DRAFT – Volunteer recruitment letter.

To: The Highland Associations, Bands, Dancers, etc. of Greater Vancouver.

The attached letter is self-explanatory.  We request that you distribute it to your full membership mailing lists.   Thanking you in advance.

The Organizing Committee

BC Highland Games.

To: The Scottish Community of Greater Vancouver

After a continuous 130-year existence, The BC Highland Games is threatened with extinction.  Two key factors contribute to this distinct risk. 

Lack of volunteers and risk to our financial backer the United Scottish Cultural Society.    In order for the games to continue and provide the pre-eminent venue in Western Canada for the furthering of competitive Piping, Dancing, and Bands, we need help.

Take your hand off your wallet!                            

We need volunteers.

In the past two years, a key group of dedicated volunteers have either retired from active participation or reduced their participation in the organization of the event.  Many of these people contributed hundreds of hours individually and collectively their donation of time is immeasurable.  We thank them sincerely for their contribution.

Now we need new blood!

In order to continue we need to fill several key positions on our Organizing Committee:

•Finance/accounting manager.

•Sponsorship/Sales

•Public & Media Relations manager

•Volunteer coordinator

•Webmaster

These key positions must be filled before the organizing committee will even contemplate moving towards developing a plan for 2012.  We have set a deadline of January 15 th for these positions to be filled.

The estimated time commitment for these positions varies, however 10 hours per month is realistic for February through May and likely 15 to 20 in June depending upon the job.  This amounts to about 2 ½ hours a week and about 4 hours a week in June. 

Additionally, we also need bodies to assist with less time intensive roles such as:

•Parking and traffic coordination

•Signage/program production (a printing background would be good)

•VIP coordinator

•Ticket manager

We also need 50 to 75 volunteers on the day of the games.

It’s time to let the grey haired grannies off the gate duty and have some younger people (read baby boomers) step up. 

We presently have a group of four Organizing Committee Members, which is insufficient to pull off this event.  If you are committed to the continuation of this 130 year history, please contact Jim Bain (604-435-0764) or Glenna Urbshadt (604-224-5479)

We appreciate your serious consideration of our request and look forward to hearing from many of you.

Sincerely,

Jim Bain

Glenna Urbshadt

Joan Drabyk

Donald Ross