BySuzanne Hull

Volunteer at #CDM2021

Iowa European Cultural Connection (IECC) 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 opportunities to choose from whether you’re looking for just yourself or a group team building experience. Be sure to include family members, friends and others who could join you to make it more fun!

NEW THIS YEAR: Refer 5 volunteers and get a drink or brat/hot dog ticket that you can pick up when you check in at the Volunteer Tent for YOUR shift. AND The individual whose referral efforts lead to the most hours volunteered will win a $100 Visa gift card.

NON-PROFITS: If your non-profit signs up to fill a shift (volunteers need not be directly associated with your non-profit) to serve Glühwein, beer or brats/hot dogs, you may put out your own “tip” jar for cash donations during that shift. Please email christkindlmarketdsm@gmail.com with proof of tax-exempt status and the location/date/time of your shift.

After your shift, turn in your credential at the Volunteer Tent for: a ticket worth 5% off your purchase in “An der Weihnachtsecke”, a ticket for one free brat/hot dog or one free drink ticket. Christkindlmarket Des Moines Tear Down volunteers will enjoy pizza on Sunday night. At the end of the weekend, all volunteers will be entered in a drawing. One lucky winner will get to choose either a piece of IECC merchandise or imported food.

All volunteers must be at least 16 years old when they report for their volunteer shift. Those working with alcohol must be at least 18 years old when they report for their volunteer shift.

PROMOTING A SAFE AND HEALTHY EVENT: Rest assured that CDM prioritizes the safety and health of our volunteers. We will take guidance provided by local and state health authorities under advisement and make event modifications to ensure a safe experience for all. Based on this guidance, we will provide updated COVID-19 mitigation strategies and requirements as the event approaches.

Sign Up Here!

Beer Pourers: **Great for groups/team building** Work with the Iowa Beer Bus team to serve beer to attendees.

Bratwurst Imbiss am Markt (Food preparation): **Great for groups/team building** From a canopy tent adjacent to the festival venue, grill and package brats and hot dogs to be sold at a wooden vendor hut on the venue.

Bratwurst Imbiss am Markt (Sales): **Great for groups/team building** From a wooden vendor hut, sell prepared brats and hot dogs to market patrons.

Christkindlmarket Des Moines PR: From the festival entrance, welcome patrons and hand out sitemaps.

Christkindlmarket Des Moines Setup: **Great for groups/team building** Do you have an eye for detail? Work with a team to set up Christmas trees, assemble signage, hang stringed lights and decorate wooden vendor stalls.

Christkindlmarket Des Moines Tear Down: **Great for groups/team building** Remove Christmas trees, disassemble signage, remove stringed lights, remove decorations from wooden vendor stalls.

Glühwein & Kinderpunsch Sales: **Great for groups/team building** Serve warm, mulled wine and mulled cider from a tent or in Yuletide Hall to eager attendees.

Information Tent: From a 3-sided tent, answer patron’s questions, provide festival maps, share European tourism information and provide information about Iowa European Cultural Connection.

Non-Profit Tree Setup: Place live, 6-foot fir trees in tree stands and positioning them in outdoor tent.

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.

Parking Attendant: Manage free parking lot for vendors, volunteers, performers and Principal Park employees

Sales Associate – Merchandising: For our store, help ensure that product is displayed properly and answer customer questions.

Sales Associate – Online Order Pickup: From our store, hand out orders customers have placed online when they arrive to pick them up.

Sales Associate – Point of Sale: For our store, operate a point-of-sale system on an iPad, take cash, and interact with customers.

Vendor Stall Setup: **Great for groups/team building** Construct prefabricated wooden vendor stalls. **Heavy lifting definitely required**

Vendor Stall Tear Down: **Great for groups/team building** Tear down prefabricated wooden vendor stalls. **Heavy lifting definitely required**

Volunteer Relations: Greet and check-in volunteers, direct volunteers to assigned areas, and keep Volunteer Headquarters organized.

Yuletide Hall (heated entertainment tent): Assist the Yuletide Hall site leaders to ensure that performers have arrived, are prepared to take the stage, have what they need to perform while maintaining a neat and tidy venue.

Yuletide Hall Setup: **Great for groups/team building** Work inside a tent, outside of the elements, as you set up and decorate an artificial, pre-lit tree, set up tables and chairs and install lights and garland.

Yuletide Hall Tear Down: **Great for groups/team building** Work inside a tent, outside of the elements, as you disassemble an artificial, pre-lit tree, tear down and stack tables and chairs and remove lights and garland.

Sign Up Here!