Medicine Hat Special Olympics organizers continue volunteer push as shift coverage tops 50 per cent

“We’ve actually found that the majority of our volunteers are doing multiple different things in multiple different areas.”

Brake said organizers are encouraged by the number of people who have started the volunteer process but have not yet completed the final steps needed before selecting shifts.

“Our goal is to chat with the community and our volunteers to say, hey, you’ve done all the steps, you’re ready to go,” Brake said.

“Now these are the types of shifts that we’re looking to fill so that we have enough people to run the games.”

Rather than focusing on recruiting entirely new volunteers, organizers are working with people who have already registered but still need to complete requirements such as Safe Sport training.

“There are a lot of volunteers kind of sitting in those stages,” Brake said.

The organizing committee is also offering in-person assistance at the Games office for volunteers who need help navigating the online registration system.

Brake said the pace of volunteers completing the process has been slower than organizers had hoped, but said numbers are continuing to rise as staff work directly with registrants.

“I would say that the increase is definitely slower than we would hope it would be for sure,” Brake said.

Among the biggest needs are volunteers for social media, Healthy Athletes health screenings, security, parking and bocce officiating.

“We’re looking for a social media team that can go out to all the venues and post things and take some content and have a really active social media,” Brake said.

Organizers have also been seeking healthcare professionals for the Healthy Athletes program and first aid coverage, along with volunteers to help with venue access control and parking.

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READ: Special Olympics Canada Summer Games organizers making critical push for volunteers in Medicine Hat

by Jett Schwaier

Medicine Hat Special Olympics organizers continue volunteer push as shift coverage tops 50 per cent

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