Volunteers needed - American Heart Association Go Red For Women Luncheon

The Go Red For Women Luncheon is coming up, and we are looking to confirm the event volunteers. Below are the times and duties for when we will be needing volunteer help, please reply with your interest and availability to Amy Herringshaw, who is coordinating the volunteers: amy.herringshaw@heart.org - Please feel free to also reach out with any questions.

If I could get replies no later than Wednesday, February 18, that would be much appreciated – in order for us to plan. Replies should include volunteer name, email, cell phone, what you’re interested in volunteering with, and any physical limitations we need to take into account (for example if you need to have a seated assignment, or if you need vegetarian snacks).

Categories of Volunteer Opportunities:

Event Prep:

Silent auction prep – event week lead-up. Will need help preparing all the silent auction items for transport, and making sure we have the right signs ready for each. AHA office – hours are 8:30am-5:00pm

Truck loading – at our office, Thursday, Feb. 26, in the afternoon. Volunteers needed for some lifting to help us get the truck loaded with all the event items.

Day of Event Schedule:

5:00am – 1^st Shift Setup volunteers arrive

5:00am – 9:30am Set up (see full description below)

9:30am – All-day volunteers break for rest, change clothes

10:00am – 2^nd Shift Event volunteers arrive, go to stations

10:30am – 1:30pm Event (see full descriptions below)

1:30pm – 3^rd Shift Cleanup volunteers arrive

1:30pm – 2:30pm Cleanup

Post Event:

Event office clean-up: Tuesday March 3, time TBD –

Thank you calls and handwritten cards: volunteers are needed to make calls thanking our donors, as well as writing cards (wording will be provided) thanking them. Preferably done from the office, but at the convenience of volunteer schedules.

Day of Event Volunteer Assignment Descriptions: (depending on times, you may get to help with more than one area)

Setup: We unfortunately will not have access to the room the day before the event, so all event setup will be happening the morning of the event – hence the 5:00am start time. We will be unloading the truck, setting out gifts at all 500+ table settings, setting up the silent auction, ensuring booth space is ready for vendors, getting signage into place, and of course setting up the registration area. If you were thinking to yourself that you wanted to help, but didn’t want to take off work, this would be perfect – hoping to have 10-20 volunteers to do this. We will provide snacks to all who come!

Directional: Several stations assigned between entrance and the ballroom to make sure that attendees find the event easily.

Registration: Duties include – assisting with greeting guests and checking them in, and getting their contact information. Each attendee will be given a pre-assigned bidder number and table, and will be encouraged to pre-swipe their credit card, making silent auction bidding and donating during the program a more streamlined process.

Silent Auction Greeters/Runners: Mingle throughout the silent auction area and encourage people to bid and outbid one another for all items. Be able to talk about the items and what each package consists of, and assist in basic smartphone techniques for the mobile bidding. After guests go into the luncheon portion of the program, help with staging items for checkout at the end of the luncheon. If table running is needed, this team will assist.

Table Hosts & Special Appeal: This involves greeting our guests as they come from the silent auction and helping them find their proper table to be seated. You will each have a map of the room to help with this. Additionally, the special appeal portion of the program is where we ask people to donate to our cause. You will help to collect donations and bring them to registration for processing, as well as handing out the gift for those who do donate. This is a very fun part of the event!

Other Volunteer Details:

Dress code:

Set-up and clean-up crews are casual/comfortable. Sneakers highly recommended.

Event shift is dressy (skirt or slacks for women, collar and a tie for men, jacket optional) – be sure to wear RED if you can! Flats are recommended.

Restrictions: Volunteers may not consume alcohol. Volunteers will be working during the program and not seated at a table. We will do our best to get everyone into the room for the Special Appeal portion to hear the survivor speaker.

Volunteer Hours: If anyone is participating in this event for credit hours, I am more than happy to sign your forms confirming attendance. Please either bring your sheet to be singed, or let me know if you are in need of a letter.

Volunteer Training: We will not be doing any advance training, although we will be sending out details close to the event with information on the mobile bidding system. Please, unless you’ve confirmed otherwise with me, arrive at the registration desk no later than 10:00am so that we can get you trained on your station before the start of the event.

PS – If Saturday hours are better, we have our multicultural Go Red Por Tu Corazon lunchon on Saturday Feb. 28 that we could use volunteers for, and if you are interested in volunteering at our next major event, Heart Ball, on April 11 at Four Seasons, we will need approximately the same help (times shifted for an evening event), so if you’re interested please let Amy know!