To: Prospective Festival Volunteers
From: Volunteer Coordinator, Joanna Taylor

We need your volunteer help to execute the 14th Annual Pelican Island Wildlife Festival! Please sign up now to get your desired volunteer position OR tell me to assign you wherever we need you. See volunteer position descriptions below. Sign up by completing the form below and replying to this email at joanna_taylor@fws.gov or call (772) 562-3909 ext 258. Thank you.

• What: Pelican Island Wildlife Festival
• When: March 10, 9am -4pm
• Where: Riverview Park, Sebastian (US 1 and CR 512 E)
• Why: To celebrate and support Pelican Island and the National Wildlife Refuge System and to highlight the natural and cultural resources of the Treasure and Space Coasts.

Over 130 volunteers helped us last year and we need your help again this year to execute the 15th Annual Pelican Island Wildlife Festival! Please sign up now to get your desired volunteer position OR tell me to assign you where we need you most. See volunteer position descriptions below. Sign up by completing the form below and replying to this email at joanna_taylor@fws.gov or call (772) 562-3909 ext 258. Thank you.

Sign up for a volunteer position using the form at the bottom of this web page

Volunteer Positions

Pre-Event Volunteer Positions

• Pre-event Office Work - help with last minute tasks two weeks before the event in the Vero Beach FWS office (work elements - copying, faxing, folding programs, posting flyers around town, etc.)
• Pre-event Sign Posting - help put up signs around Sebastian and Vero Beach the week before event (work elements - dig holes with post hole diggers, be able to lift heavy signs)
• Tent Set Up and Sign Posting (Friday afternoon, March 9 ) - help set up tents and signs in Riverview Park the day before the event.

High Priority Volunteer Positions

• A.M. Set-up, 7am -9am - assistance with unloading vehicles, setting up tents, tables, setting up exhibit materials, etc... (work elements - light to medium work, able to carry boxes, tables, etc.)
• P.M. Break-down, 4pm - 6pm - packing up exhibit supplies, moving tables/chairs to rental stockpile, taking down tents, helping to load vehicles, take down signs, etc... (work elements - light to medium work, able to carry boxes, tables, etc.)
• Parking - directing moving vehicles to park according to coordinated plan. Must be able to problem solve and deal politely with difficult people/situations. (work elements - on your feet, exposed to the elements, exposure to unfriendly people/situations)

General Event Volunteer Positions

• Exhibitor Check-in - assist exhibitor coordinator and exhibitors with check-in from 6am - 9am.
• Volunteer hospitality runners - take bottled water and snack to working volunteers (work elements - a lot of walking, able to learn about event components prior to event)
• Volunteer Hospitality Station - assist with volunteer coordination operations, provide volunteers with a rest area and refreshments (work elements - sitting and standing, in the shade, helpful and friendly attitude)

Booth Assistants ...

• Pelican Island Preservation Society booth - conduct sales, monitor silent auction, assist the public, talk with people, provide literature (work elements - on your feet, in the shade)
• Pelican Island & Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge booths - talk with people and answer refuge specific questions, provide literature, talk to people, roll posters (work elements - on your feet, in the shade, some knowledge about Pelican Island, our public facilities, sea turtles)
• Fish & Wildlife Service, Fisheries booth - talk with people and answer questions about fish, the lagoon, fishing; assist with bait rigging station and kid's casting station (work elements - on your feet, in the shade, knowledge about fishing and rigging, interest in working with kids)
• Fish & Wildlife Service, Wildlife Products booth - talk with people and answer questions related to endangered wildlife and wildlife laws (work elements - on your feet, in the shade, able to study and learn the components of this exhibit weeks before this event, very popular exhibit with the public, cool stuff)
• Photography Contest Exhibit - keep watch over photography entries, talk with people and answer general questions (work elements - sitting and standing, in the shade, no photography knowledge necessary)
• Boat Tour Line Management - direct people to form lines waiting for boat to arrive, talk loud to group of people to keep them informed about boat tour process (work elements - on your feet, exposed to the elements, able to maintain calm control over a group of people)
• Boat Tour Interpretive Assistants - interpret the flora and fauna of the Indian River Lagoon, the history of Pelican Island, the current issues facing Pelican Island and the birds of Pelican Island (work elements - public speaking skills, local "naturalist" skills, knowledge about Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, knowledge of local birds, great position for ELC master naturalist graduates)
• Musician's Assistant - assists music coordinator with stage operations and musician hospitality
• Event Greeters - "roving" the park and offering event programs with schedule of events, and answering questions (work elements - on your feet, outgoing, helpful and friendly attitude)
• Event Photography - use your personal camera to take photos of different aspects of the event and donate images to Fish and Wildlife Service (work elements - skills in digital photography)
• Costume Wearers - one hour shifts of wearing outreach costumes; blue goose, Garby, Moe the Manatee (work elements - hot inside costume, not recommended for anyone with a bad neck, interact with kids, pose for pictures with kids)
• Refuge Rovers - "roving" interpreters at the Centennial Trail at Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (work elements - walking, interacting with visitors, general information about the Refuge and local wildlife necessary, bird watching skills a plus)
• Recycling Collection - assist Keep Indian River Beautiful with recycling collection throughout the day.

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Volunteer Sign-up Form (Please sign up early)

Name:_______________________________________________

1st Choice volunteer position:______________________________________________

2nd Choice volunteer position:______________________________________________

Sign me up where ever you need me (X): _______________

Exact time of day you are signing up to volunteer: From:_________ To:__________

Best phone number to reach you: ___________________________

(copy and paste to reply section of your message into an eMail to joanna_taylor@fws.gov, and the complete form )

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Volunteer Terms

Please sign up early. All volunteers that sign up to help on Festival day will receive: 1) a $5 lunch coupon redeemable at any food vendor at the Wildlife Festival, 2) a US Fish & Wildlife Service volunteer T-shirt that we ask you wear while volunteering for the Wildlife Festival, and 3) an invitation to the annual Volunteer Appreciation Event to be held on March 16.

Joanna Taylor
Pelican Island & Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuges
1339 20th Street
Vero Beach, Florida 32960
Phone: (772) 562-3909 x258
Fax: (772) 299-3101

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