Volunteers

Volunteers are the core of Egil’s. They make the event epic and enjoyable for everyone on site! And there is a volunteer position for you!

Specifically, the Egil’s Tourney Steering Committee is looking for a few good volunteers for some lead positions. You can get additional help from other volunteers, but we need organizers. Are any of these something you would like to do with us?? If so, please email [email protected]  with Volunteer in the subject line.

Charging Station for Medical Devices

The job is to have a generator that can be run to charge C-PAP machines, wheelchair batteries, etc. (not phones). 

1. Most easily done by someone who is camping in an RV. Doing this job would guarantee you a parking/camping place near Gate. 
2. You can set the hours during which you are willing to charge devices. People needing this service would make an appointment with you for charging during those times.  Most people will need this service on Sunday (or every other day if they are staying for the extended event)
3. In recent years we’ve only had at most 5 people request this service.

Volunteer Snacks & Water

The job is to distribute and restock the large water coolers and the snack baskets at A&S, Lists, Herald Point, Archery/Thrown Weapons, Parking, and Gate. You can get other volunteers to help with this.

1. Arrange with the Steering Committee to either purchase the snacks yourself (the cost can be reimbursed by the event) or have the Committee supply them.
2. The best practice for water was to position the water jugs at A&S, Archery/Thrown Weapons, Lists, Herald Point, Parking, and Gate.  These should be checked 3-4 times a day, with more frequent checks at Lists and Herald Point

The best snacks are a mix of sweet and salty single portion prepackaged items, things like nuts, trail mix, granola bars, goldfish crackers.  There was limited interest in small oranges, so we removed them from 2025. We placed filled bowls of snacks at each location and checked/refilled them when water was checked.  There was more interest at Gate, A&S, and Lists.  There is at least 1 extra water jug, so it can be used to swap out the empty or low ones when checking them.  Gate usually needs refilled only once, but the weather wasn’t too warm the last 2 years.  Weather definitely affects usage. 

Newcomers’ Camp

For several years now we have had a designated camping area for newcomers that gives them a place where they can meet other people and have experienced SCA members to answer their questions. We are looking for people who would be interested in hosting or helping out with such an encampment. What it involves:

• Camping in the newcomer camp area
• Being available to people early in the day to help them 
  • Find the activities that interest them
  • Understand SCA culture
  • Meet SCA members with similar interests

Trash Collection

The job is to distribute trash cans, empty the trash and put new bags in the cans.  Full trash bags should be taken to the dumpster.  Collect trash cans after the event and get them back to the Baronial trailer As the lead for this job you could monitor trash levels yourself, or recruit helpers.

Trash Can availability: 

 Hrodnavar and Yseult have been able to provide enough trash cans to get the job done; there are also a few trash cans in the Baronial storage unit.  You’ll want to use them strategically at the busiest locations.  

Trash Can Placement:  

You’ll have a limited number of trash cans to spread around.  There are larger (32 gallon) cans and smaller ones.   The smaller trash cans work well for recycling (if you’re doing that).

Prioritize the larger cans to the following spots:

1. Next to the 4 handwash stations (which will be next to Handicapped access biffies)
2. Next to the larger groups of biffies (3-4 units that don’t have a handwash station)
3. On the eric near the Marshall/Herald/List operation.
4. Gate
5. Next to the picnic table in the A&S area

Trash can monitoring:

Trash cans should be checked twice daily , morning and early evening.  No need to pull a bag that only has a little bit in it (kids sent out to “collect trash” will happily pull out a bag that has one item in it if they are being rewarded by the piece.)

You can pull a full bag, close it up, and leave it in an out-of-the-way spot if necessary.  A wagon or cart is handy for taking them to the dumpster.

Notes:

• There are biffy locations that have only one or two units.  For these it has been sufficient to tape a trash bag onto the biffy;  these spots don’t collect a lot.
• Archery/TW group typically provide their own trash can.  Check with them before the event.

Recyclable Bottle Collection

The job is to manage the collection of redeemable bottles and cans from collection points around the event.  As people are leaving the event on Monday, many will leave bags of recyclables on the ground by the dumpster. Collect those too.  During tear-down, collect all the accumulated recyclables and take them home (a pickup truck and/or trailer would be very useful here.).  They will need sorting (see below), packaging into “Bottle Drop” green bags and depositing bags at a Bottle Drop location.

Advertising:

• It is VERY important to tell everyone that we are collecting recyclables.  The first year we did a moderate amount of advertising and collected $230 in recycling, the third year, with no advertising, we collected $72.  Posters at gate, flyers on biffies, and recycling collection cans near the biffies get the word out.

Recycle collection cans:

• Smaller trash cans or 5-gallon buckets work well if they are CLEARLY LABELED for recycling.  Place bags in the cans and locate cans near the major trash collection points (larger groups of biffies, Gate, and by the eric (mostly water bottles).  These can be checked by the routine trash patrol, but they rarely overfill.

Stuff left by the dumpster:

• Many people will do this on their way out of the park.  It is recommended to keep an eye on these bags and remove them to another location as they accumulate.  Some people see trash bags sitting on the ground and will just leave their trash there too.

Sorting:

• You will need to pull out “recyclables” that are not collected by Bottle Drop (plastic milk jugs, wine/liquor bottles, etc) and any random trash.  This stuff can be recycled through your normal recycling process.  In three years of doing this it has been gratifying to see that very little “trash” ends up in the recyclables.  There’s some, but limited amounts

Take to Bottle Drop:

• In past years we’ve used a private Bottle Drop account.   1) make sure it has a near-zero balance  2) Place the owner’s ID stickers on the green bags so they will be credited to that account.  3) the green bags do cost a little bit (~$2 per 10 bags).  Once you have a balance in the account you can use that to buy enough bags to cover the project or replace any bags from the account owner.  4) once all recyclables are deposited, pull up the account and take a photo/screen shot of the final balance.  If you want to cash out the entire balance you can do that and give the proceeds directly to the Barony.  Or you can use the “Plus” option that gives an extra 20% for vouchers that are used in the supermarket.  We have, in the past, documented the account total Plus 20% (Bottle Drop can give you this number) and written a personal check to the Barony for this amount.  Then we just use the Plus option to create vouchers to use for our personal grocery purchases

• When you initially place the trash can, it is recommended to put 2 or 3 empty bags in the bottom of the can, then place an empty bag to collect trash.  That way, when someone pulls out a full bag they will have replacement bags right there.

Other positions you might volunteer at include:

• Archery: Marshaling, Score Keeping, Sign in
• Thrown Weapons: Marshaling or Score Keeping
• Heralding: Field or Town Criers – Announcing events to the site at large
• Gate: money handlers, information crew, and assistants
• Parking – Directing traffic to ensure smooth access for arrivals and departures
• Supply Caravan: supply water and snacks to volunteers
• “Flying Squad”: available to help as needed
• Heavy Fighting: Marshals and Lists assistance
• Arts and Sciences: teach or direct people to class locations. The sign-up form to teach, geek, or demo is available under the Arts & Sciences tab elsewhere on this website.
• Gold Key: assist newcomers with borrowing garb