It’s just a few weeks away! The Rose Festival is a big deal. It’s the Portland community’s biggest city wide celebration that’s been going on for over 100 years. Everyone around here knows about the Rose Festival. And when you say that you have Volunteered for the Rose Festival you are given true-blue Portlander brownie points galore. Heck, I’d put it on my resume.

There are quite a few volunteer opportunities for a variety of Rose Festival events. Most of them are just a few hours of time and a lot of fun. Some of these will allow you meet interesting folks in the community, others will help protect the environment, and others are just to help make the event better for everyone. These would be great for groups or as a family activity. Or perhaps it’s just you, doing your part.

I just checked their website: http://www.rosefestival.org/support/volunteer.shtml and here’s a few opportunities available.

Portland General Electric/SOLV Starlight Parade -- Saturday, June 4, 2011

Parade route clean-up -- Walk along parade route after the parade collecting the trash bags provided by SOLV. Requirements: Must be able to walk the entire 2.25 mile route, suitable for all ages. (Volunteers under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.)

Fred Meyer Junior Parade -- Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Judging -- Review entries in the formation area for determining parade awards. Requirements: Adults over 18 years old only.

Parade Guide -- Provide directional information in parade formation area, assist in guiding parade participants through formation onto the parade route. Requirements: Adults over 18 years old only.

Regence Grand Floral Walk -- Saturday, June 11, 2011

Registration -- Help set-up registration area, process on-site participant registrations, disperse bib numbers and participant t-shirts, and provide general information to participants. Requirements: Adults over 18 years old only.

Course Marshals/Finish Greeters -- provide directional information to walk participants to keep participants moving along the parade route. Also direct participants at the end of the walk to the parade seating area. Requirements: Adults over age 18 preferred, (volunteers under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian), must have a valid drivers license and be prepared to drive to a specific course location.

Grand Floral Parade -- Saturday, June 11, 2011

My Favorite! Float Decorating -- Help apply the all-natural materials covering all surfaces of the Grand Floral Parade floats at the warehouse of our official float builder, SCI 3.2, Inc. Volunteers are needed prior to the parade, June 1-10, 2011. Requirements: Adults over 14 years old only, all volunteer decorators must complete a separate SCI 3.2 volunteer application. (You can find the form at SCI32.Com.)

Parade route clean-up -- Walk along parade route prior to and after the parade distributing and collecting the trash bags provided by SOLV. Requirements: must be able to walk the entire 4.2-mile route, suitable for all ages. (Volunteers under age 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.)

If you’re interested go the web page and submit your info. I know they would appreciate all the extra hands they can get. 

Hey, Thanks for caring!

Julie