Never too many
Dedicated volunteers man the Deep Roots Music Festival
when I was plunged into billeting performers the day before they arrived as we had just discovered that the designated hosts had a cat and one of the crew was very allergic.”
“On one day’s notice, I agreed to host this crew. Then I learned one was vegan - so I quickly emailed folks who were knowledgeable about breakfast for vegans – not a huge problem as it turned out.”
“One of this crew was also blind. So we walked around the house in order for him to know how to navigate. He also turned out to be one of the most inspirational individuals I have ever met, blind, diabetic, and mastering a job as publicist for one of the performers. He was a Maritimer and made sure he had a swim in the ocean before he left Nova Scotia – in late September.”
Amongst the volunteer group, Cayford says, there have been a “few times when somebody just ‘loses it’, and believe me there have been times when one could have.”
“We once had a kitchen coordinator announce she wasn’t coming back after Saturday and we had 50 folks to feed brunch to between Sunday morning and afternoon shows.”
Two of the leading volunteers jumped in, she said, and everyone who needed to be fed had a good meal before starting on their afternoon shows.
“It never goes seamlessly, but we manage to deliver; hope- fully our patrons don’t see the cracks.”
The week before the festival is always tense, Cayford allows, as “unexpected requests, technical mishaps, and unfilled volunteer positions challenge us. Not all volunteer jobs are glamorous – kitchen duty, clean up duty, loading heavy sound equipment in and out of venues, and raffle ticket sales are some of the positions we are challenged to fill.”
“So, that’s why I do it,” Cayford said. “We have fun, we share memories of past festivals, and do our best to present a great new one each year.”
When asked why she volunteers, site manager Terry Taylor grins and says, “there can never be too much music in the world.”
She says she loves “going to music festivals and this is the one I get to help.”
Public relations co- ordinator Stephen Peters aims first to contribute to the community and secondly, with a business degree, he likes exploring aspects of getting word of the festival out.
Photographers Mark Davidson and Wayne Walker clearly enjoy what they do.
Davidson says, “I like (photographing) the people on stage and the others in the audience.”
Box office volunteer Jen Bolt said she loves the music and being able to help the community, along with her two children.