Volunteers

Volunteers are vitally important to the success of the Cambridge Tour de Grand Bicycle Ride. Below is a description of the volunteer opportunities which may be of interest to you, your family or your friends. All event volunteers receive a volunteer event T-shirt, refreshments and lunch and our sincere appreciation. High School students will receive credits for their volunteer hours high school requirement. Volunteers under the age of 18 require written authorization to participate from a parent or legal guardian.

Registration Volunteers
Under the guidance of our Registration coordinator you will greet the pre registered riders at the registration desk or process the applications of new riders, ensure waivers are signed, fees paid, hand out route maps and provide information to riders on the next steps before their ride. Registration volunteers are needed for shifts starting at 7:00 a.m. on ride day and continuing to the last ride at 10:30 a.m. You can stay for the whole time or pick a shift that suits you.

T-Shirt Distribution Volunteers
Under the guidance of our T-Shirt coordinator, you will greet riders after registration and provide them with event T-shirts. T-shirts are distributed from first registration at 7:30 a.m. to the last ride at 10:30 a.m. You can help out for the full time or pick a shift that works for you.

Food Preparation Volunteers
Food fuels the riders and it has to be ready when they arrive at Event Headquarters at Duncan McIntosh Arena and at the three rest stops on the routes. Cutting, slicing, preparing and replenishing are some of the duties of the food preparation volunteers. The over 2,200 riders eat a lot of food both before and after their rides. Volunteers will be cutting fruit and other items and then be involved in setting out the sandwich fixings for lunch. These jobs go on for the entire day starting at 7:00 a.m. and continuing until the last rider has returned from their ride and been fed around 4:00 p.m. This is a job that requires a lot of volunteers working a number of shifts.

Rest Stop Volunteers
The nine routes that make up the Tour de Grand share three rest stops out in the country surrounding Cambridge. Volunteers will work at one rest stop for their shift where they will be in charge of ensuring food and water is set out for the riders and kept replenished. Some food preparation such as cutting fruit and other items may be necessary. A long day means that numerous volunteers are needed to look after the shifts.

Rest Stop Shuttle Volunteers
To ensure that the Rest Stop Volunteers are delivered and returned from the rest stops and that food and water are kept in good supply, we require persons with vehicles to ferry back and forth from the event headquarters at Duncan McIntosh Arena to one of the rest stops during the day in a series of shifts.

Traffic Marshal Volunteers
One of the most important jobs is that of a traffic marshal whose job is to ensure the safety of the riders. Although police officers handle the busiest intersections and crossings, we require a large number of traffic marshals to assist riders at less busy intersections and crossings. Traffic marshals will also be at most turning points on the routes to ensure that no rider gets lost. This is a job that will include advance training and safety vests will be provided. Any teenager will work with an adult. Traffic Marshals do not direct motorist traffic.

Greeter Volunteers
At the end of the ride, your job will be to welcome back the riders and direct them to the Arena where lunch will be available. Riders will be returning from approximately noon to 4 p.m.

Emergency Responder Volunteers
In serious emergency situations, St. John Ambulance, REACT, the Police and the Ambulance Services will respond. For less serious situations the Emergency Responder Volunteer will be asked to go out on a route to bring back to Event Headquarters, a rider who cannot complete the ride for health or bike mechanical reasons. This is a position that will continue during the event and a series of volunteers working a series of shifts is required. You will be required to use your personal vehicle which should have room for 2 riders and 2 bicycles.

Route Sign Volunteers
All the signs that the riders follow are placed on the routes by volunteers. This job is done the week before and on the Saturday before the event and checked early on Sunday morning, event day. You would work with an experienced route committee volunteer in the placement and retrieval of the signs.

Set Up Volunteers
On Saturday at 11:00am, volunteers gather at event headquarters to set up the tables and chairs and signs for the event. The job is usually completed in two hours assisted by a large group of volunteers.

Signage Volunteers
On the days before the event, signs directing riders to event headquarters are put out around Cambridge to assist riders driving to the event. A small group of volunteers is required.

Parking Volunteers
Getting all those vehicles parked takes a band of volunteers working from 7:00 am until 11:00 am. You will work under the guidance of our Parking Co-ordinator.

Committee Volunteers
The Cambridge Tour de Grand Organizing Committee starts its work in January of each year. The Committee meets monthly to do all the planning of a large number of details that are required to run the event. If you would like to become a member of the Organizing Committee, let us know.

Volunteer Training
All volunteers will be required to participate in Volunteer Training, details of which will be provided to each volunteer by the Volunteer Coordinator.

Volunteer Forms
All volunteers are requested to complete the attached Volunteer Application and Volunteer Agreement/Release and Waiver forms and follow the instructions on the forms.
Volunteer Application Form        Volunteer Agreement/Release and Waiver Form