Volunteers are the lifeblood of any community run event and more than 125 enthusiastic people joined forces to work at the 2023 Festival of Sails.
The volunteers contributed more than 4000 hours of unpaid work to help the event run smoothly from international race officials to local mums and dads prepared to make sandwiches.
Volunteers from their late teens to their eighties put their hands up to take on a wide range of jobs and responsibilities across the four days of the Geelong regatta.
Festival chairman Paul Buchholz said the volunteers played a critical role in the delivery of a successful event and he was incredibly grateful for their contribution, particularly in this milestone year.
“Quite simply, we couldn’t do it without them,” he said.
“You can’t help but be impressed that so many people are prepared to donate their time to our event, which shines a real spotlight on Geelong and our beautiful waterfront.
“For some, like our race officials, it’s an opportunity to develop and broaden their skill sets, for others it’s a chance to catch up with old mates and have some fun. Either way, we’re always incredibly grateful that they’re here and the contribution that they make.”
Volunteer coordinator Daniella d’Amore said she loved working with the broad and diverse range of volunteers.
“They’re such a terrific bunch of people and despite the challenges of wrangling so many people, it’s incredibly rewarding,” she said.
For race officer Ross Wilson, from Black Rock, the 2023 event marked his 25th year at Festival of Sails.
“My parents always volunteered, and it was just something that seemed to be an important way to give back,” he said.
“For me, coming to this regatta every year is like reconnecting with family and catching up with old mates.
“It is a beautiful part of the world here at Geelong and I’ll be happy to keep volunteering for as long as I can.”
