Volunteer

Volunteer Roles

Volunteer Recruitment
Promotion
Beach clean-up
Prep Crew
Site Set Up
Parking Marshall
Registration Table
SWAG Distribution
Volunteer Booth
Merchandise Table/Silent Auction Table
Paddle Buddy
Paddling Marshall
Paddle Gear distribution
Water Safety Paddler
Green Team

Pre Event Help

Volunteer Recruitment

Help us recruit volunteers to help with our largest event. Help spread the word on your personal or professional circles and help our team recruit volunteers for Paddle day!

  • Download a sharable graphic for your social media
  • Email colleagues, friends and family and direct them to our Outreach Manager, Eugenia Kwok at eugenia@wildlandsleague.org
  • Pick up some flyers from us at 401 Richmond St W, Suite 380 and post them in Community Centres and community hubs.

Promotion

Do you know any kids that would be interested in learning to paddle? Help us spread the word by putting up posters around your community or giving lending us a hand at our upcoming tabling events:

  • May 4th Tabling event at Royal Ontario Museum
  • May 5th Paddle the Don
  • May 10th tabling at MEC Kitchener
  • June 8th Paddlefest

For more information contact eugenia@wildlandsleague.org.

Beach Clean Up

It’s important to keep our parks and natural spaces clean! Garbage and waste harm wildlife and it does not belong in our parks. Join us on Saturday, May 25th and help us clean Rouge Park. Gloves and bags will be provided. Please email  eugenia@wildlandsleague.org with Beach Clean in the subject line to get details. Include the date (or dates) you would like to attend.

These dates don’t work? Organize your own clean up! Tag us in your social media and use #paddletherouge so we know about the awesome work you’re doing!

Prep Crew

Two weeks leading up to Paddle the Rouge are busy in the Wildlands League office. Drop by our office at 401 Richmond Street W and help pack gift bags for youth, help pack up our event supplies and make sure we’re ready for the big day. Send your availability to eugenia@wildlandsleague.org with “pre-event logistics” in the subject line.

Paddle the Rouge Day Roles

Site Set up

If you’re an early riser, this is the job for you! Arrive on site at 6am and help our staff put up signage, set up tents and tables

Parking Marshall

Help direct guests arriving at the beach. Parking is very limited at Rouge Beach. We need assertive volunteers who can help direct traffic and keep guests safe and happy.

Registration Table

We need detail-oriented volunteers to check in guests as they arrive. Learn to Paddle youth, Guests renting boats, and the occasional person just wanting to know what’s happening will arrive at your table. Help get everyone where they need to go.

Sign in pre-registered youth, give them a nametag and a registration package, and direct them to pick up a SWAG bag

Sign in new youth: get parents to sign forms, create a nametag and give them a registration package. SWAG bags as long as they’re available.

Learn where everything is at the event and be ready to give directions

SWAG Distribution

Hand out gift bags to all our Learn to Paddle youth! Be ready to answer questions about the event, or know who can help answer those questions. Gift all youth that have a nametag with a SWAG bag and direct them to the beach.

Volunteer Booth

A table will be set up with a schedule of the day’s events with a list of volunteers and corresponding shifts. Volunteers arriving at the event will be directed to check in at the volunteer booth. Here, they will pick up a t-shirt, apply some sunscreen and get familiar with their tasks. Food and drink will also be available at the booth.

Merchandise Table/Silent Auction Table

Tell our guest who CPAWS Wildlands League are, and more about Paddle the Rouge. Process payments for merchandise being sold. Proceeds go towards CPAWS Wildlands League conservation work.Volunteers must be comfortable handling cash. Funds raised by selling Paddle the Rouge merchandise will go towards supporting Wildlands League in conservation work in Canada. We are looking for responsible volunteers with integrity. Volunteers who oversee the Silent Auction will oversee bidding on items donated in support of Paddle the Rouge. Explain to guests how the silent auction works and give background on Wildlands League.

Paddle Buddy

Volunteers comfortable in a canoe or kayak who will accompany youth, keeping them safe and happy. Paddle buddy volunteers will be oriented and supported by staff and paddle instructor volunteers

Paddling Marshall

Working with volunteers helping with ‘guest flow’ paddling marshalls will guide Learn to Paddle youth from registration to their paddle instructors and gear distribution

Paddle Gear distribution

Working with Grand River team to make sure guests are paired with the right gear.

Water Safety Paddler

Keeping guests safe by monitoring the Rouge River channel, guiding guests to keep them on track and keeping new paddlers safe.

Green Team

Keeping the park clean and in better condition than when we found it