Seeking New Volunteers
Scott Beardsley
Hello prospective Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen Volunteers! You are getting this email because you have asked to be on our volunteer email list. To unsubscribe see the bottom of this message.
In case you haven't been down to the shop recently we are busy, busy, busy. We are getting as many as 30 patrons per shift these days. As you can imagine it gets kind of hectic having so many people in and out of the shop. We have a small group around 15 dedicated aka "core" volunteers that have each committed to a shift, or the equivalent, each week. We have another group of "staff" volunteers that aren't too interested in the organizational aspects but want to regularly lend a hand. We also have "casual" volunteers that come in every now and again to work on breaking down bikes, cleaning up, or organizing parts. Our hope is that we can get a nice rotation of the shop operations among many people. Although we welcome dedicated volunteers with open arms, we often need more casual volunteers to fill in the gaps. These folks fill in when we might be short-handed for a shift. They also end up learning a ton about bike culture, maintenance, and other volunteers. :)
What kind of volunteers are we looking for? As far as the shop operations go, we have three types of positions: Clerk, Mechanic, and Shift Manager.
- Clerk: The clerk is responsible for greeting new patrons, introducing them to the shop, explaining the rules and about our organization, signing people into the computer, and accepting money. This position typically needs zero bike wrenching knowledge.
- Mechanic: The mechanics (we try to have a few for each shift) are the talent. They help us fix our bikes. They might be asked for price checks from the clerk or Manager. They help keep the shop tidy and make sure the tools are used properly. Mechanics typically need quite a bit of bike maintenance knowledge but even if you just know the basics you can be helpful.
- Shift Manager: The shift manager is responsible for opening and closing the shop, maintaining order and respect, also filling in where needed. Typically these folks are "core" volunteers and have committed to a shift per week. The shift manager needs to be able to teach a basic maintenance course.
For all of these positions we encourage anyone that is interested to just show up during our regular hours and tell the Shift Manager that you'd like to volunteer for the shift. If you dont like it, you don't have to come back. If you do like it, just drop in again. If you absolutely love it you can commit to a regular shift.
Besides the positions listed above, there are many other positions that we need filled. Here are a few other key areas that we need help with right now.
- Rosie's Personal Assistant: Rose is our current financial guru and she is looking for a helper. This person would help Rose with some of the non-profit compliance and financials of the SBK. If you only knew how much Rose has done for us would you understand why she needs an assistant. If you would like to try-out for this position just send Rose an email. Beware: there is an obstacle course involved.
- SBK Videographer/Photographer: Although we've been getting all kinds of press lately, we'd like to do something a bit more in-depth about what is happening at the shop. We are looking for someone that can take and edit decent video and photos during our events, rides, classes, and regular shop hours. We'd like to do short how-to videos also. You need you have your own equipment and editing system. Also, a way to digitize the results. We use flickr and if you have a pro account that would be perfect. Send Scott an email if you can help.
What perks do volunteers get? As if respect and admiration from your peers isn't enough you get complimentary food and drinks during your shifts!* I also hear you get free bowling.+
* Subject to the generosity of grateful patrons (Oranges!) and local businesses (Thanks Pieces).
+ Capitol Bowl 4 evah
Happy Bike Month,
Scott
SBK Web Guy