The Details
Read the Volunteering thread on the discussion forum

    Volunteering, or staffing, an event is for special people, who are motivated by "what might be." We have found that once people get a taste of staffing, they are reluctant to go back to being "just" an attendee. The experience is stretchy, challenging, deep and inclusive.
     Staffing begins as just work, but becomes an avocation... part of who you are. It is an act of service, and that should always be kept in mind.

    I'm broke, can I get a (discount/scholarship/reduced rate) to Wicker Man if I volunteer?
    Short answer is no. In fact, the long answer is no. Bartering labor for work is not volunteering yourself to serve your community. But...

    I really want to help make Wicker Man sparkle, but I have this special circumstance! It's kind of embarrassing to talk about.
    Hey, we all hit rough patches. Check in with your gut,`cause we can't do that for you. Do you grok what staffing is about? And does it move your soul? Well, we can work with your special circumstances, even if that means helping out on the money side. We have been known to pay food and transportation for experienced staffers, not to mention the ticket price.
    Anything is possible... for the right reasons. So call our office and we will talk about it. Ask for Orren.

    I really want to help, but I want to have fun too!
   Back in the good old days it wasn't so good. Before we had all of the camp infrastructure in place staffers did sometimes work long, long hours. But it's all better now and there should be plenty of play to keep Jack and Jill from becoming dull and cranky.
   Registration and Greeters do have regular shifts that they MUST be at, due to the nature of the jobs. We normally try for 4 to 6 hours per day, depending. Depending on what you say? Acts of the freaking Gods! But Registration and Greeters do levy BRIBES, and get to play with the computers during slack times, so the hours just fly by. Really, We wouldn't LIE to you!
   Ranging is different, the shift times are flexible and it is more likely that you will check in with James (The Reaper) or Papa Dragon at The Coffee Dragons, to see what may need looking into and to compare notes. And Ranging is really a matter of just having your eyes open all the time. It's low impact, full time; and high impact every once and a while.
   Build and Burn Team
   Building The Wicker Man is a commitment to get it done, come whatever. Once we start there is no stopping, it's a deadline kind of thing. Yeah, we take breaks, lots of fun, but get it done.
   Other Staff stuff, we figure out as it comes up. Just bear in mind that volunteering is a commitment to your community. If you bag that commitment, we will not come after you. The forces of the universe will do that for us. You were warned.

   I'm not sure about what I can do, but I want to help. That's OK, we will figure it out. There are lots of ways to help that don't fit into the major staff jobs, and we are inventing new ones every day. Feel free to invent one for yourself and give us a call.

    Are there any benefits to staffing?
    Sure, the intangibles are very important. Helping make Wicker Man happen, dealing with real humans, getting streeeetched and growing through the process. That's where the marrow of the matter lies.
    Oh, you mean like, TANGIBLE BENEFITS? Not really. We may help with your registration fee if your embarrassing story moves us to tears, and it had better be a really good story, `cause we have heard lots of them. But maybe you were thinking of...

    Staff Meal Plans
    We will not be running an open meal plan at Wicker Man, but we may be running the kitchen for staff, because over the years we have found that this really helps staff keep their energy levels up and their time free for MUCH MORE WORK!
    But we have not decided this yet, haven't even discussed it with kitchen staff; they really ought to read the web site. If we do, it will be brunch and dinner, all you can eat, probably about $8-9 a day. If you commit to volunteering, be sure to let us know if you would like to see a staff meal plan when you fill out the volunteer questionnaire.
    Bribery is an honored part of Staff process. Got a chocolate addiction? Need your back scratched? What better way to make friends, dispense favors and stock up on karma points than to volunteer. Hey, we all need good Karma, ever since the Dogma got runover.

    or thinking of...

    The guts of how this place works is staffing. Every Member of the Four Quarters Board of Directors started out as a volunteer. It's a meritocracy, really. And a real community; not a few weekends a year, but year round. That may be an intangible benefit, but for some it really is the juicy juice. The grizzled old staff silverbacks will do their best to suck you into the vortex and share the inside scoop. And themselves.

    OK, you really have me thinking about this. Good, welcome to the Borg. Take the Red Pill, have a bit of water, swallow... there that was easy. Now, just relax, breath deep and go to the staff questionnaire up topside of this page. Or, call the office, tele is so much higher bandwidth. Ask for Orren, he is really quite harmless. 814-784-3080

Read the Volunteering thread on the discussion forum