Author Archive Suzanne Hull

Des Moines European Heritage Association (DMEHA) invites you to be a part of something great: Christkindlmarket Des Moines. Volunteers are integral to a successful community event. We need your help and we have several volunteer opportunities to choose from whether you’re looking for just yourself or a group. Be sure to include family members, friends and others who could join you to make it more fun!

No-shows can cause great difficulties for the planning and production of Christkindlmarket Des Moines. We ask that you report on time and remain on task for the duration of your shift(s). All volunteers must be at least 16 years old when they report for their volunteer shift. Those dealing with alcohol must be at least 21 years old when they report for their volunteer shift.

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• Christkindlmarket Des Moines Setup: If you’ve ever wanted to see how a Christkindlmarket comes together, now’s your chance! As a volunteer on the setup team, you will work on a variety of tasks from installing Christmas trees to assembling signage. From hanging stringed lights to decorating wooden vendor stalls. **Some lifting may be required**
• Vendor Stall Setup: Christmas markets wouldn’t be the same without traditional, wooden vendor stalls! We’ve teamed up with Waukee High School and Johnston High School Industrial Arts students who have pre-fabricated 15 wooden vendor stalls. As a volunteer on the vendor stall set up team, you will construct these pre-fabricated stalls for our vendors. **Heavy lifting definitely required**
• Vendor Assistant: Vendors will be on site all weekend long selling their products. As a vendor assistant, you will help them unload their merchandise, as well as with setup and teardown. You may also be asked to assist in other volunteer areas as needed. **Some heavy lifting may be required**
• Vendor Relations: Vendors may need to take a break during the long, 3-day event. As a vendor relations volunteer, you will provide our vendors with breaks upon request. You may also be asked to assist in other volunteer areas as needed.
• Non-Profit Tree Setup: Help non-profits unload and transport their supplies to decorate their trees.
• Waste Removal Elves: Help keep the Christkindlmarket Des Moines venue as clean as possible by ensuring garbage is placed in receptacles around the event site. As a waste removal elf, you will empty the bag receptacles into a large roll-off bin as needed.
• DMEHA KinderKorner Booth: Do you enjoy interacting with children and families? If so, this is the perfect opportunity for you! As a DMEHA KinderKorner booth volunteer, you’ll provide an European-centric activity for children of all ages. All supplies will be provided.
• DMEHA Information Area: Do you enjoy interacting with people? Why not volunteer at the DMEHA information area located in the KinderKorner. Help answer attendee’s questions, provide information on DMEHA, hand out site maps and entertainment schedules, etc. You’ll also be provided the cell phone number of a site leader should you receive a difficult-to-answer question. You’ll also be in charge of taking silent auction bids on clipboards for the decorated Christmas trees.
• Programming Stage Volunteer: One of the features of Christkindlmarket Des Moines is our entertainment stage. If you’re interested in music, performances and artistry, this is the place for you. As a programming stage volunteer, you will assist the Programming site leaders to ensure that performers have arrived, are prepared to take the stage and have what they need to perform.
• Beer Pourers: These volunteers will work with the Iowa Beer Bus team to serve beer to attendees. You will need to go through I-PACT (Iowa – Program for Alcohol Compliance) Training. After successfully passing the final test, you will receive a printable certificate of completion. The certificate is valid for a period of two years. I-PACT is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.I-PACT.com. The test takes 45 – 60 minutes to complete and can be completed online at http://iowaabd.com/education/resources as well. Please email your certificate to [email protected] or bring it with you when you begin your volunteer shift.
• Glühwein & Kinderpunsch Sales: There’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit than to serve warm, mulled wine from a wooden vendor stall to eager attendees. This holiday tradition is a Christkindlmarket staple. You will need to go through I-PACT (Iowa – Program for Alcohol Compliance) Training. After successfully passing the final test, you will receive a printable certificate of completion. The certificate is valid for a period of two years. I-PACT is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at www.I-PACT.com. The test takes 45 – 60 minutes to complete and can be completed online at http://iowaabd.com/education/resources as well. Please email your certificate to [email protected] or bring it with you when you begin your volunteer shift.
• Christkindlmarket Des Moines Tear Down: As the market winds to a close on Sunday evening, we’ll have two short hours to make the magic of the Christkindlmarket Des Moines weekend disappear. Would you like to be a part of the magic? **Some lifting may be required**
• Vendor Stall Tear Down: As soon as the vendors have vacated their vendor stall that has kept them warm all weekend, they will need to be torn down, stacked and loaded by hand cart into a straight truck. Timing is critical. You will be led by a volunteer that has experience tearing down these vendor stalls. **Heavy lifting definitely required**
• Volunteer Relations: You will be part of the initial contact for incoming volunteers in Volunteer Headquarters. You’ll help greet and check-in volunteers, direct volunteers to assigned areas, and keep Volunteer Headquarters organized. You may also be asked to assist in other volunteer areas as needed.
• Non-Profit Tree Tear Down: Remove ornaments and lights from non-profit trees and help silent auction winners transport these items and possibly the tree to their vehicles.

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