Volunteers are essential to this event. For this reason, our volunteers receive excellent benefits. Click HERE to view the available volunteer shifts.
**Note: If you are consigning, first register as a consignor and then sign up for shifts.
Benefits:
Volunteers shop first. They shop before consignors, before the general public–heck, they shop before we do. (We’re usually busy working!!) This means first choice on one-of-a-kind items, fist choice on the lowest price items, first choice on the sizes they need for their children, and first crack at that item they’ve been looking for forever.
NEW! Volunteers shop first at the Half-Price Sale!! You will love this! We promise!
Volunteers have fun. Yes, we work hard. Sometimes very hard. But we also have a lot of fun and have built some great relationships along the way.
Volunteers make this event work. One thing that drew us to putting on an event like this is that everyone who participates benefits from the event in some way, and hopefully a big way. Yes, we hope to benefit as much as you, but we also see this as a service to the community. We love to have your help!
This may be surprising, but at some consignment sale events that have been established a bit longer than this one, there are waiting lists to volunteer. These volunteers understand the concept of the event and know what an advantage it is to shop first. Our event is growing, and our volunteers are seeing the advantages more each sale.
FAQ’s about volunteering:
Q. How many hours must I work to qualify as a volunteer?
A. Volunteers must commit to work a total of 4 hours to come to the pre-sale and the half-price pre-sale. Super Volunteers must work a total of 8 hours to qualify for the Super Volunteer pre-sale (the very first sale!).
Q. Do I have to work all of my hours before coming to the Volunteer or Super Volunteer pre-sale?
A. Nope! You just have to sign up to work at least 4 hours or 8 hours during the entire sale to qualify for the Volunteer or Super Volunteer pre-sale, respectively. We work on the honor system, and will just expect that if you signed up for 4 hours and came to the pre-sale that you will honor that commitment.
Q. Once I sign up for a shift, can I change it if my plans change?
A. Absolutely! Up until the night before the sale begins (October 4th) you can change around your shifts however you like online. After the 4th, please contact us by email or phone as the online registration will be disabled once the sale begins..
Q. Is there a limit to the number of items that I can purchase during the Volunteer or Super Volunteer pre-sales?
A. For every hour that a volunteer works, they can purchase 10 items. So if you commit to 4 hours, then you can purchase up to 40 items. Work more hours and you can buy even more.
Q. Can I bring my child?
A. No. Teens who are able to help alongside their parents are welcome. We know that most of you have younger children or infants, (so do we), but it is not safe or productive to have kids underfoot. We cannot take on this liability. Occasionally we may be able to schedule you for a shift as “security” (eyes and ears) where you could have an infant in a sling. Please let us know if this is the case and we will try to accommodate you, but please understand if we cannot.
Q. Are there alternative ways to volunteer than just work during the sale?
A. We do have opportunities to participate in the marketing side of PPK for your volunteer hours. These would include passing out flyers, hanging street signs, etc. Please contact us if you are interested.
Q. Can I bring a friend even if they are not going to shop?
A. Yes! In fact, you can bring your mom, your husband, your grandpa, or anyone else who would like to help and their hours will count for you or for a friend to shop with you.
Q. Can I bring my friend or my sister or my mom to the volunteer sale?
A. We love our volunteers and strictly protect their privileges. If you have someone with you who is not your spouse, they will be tempted to shop for their family or other children related to you (your mother may shop for your neices and nephews, etc). Unless they are a spouse, you may NOT bring a guest to the volunteer sale, even if they are not shopping. Invite your friends and family members to volunteer at the sale with you or trade babysitting so that you can each work a shift!
Q. I can’t volunteer because I don’t have childcare!
A.We realize this is an issue, and are relying on your ingenuity to solve it. Find a friend to babysit while volunteer, then watch her kids while she volunteers! Or, you could work two shifts while she watches your kids, and then donate some of your volunteer hours to her. Your friends and family will thank you later for sharing this great opportunity!
Q. Is it true that consignor registration fees are waived for volunteers?
A. The consignor registration fees are used for marketing the sale, and in the past we have waived these fees for volunteers in order to encourage more people to volunteer. But with the sale getting larger, these fees are needed more than ever to maximize sale attendance so consignors get top dollar for their items. So we are no longer able to waive consignor registration fees for volunteers.
