What’s your favourite Port Alberni location or event?
The Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce would love your help showcasing it to both visitors and locals.
From greeting guests at Cathedral Grove to cheering runners in the coming Paper Chase, a wide variety of volunteer positions are available. Enjoy a few hours at a single event or give a few hours a week for the summer – it’s your choice.
“Our popular places and events have a great economic value for the community but we need the public’s help to properly showcase them and make them successful,” says chamber executive director Bill Collette.
The Ambassador Program
“Most of our volunteers are involved with the Ambassador program and they love it – meeting people from all over the world and showcasing our area,” Collette says.
Some 30 to 50 ambassadors greet visitors at local hotspots from early June through September. All are welcome, providing you can make some kind of regular commitment – shifts are varied and flexible, but Ambassadors typically volunteer a morning or afternoon a week.
Support for volunteers is also key, Collette says. In addition to information sessions, “we have a nice big colour booklet that gives you all the information at your fingertips and we have an annual party as a thank you.”
- Cathedral Grove – Showcase this amazing park to visitors from near and far during three-hour shifts through summer.
- McLean Mill and the Alberni Pacific Railway Train – Look for an expanded Ambassador presence at McLean Mill for 2018. Fascinating attractions and lots of flexibility in shifts and activities mean there’s lots of opportunity here.
- Mobile Visitor Services – Take the Chamber’s mobile visitor centre to locations throughout the area.
- Major events – Help make the Valley’s big events a major success!
Coming Events
Beyond the Ambassador program, volunteers are also crucial to several one-day events that Port Alberni hosts through spring and summer. Work includes everything from posting route signs to staffing refreshment stations, Collette says, noting event volunteering is a great way for groups to give back to their community or for students to earn required volunteer hours.
- The Paper Chase, Sunday, March 4 – Hosted by the Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce, this annual 15km run from the Cherry Creek Community Centre through the McLean Mill site welcomes some 500 participants, including many visitors. Lend a hand and join the fun!
- The Tri-Conic Challenge – Building on last year’s inaugural weekend-long Tri-Conic Challenge, this year the event is split over three Sundays, May 27, June 17 and July 8. Volunteer for one event or all three!
To learn more, call 250-724-6535, stop by at 2533 Port Alberni Hwy. or email bill@albernichamber.ca, jane@albernichamber.ca or rachael@albernichamber.ca.