-Paula Flanders
I’m sure by now you’ve all heard it said that CCCC is an all-volunteer club. But what
does that mean, exactly? Curling clubs operate in a number of different ways. But for
clubs that own or lease their own building and don’t share the ice with hockey or
skating sports, the members of the club are responsible for doing everything that is
needed to make and maintain their ice, keep their building in good shape, organize and
run their leagues, pay the bills (like electricity, internet), etc. Some clubs are large
enough or willing to raise their dues enough to afford to pay a rink manager or ice
technician to manage those tasks. Most clubs, however, depend on members to run
leagues, operate and maintain the club, run events, and so on.
Obviously, everyone has other time commitments, including work, and people who
depend on them to be elsewhere. The volunteer interest form has lots of different
opportunities (and is probably still missing some). You can be part of a committee if you
prefer to be part of a group, find a task that can be done remotely if that fits for you, or
volunteer for one day at a bonspiel.
If you’ve seen another member doing something that you think you might be interested
in, ask if you can be their assistant or shadow them for a bit to learn what’s involved.
The list is long and there is always someone looking for help. And don’t worry if you
haven’t done something before. Other members will help you and will be grateful that
you offered. Even the small things, like checking and replenishing the water pitchers
and hard candies before your game, help keep the club running smoothly. It’s okay if
you have to ask where to find the candy the first time. We’ve all been there.
Clearly, the amount of work that goes into having a well-run curling club is large.
However, when spread across the membership, it is not only doable, it also is fun. You
can get to know other members and enjoy making our club even better at the same
time. Hopefully, you noticed (and filled out!) the new volunteer interest form when
when you registered to be a member of the club. If you didn’t, please check it out and
think about what how you might like to be involved. When logged into the cub web site,
you can find the form under Member Menu> Member Information> My Volunteer
Availability. You can update it at any time, not just when registering.
