Amani is completely organized and conducted by volunteers.  Work begins in pre-dawn Saturday morning when we erect tents and stages for the day’s events.  Volunteers also staff our information tent and assist as needed throughout the day helping on various events.  When the festival closes, volunteers are needed to disassemble tents, collect trash, and return the festival site to a main thoroughfare in downtown Carlisle.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE AMANI FESTIVAL

A Committee of dedicated individuals works all year long to plan and execute the Amani Festival in Carlisle.  On the actual day of the event, May 1st this year, volunteers are essential to translate those plans from paper to the streets of Carlisle.  We need community help to make this community event a reality and we invite you to see where you might pitch in to help bring that about.  These are the volunteer needs of the Amani Festival.  If you will help us out, please call Kay Baldwin at 258-4184 or email her at yfork@pa.net to ask for further information and/or let her know you're ready to help. 

 

SITE PREPARATION

Converting downtown Carlisle into a Festival site is a large, but enjoyable task. High Street from Hanover to West Street is the main attraction, with activities also to be found on the first half blocks of North and South Pitt Street.  At the Hanover end of High is the Main Stage, and that it no longer a major problem to construct as it will arrive largely assembled.  It will require volunteer attention but much less than in the past.   There are also tables and chairs to be set up and a lot of camaraderie to be enjoyed as we work together to create a Festival environment.  Specifically, the need for male and female power to prepare the site in the morning and disassemble it in the afternoon is as follows.  In all cases, volunteers will  be working with experienced Festival staff. 

4:30 a.m. - 5 volunteers to work with staff helping set up tents and tables and chairs.

7:00 a.m. - 3 volunteers to assist on Main Stage roof work.

9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - 2 volunteers   (2 - 2 1/2 hour stints) to assist as stage hands.

2:00 p.m. - 3 volunteers to begin taking down specific tents and 2 for seating and table take down.

3:00 p.m. - 3 additional volunteers to work with staff on taking down remaining tents, chairs and tables.

4:00 p.m. - 2 volunteers to help take down Main Stage roof 

For the dawn brigade it would be wonderful if a group of kindly people would come to the site armed with coffee and donuts and/or home made goodies to fortify our hard working volunteers. 

KEEPING THE HOUSE CLEAN

With exciting vendor booths lining the streets, strolling musicians wandering hither and yon, colorful Amani Tee Shirts seen everywhere, bits of music wafting in from outlying venues, Festival goers sometimes arrayed in fanciful costumes to fit the celebratory mood, the Amani Festival is a joy to the senses!  Keeping the site free of clutter adds immeasurably to the perfect atmosphere of the day.  That is best accomplished a group of individuals dedicated to regularly emptying into the large dumpster trash cans placed throughout the site.  This is a great project for a club or organization which can divide its membership into shifts to take care of the morning, afternoon, or all day trash control which is essential to the excellent ambiance of the Festival.

PROCESSION

The annual procession used to open the Festival but so that more people may enjoy it, we have moved it up to lunch hour around noon.  Two or three volunteers are needed around 11:30 a.m. to help organize the participants in the Procession.

GOPHERS

There are always messages to be run and communications to be conveyed so having a gopher or two on board is very helpful.  Volunteers can sign up for a specific hour or shift and enjoy the Festival while working and running!  

We look forward to hearing from you with an offer to volunteer and whether or not you feel able to do that, we look forward to seeing you at the Festival on May 1st.  AMANI IS BACK!  COME BACK WITH US!

We would appreciate your assistance in whatever way you can help out, for whatever amount of time you can donate to make Amani 2010 a success.  Click here to send an email or call 717-258-4184 to become an Amani volunteer.