Cheers to Pamela Kurtz, Race Director for using VolunteerSpot to support her volunteering needs!
Please tell us about your organization and your volunteer needs.
I am the Race Director for the Histio Heroes 5K – a 5K race raising money and awareness for the Histiocytosis Association. We use a lot (over 100) of race-day volunteers to put on our event. These volunteers help in several different positions – race-day registration, t-shirts, gear check, course marshals, finish line, etc., which all have different responsibilities and time frames.
Explain how you use VolunteerSpot to coordinate these volunteers.
I used VolunteerSpot to sign up my volunteers this year. I shared the link with different volunteer groups and our volunteers from previous years. Since VolunteerSpot was updated automatically, it was easy for volunteers to see what positions were still open and to send volunteers instructions through VolunteerSpot’s website. The process was very simple, and this step took me so much less time than it had in the past!
Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?
I wanted to simplify the way I kept track of my volunteers and liked the idea of volunteers signing up online. This allowed me to send out my request to different groups, and not worry about overlap or how to split up the list of positions. I checked out VolunteerSpot, and it seemed to be just what I needed!
What’s one piece of advice you have for folks organizing races and walks?
You will need a lot of volunteers! The best way to get the numbers you need is to get some groups involved. VolunteerSpot made it so easy for us to have a few different groups involved and not end up duplicating spots or leaving any spots open. If for some reason you can no longer volunteer for the position you signed up for, please cancel out of it instead of just not showing up.
What else would you like our readers to know about your organization or volunteering?
The Histio Heroes 5K is a run/walk along the Fox River Trail in Batavia, IL. in support of Histiocytosisis, a rare blood disease that can be deadly or can cause life-long disabilities. Patients are often treated with chemotherapy, radiation and bone marrow transplant. While this disease affects all races and ages, the majority of cases involve children under 10 years old. Because histiocytosis is so rare, it receives virtually no government funding for research. The Association receives most of its money from events such as this one, started by family and friends of those affected by the disease. If you live in the Chicago area, please come out to participate or volunteer!
We salute Pamela and all the other teachers and volunteers making a difference in their communities. Check out how VolunteerSpot’s Volunteer Software can save you time and stress and boost parent involvement in your school. Take a tour today!
