The countdown is on for the biggest Canadian sporting event of 2015! Next summer, from July 10 -26 the Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Palgrave is where all horse lovers will want to be! The Pan Am Games, the world’s 3rd-largest multi-sport event (after the Olympics and Asian Games) will require some 20,000 volunteers to make it the best it can be. Join the team!

If you have been meaning to sign up through the 2015 PanAm volunteer portal – www.toronto2015.org/volunteer – but haven’t done it yet, or if you have been having difficulties navigating the site HELP IS ON THE WAY !

If you sign up on your own through the portal – please use volunteer code SPTEQ!

Taylor Durand and Fiona Kidd from the 2015 organizing committee will be at Palgrave next Saturday, September 27th, with dedicated computers to help you through it. There is a wide selection of jobs available and there is sure to be one that interests you.

People coming to register will need ONE of the following:

  • Valid Passport
  • Driver’s License (if driving is a job that interests you, this is especially necessary
  • Canadian permanent resident card with photo
  • NEXUS card
  • Birth Certificate (for Canadian applicants 16 years of age only)

The various jobs fall into 4 basic buckets and are overseen by individual supervisors.

  • Craig Collins & John Taylor – Competition Supervisors
  • Field of Play Supervisor Jim Weir
  • Athlete Volunteer Supervisor Willa Gauthier
  • Stable Supervisor Lori Green

Below is a sampling of jobs that will require volunteers:

Scribes (6 for dressage) – Sitting in the huts with dressage jury, recording scores, 1 reserve

Runners (Print (2) and FOP (3) for each dressage and jumping) – delivering paper results/scores to Timing scoring and results area, or TD

Scoreboard Operator (1 each jumping and dressage) – some technical knowledge required

Radio Results (1 each jumping and dressage) – some technical knowledge required

Decoration Crew (10) – Assisting decoration supervisor with set-up and maintenance of décor.

Hospitality Crew – Assisting with Décor and set up for luncheons and VIP functions

Athlete Lounge Crew – Maintenance of the athlete lounge including light clean up, replenishment, etc.

ITO (International Technical Officials) Lounge Crew – Maintenance of the ITO lounge including light clean up, replenishment, etc.

NOC Hosts – Team host for each country, Spanish and Portuguese ideal, stationed at team tents. Possibly able to share amongst teams, especially smaller ones.

Team Tent Crew – Maintenance of the team tents including light clean up, replenishment, etc.

Golf Cart Drivers – Golf Cart drivers for shuttles, 3 for equipment, 1 for TD/Steward/SOC, potentially up to 2 for additional shuttles. Multiple shifts per day. Equipment drivers should be able-bodied to help load and unload carts

Sport Information Desk (SID) – Knowledge of the sport, competition information, resource for all Pan Am Games information (database provided), directory. Essentially key point for information for athletes, team officials, technical officials.

Kiss & Cry Access – “Bouncer” for the Kiss & Cry deck, needed during competitions only

Access Control Crew – “Bouncers” for key areas meant for sport personnel only (field of play, warm up rings, athlete/team lounge, team tents, etc)

Stable Access Crew – “Bouncers” for Aux 1, 2 and 3 (2 main stables and Piroplasmosis stables), ensures that only those who are meant to enter the stables do. Numbers pending number of doors in construction.

Whether you want to volunteer in the barn area, be involved in the myriad of hospitality events, assist with the athlete lounges, drive a golf cart or help out with media relations – THIS IS YOUR CHANCE!!!

Let’s make these games special for everyone involved, and give everyone a real Headwaters Welcome!!

Please email Willa Gauthier willagauthier@sympatico.ca with any questions, or to touch base about where you’d like to volunteer.