Date: Wednesday June 21, 2022
Subject: Afton Trail Run Volunteer Email 3 2022
[ This is volunteer email 3. If you signed up to volunteer a while ago you would have seen the first two progress emails. If you signed up more recently, there is no need to review emails 1 & 2, everything you need to know at this point is included in the email and links below. ]
Hi All,
First and foremost, a huge thank you for volunteering for the 28th Annual Afton Trail Run on Saturday July 2, 2022. We are very fortunate to have over 120 volunteers helping at this year’s race. Registration is open for a few more days – currently we have 800 registered runners representing 3 countries, 26 states and 164 Minnesota cities!
Volunteer Assignments:
Volunteer Assignments have been made and are available HERE https://www.aftontrailrun.com/volunteer-assignments/ As always, I do my best to review and integrate the information you provide in the ‘notes’ section of the volunteer signup form – that said I have been known to make a couple of mistakes and take a few liberties along the way. If you see anything that does not work for you, please let me know and we can easily adjust. Please keep in mind that you may have been assigned more than one job or shift, so please search both by name and job (you can type your name into the search box or you can sort the table by clicking any of the column headers.) There could be a few minor tweaks between now and race day, so please be sure to check the list again the week of the race.
* We will still take a couple more volunteers to help clean up at our home in Hastings on Sunday between 9AM and 3PM – shoot me an email if you are interested.
* If you are a photographer or have a friend, family member or significant other you could bring along that is, we can always use more folks taking pictures – please let me know.
Volunteer Jobs:
There have been times in the past where I have provided a bunch of detailed information about specific volunteer assignments within this final volunteer email. Instead of doing that again this year, I spent a bunch of time revamping the ‘Volunteer Jobs’ section of the website. It is VERY IMPORTANT that after looking up your volunteer assignments, that you visit the ‘Volunteer Jobs’ section to review all of the specifics regarding the job(s) you have been assigned to https://www.aftontrailrun.com/volunteer-jobs/ – Parking volunteers, please note that more specific assignments for you are available via a link under the ‘Parking’ section.
Review the Website:
Please take the time to review the Afton website in its entirety prior to race day https://www.aftontrailrun.com/ There are specific links / resources for volunteers in addition to the general race information for runners. Reviewing and knowing this information prior to race day will make you, the volunteers, the best resource possible for the runners, their crew, family and spectators as well as your fellow volunteers.
Camping:
If you need somewhere to stay Friday night or Saturday night we have Group Camp 1 reserved. Drop me a note if you plan on staying there.
Hats:
We are doing hats this year instead of t-shirts https://www.aftontrailrun.com/2022-race-hat/. If you are volunteering at an aid station, hats will have been sent out in the supply bins. Aid station captains will be getting these out to you, or better yet will delegate the task of getting them out. If you could, please make sure you get yours so we do not have to mail it. If you are working a volunteer position other than an aid station, you will pick up your hat at the check-in, start, finish area at the same location where we sell merchandise – please seek yours out there.
Food, and After your Shift:
You are welcome to graze on aid station food during your shift but also feel free to pack a lunch if you think you will need more. After your aid station closes, please join us at the finish for hand made pizza. Aid Station 5 volunteers, we will deliver pizza to you since your aid station goes so late in the day.
Covid Considerations:
If you are feeling under the weather, stay home. We will have plenty of hand sanitizer, please use it. We are still doing more pre-packaged snacks than in years past. We will run aid stations more or less like we did pre-Covid, with an eye towards the best hygiene practices possible while being respectful of others boundaries… an example; rather than just rushing into a runners personal space and helping them without asking, ask them if they would like help with anything and how they would prefer that you help them.
As always, should you have any questions please contact me. We are looking forward to seeing everyone for another safe, fun and successful race!
Thank You,
John Storkamp
Race Director
racedirector@aftontrailrun.com