwingcollectors.org or call 262-853-8269 - Youth Programs (Kids View/Young Collectors) –There are opportunities available on both Thursday and Friday to assist with Kids View and Young Collector programs.
- Registration – Pre-registration and walk-in registration volunteers are needed. Pre-registration includes the distribution of badges, answering questions, and directing members to event locations.
Onsite registration includes data entry orders for walk-in members with registration and convention purchases. Following order processing, volunteers will need to distribute Convention materials, answer questions, and direct members to event locations.
To Volunteer follow the link above or contact membership@redwingcollectors.org - Auction – The auction success needs volunteers all week from graders at check into catalog sales lots of great opportunities to support the auction.
To volunteer follow the link above or contact David Huisman auction@redwingcollectors.org - Show and Sale – There are volunteer opportunities on both Friday afternoon and Saturday. All volunteers will receive a seller badge.
To Volunteer follow the link above or contact Gail Peck gpeck1@neb.rr.com - Rock ‘N’ BBQ – Friday Night event needs volunteers to help with food and beverage set up, serving, and clean up.
Contact a RWCS board member, membership@redwingcollectors.org or call 651-388-4004.
ALL CONVENTION VOLUNTEERS ARE IN A DRAWING FOR SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE!
Volunteers at the 2023 Convention will receive a volunteer memento as a thank gift from the RWCS to recognize your support of the convention.
Thank you in advance for your consideration to volunteer at the Convention. Come join the more than 150 other members who are already volunteering this year.
MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING!
Volunteering as members of the Red Wing Collectors Society at events, on committees, and running for board positions, are great ways to get involved quickly as an RWCS member.
Here are the TOP 10 reasons to volunteer!
- Meet more members
- Active support of the RWCS organization
- Share your talents with the organization
- Participate ‘behind the scenes” at events
- Receive a Volunteer Recognition Pin
- Experience the volunteer “perks” of each department
- Share your Red Wing knowledge with other members
- Enhance your membership experience
- Volunteer-only drawing for the annual Special Commemorative
- HAVE FUN!
Volunteer Recognition
The Volunteer Recognition Program was created in 2008 to recognize member support of RWCS. Many members’ annual commitment to volunteering at RWCS events, office support, program needs, committees, and other activities. This program was created to recognize the commitment of our members.
The first year a member volunteers receive the Volunteer Recognition Pin then for every year they volunteer they receive a dangle showing the number of volunteer years. In addition, volunteers are recognized in a number of ways:
- The break room at Convention
- Drawing to win a special commemorative
- Volunteer gift from the RWCS
- Depart chair/managers often have their own thank you “perks”
Volunteer Opportunities
RWCS Event Support – MidWinter GetTogether and the Annual Convention
Convention
- Auction – set up, viewing, showing pieces, clean up, check-in, catalog sales
- Show and Sale – set up, door opening, assisting with move-in
- Kids View – working with kids on projects, clean up, set up, leading a project
- Commemorative – set up, distribution, sales, clean up
- Display – set up, assisting move-in, counting ballots
- Friday night event – set up, greeting members, clean up, program support
- Volunteer break room – check supplies, set up, clean up
MidWinter
- Friday night – decorations, costume judging, auction clerking
- Saturday Opening – set up the slide show, support program, assist with clean up
- Show and Sale – table set up, seller information distribution, announcements
Both Events
- Signage/Banner hanging and clean up
- Friday night social – set up, greeting members, clean up, program support
- Education – assisting speakers, giving a presentation, set up, cleaning up
- Registration (onsite) – computer data entry, answering questions, clean up set up
- Registration ( pre-reg) – badge distribution, answer questions, directions to rooms
Board Positions
RWCS board members are elected and the board includes a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, historian, two representatives at large, and three managers: Commemorative, Education, and Auction. Each position is a 4-year term and job descriptions are available through the office or by contacting the RWCS Secretary. The RWCS Managers have unique positions that need volunteers as well to assist them with their duties.
Education
Manager: Coordinate and manage educational programs for RWCS events. Work with Executive Director to promote and publish materials for events. Responsible for management and reporting for the Kids View and Young Collector Program Chairpersons.
Volunteers needed: presenter/speakers, keynote speakers, session attendance counting, speaker support, orientation for first-timers, set up and tear down of AV equipment, hanging and removal of signage, work with Education Manager.
- Youth Programs (Kids View & Young Collectors)
Chair Position: develop goals, schedules, activities, and education programs for each group, volunteers to support program and committee members (Full job description available from Executive Director)
Volunteers needed: set up and clean up, lead individual activities, serve on the program committee, speakers on Red Wing Topics, assist participants with projects, packaging, and shipping student pieces following the event, work with Kids View Chairperson.
Auction
Manager: Responsible for all aspects of Thursday evening RWCS Auction.
Volunteers: showpieces, clerking lots sold, setup, tear down, graders, catalog and prices realize sales, paid to owner check entry, distribution of bidder numbers, administrative duties, work with Auction Manager.
Commemorative
Manager: Responsible for choosing potter, designing commemorative, delivering and distribution of RWCS Annual Commemorative, and any other stoneware pieces chosen for annual fundraising.
Volunteers: commemorative distribution, checklist management, lottery sales, silent auction sale and cashiers, social event silent and live, Chapter challenge piece setup and cashier at the close, work with Commemorative Manager.
Convention Support Positions
Along with the manager, the convention has several specific support positions (chairs). These positions are appointed by the Executive Director and are approved by the Board of Directors. These chair positions include Display, Registration, and Show and Sale. Each of these positions has a job description with them and is available by contacting the office. Each of these support positions needs volunteers as well.
Registration
Chair Position: find volunteers to cover pre-registration and onsite computer registration pick up hours, answer member questions during events, manage registration funds, and work with Executive Director on set up, &tear down.
Pre -Registration Volunteers needed: badge and registration material distribution, answer member questions about the event, assist with set up & tear down, work with Pre –Registration Chairperson.
Onsite Volunteers needed: data entry onsite registration, manage registration funds, assist with setting up and tear down, work with Onsite Registration Chairperson,
Show and Sale
Chair Position: work with Executive Director on seller communication, floor plan assignment, supervising table set up, ensure no set up during move-in time and no early move-out, assisting sellers, finding volunteers.
Volunteers needed: labeling tables with individual seller names, table leg check, watching doors during member-only time & move in and out, sign placement, cart assistance, clean up following events, collecting administrative paperwork as needed, work with Show and Sale Chairperson.
Display
Chair Position: find and contact members for displays, set up and tear down room sets, manage voting.
Volunteers needed: counting ballots, photo displays for social media, assisting with setting up and tear down work with Display Chairperson.
Committees
The RWCS Board often creates committees to work on specific projects like anniversary celebrations and membership projects. Members are encouraged to participate as a committee member or as a Chair. Currently, the RWCS has two active committees:
Membership Committee – This committee’s efforts focus on finding ways to develop new members, enhance current membership benefits, and find ways for members to be involved in the Society.
Technology Committee– This committee focus is on finding ways for the Society to embrace technology
If you are interested in becoming apart of the RWCS Volunteer team of over 200 members, contact the RWCS office and tell us what you are interested in. We are excited to welcome new and returning volunteers all the time. This is your organization so consider volunteering today.
ALL YEAR-LONG OPPORTUNITIES
Office Support: mailings, data entry, membership correspondence
Website: content, editing, photos, images, articles
Social Media: writing content and managing Social media like Facebook
Membership Promotion Tables at events: RWCS events, flea markets, antique shows, auctions
Presentations: service groups in your area, history centers, libraries, schools, other pottery-collecting clubs