What to do at an event like Flite Fest? Volunteer!

Flite Fest 2015 is right around the corner, and maybe you've already made plans to attend.  Quite possibly you will be spending more than one day at the event.  You've taken the time off from work.  You've chosen which aircraft you'll bring with you.  If applicable, arrangements for care of pets have been made.  The next question is, what are you going to do once you get there?  My suggestion, is to volunteer!

I will confess, I am in charge of the volunteers at Flite Fest 2015, and am writing this article as an act of selfishness as a way to help recruit more people to help out with the wide variety of tasks that need completing in order to pull off an event like Flite Fest.  

If you attended last year, and didn't volunteer, you might be surprised at the huge amout of effort that the people that participated put forth to make your experience as enjoyable as it was.  You got to meet the people who greeted and directed you as you came in the driveway.  You were assited by the team that ran back and forth all day helping new arrivals navigate to their parking or camping sites.  Then you got to meet the friendly folks who manned the registration tables.  Their efforts went a long way to create a great start to your Flite Fest experience.  We had folks walking up and down the flight line assisting new pilots, and directing folks to the first aid team that did an amazing job with the few injuries we had.  You very likely got to spend some time with the volunteers at the build tent.  This group gave large amounts of their time working with builders young and old while they constructed aircraft from foamboard under the giant tent.  Last but far from least, the property owners, John and Dianne Furey never stopped.  Not only were they exceedingly generous by letting hundreds of stranger camp in their yard, the Fureys welcomed us, fed us, and it was a rare time that you didn't see John out on his Polaris Ranger, emptying the trash cans that were stationed from one end of the field to the other.

Why should you volunteer?  Why give up vacation time, after driving all the way from home, to the small town of Malvern OH to work, for free?  Great questions!  

One reason is that Flite Test is community driven.  The show, and the podcasts are just part of what makes up Flite Test.  So much more can be found in the forums, and the articles section.  The huge number of people who attended the event last year is a testament to how involved the Flite Test community is and how much Flite Test depends on it's community.  I see volunteering at these events as an extension of that community support.

It might be best answered by one of the many people who travelled from all over the country, and even from outside the country to help.  We had a volunteer from Norway, and Australia, and Mexico too.  There were several from Canada... but as close as we were to the border, I hardly count them as being from "another country".

I hope that some of last years volunteers will comment in the area below this article with some of their experiences from last year, and why they're wanting to do it again (and yes, some of them are willing to do it again!)   But for now, here's a list of reasons why I enjoy volunteering, and a few reasons that I think other people do too.

• I get bored.  No, really.  After arriving, I'll walk the flight line a few times.  Then I'll oogle the products that the vendors have on display or for sale.  I'll buy and eat some of the deliciously-bad-for-me-foods.  I might even meet up with some of the folks that I've met online.  But after that, I'm pretty bored.  I rarely fly at events, so I tend to find someone that looks busy, and ask to help.
• Have fun!  Yes, volunteering can be fun.  There's all sorts of tasks that need completing.  Maybe you'd enjoy being the first person that a Flite Fest attendee gets to talk to, then we have a place for you!  Or possibly you enjoy the Tetris like challenge of fitting campers and cars into the  spaces set aside for the guests, as they seem to arrive at an ever increasing rate.  Maybe you're more of a social person, who likes time giving detailed aid to visitors, the flight line, or the build tent would be perfect for you.
• You got guilt tripped into it by a guy you kind of know.  I've been accused of tricking people into volunteering.  Most of them even were happy about it after the fact.  Most of them.
• If you're like me, and travel to events alone, you might find it difficult to strike up a conversation with someone at the event.  Volunteering is a great way to meet new people.  I've been very fortunate to end up with many friends by offering to help carry a table, or set up a tent.
• Perks!  Often the volunteers get access to areas that other guests do not.  You sometimes get to meet and hang out with the "celebrities" of whatever genre that the event is celebrating.  Last year the volunteers got free food.  Free food does it for me every time.  Most volunteers got a shirt (yeah most... there was a little bit of a problem with that last year.  I hope to not run into the same problem this year.  Sorry.)
• Giving back.  Maybe you're not as selfish as me, and it wasn't the food that won you over.  You're an appreciative sort, and noticed how hard the folks are working to put on the event for you, and you decided to chip in.  
• Get included in an upcoming Flite Test episode.  Last year some of the volunteers banded together to create a giant FT Flyer.  Maybe you saw that episode?  This year I've been putting a bug in the ears of the guys in charge, and hope to get a video featuring just the volunteers and their efforts.
• Bragging rights!  The volunteers at last year's Flite Fest have the honor of knowing that they were the ones who made the first ever Flite Test flying event the huge success that it was.  That event rivalled the size and scope of other, well established events, with very few problems, all of which were quickly solved.  You might have missed your chance to say you volunteered at the 2014 event, but you still have a chance to be part of this year's festival!

Maybe none of these reasons apply to you.  Feel free to list your own in the comments area.  If you haven't volunteered yet, do it.  Find your own reasons, as if free food isn't enough... 

Volunteering doesn't have to be a long term commitment.  Even an hour or two can be a huge help.  Each morning at Flite Fest I'll have a giant dry erase board with all of the duties we need volunteers for, and it will be broken up into various time blocks.  One (or more) of those blocks could be yours!  

To preregister as a volunteer, send me an email (flyingmonkey@flitetest.com) with the following information:

Real Name

Screen Name

Email Address

Phone Number

City

State/Country

Flite Fest 2015 is just a few weeks away.  I look forward to working with all of the people who are generous enough to dedicate their time to making this another successful event.  I can't wait to see you all there!