Volunteering

Overview

Interpreters are volunteers who interpret the history of specific heritage buildings in the Village. These positions could include interpreting in the Housebarn, Old Colony Church, Blumenhof Private School,  Barkfield Public School, or Semlin. These volunteers will be in costume to interact with visitors who come to the museum. We are a living history museum and interpretation and demonstration in various heritage buildings help to share that history with the public!

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to visitors
• Be in character as you interpret the history of the specific volunteer position you are in (specific training materials will be given in advance)
• Logging your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Interpretervolunteers are needed at almost all of MHV’s events and festivals. Check MHV’s Calendar of Events to see when you’ll be called on!
• School Field Trips: From September – June, we invite schools through our doors and all of these programs require interprets. The most busy months are May and June when we have schools daily.

Training & Support

Most of the Interpreter positions require training. This will include training sessions as well as being given material to read through.

Clothing & Equipment

All the Village Interpreter positions require costumes. If you need a costume, MHV’s costume room is available for you to look through.

Overview

Admission Attendants greet guests as they arrive at the museum. They take payment if it is not a free event, and they give them wristbands and any applicable brochures. There are admissions stations at the Front Entrance and Gate 4 off Highway 12. Admission Attendants are the first face that visitors encounter when they come to the museum, so it is important to give a good first impression!

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Greet guests and volunteers
• Take payment via cash and/or card reader
• Hand out the appropriate materials to guests and volunteers (wristbands, brochures, volunteer instruction sheets, water bottles, name tags)
• Logging your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: We require many admission attendants at most of MHV’s events and festivals! For Pioneer Days, for example, we need almost 40 admission attendants to help us out throughout the weekend. See MHV’s calendar of events to know which days we will require admission help.

Training & Support

Admission Attendant training is done on the day that you’ll come to volunteer! Prior to the day that you’re scheduled to volunteer, you’ll receive an information sheet that includes pricing for the day, what to hand out to visitors, and any other day-of reminders! If you’d like to come to the museum for a run-down before the day you’re scheduled to volunteer, we can absolutely make that work!

Clothing & Equipment

The Admission Attendant volunteer position does not require you to wear a costume, however you are more than welcome to if you’d like to!

Overview

Blacksmith Shop volunteers operate the Blacksmith Shop as it would have been back in the day. They work on different projects, show guests how the Blacksmith Shop is run, and offer the history of this specific Blacksmith Shop and shops like these in general. Training is required and will be given if interested!

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests and volunteers
• Get the forge up and running (if you are on the first shift of the day)
• Clean up the forge (if you are on the last shift of the day)
• Operate the forge as would have been back in the day
• Share the history of the blacksmith shop and the blacksmith trade
• Events & Festivals: Work on some sort of project during your time in the forge. Ideas include making a key chain, steak flipper, coat hooks, etc. Demonstrate the shoeing mechanism.
• School Field Trips: There are different types of school field trips that we accommodate: Interpretive and Hands-On.
  • For Interpretive school groups, please talk the students through the forge, mentioning points of interest of the building itself, and explain how a forge is run and what a Blacksmith Shop was used for.
  • For Hands-On school groups, please make horseshoe rings with the students. They pay extra for Hands-On so they can take these home.
• Pioneer Day Camps: During July and August, kids spend the week on the grounds, having a more intensive experience of the Mennonite story. Each day of their camp has a theme, and each week one of the day’s themes is Career Day. This day focuses on different careers in Mennonite communities and one of the careers is naturally, blacksmithing. For most of these groups, you will be making
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Blacksmith volunteers are needed at almost all of MHV’s events and festivals. Check MHV’s Calendar of Events to see when you’ll be called on!
• School Field Trips: During May and June, our grounds are bustling with school field trips and we try to have a volunteer in the Blacksmith Shop as much as possible.
• Pioneer Day Camps: During July and August.

Training & Support

Blacksmith training is a requirement before working in the blacksmith shop! You will attend a Blacksmith training session which is led by an experienced volunteer. You will then be paired with an experienced volunteer for your first few volunteer shifts in the blacksmith shop until you are ready to work in the shop alone! It is also recommended that you learn the history of the blacksmith shop on your own so that you are able to interpret when you are in the building.

Clothing & Equipment

Please wear a period costume during your time volunteering. This ensures that the Blacksmith Shop looks as much as it did in its operational days as possible! If you need a costume, MHV’s costume room is available for you to look through.

Overview

Wool Spinning volunteers use spinning wheels to spin yarn. They are set up in the Chortitz Housebarn and will share with guests the history of spinning as well as the Chortitz Housebarn. Spinning wheels and carded wool are provided if needed. Training is required and will be given if interested!

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests
• Show and interpret the process of spinning wool into yarn
• Understand the “life cycle” of wool beginning at the sheep and ending at a crocheted or knitted product
• Share ideas of homemaking and not having a grocery store to purchase items from
• Interpret the history of the Chortitz Housebarn
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Wool spinning volunteers are needed at almost all of MHV’s events and festivals. Check MHV’s Calendar of Events to see when you’ll be called on!
• School Field Trips: From September – June we have schools come for field trips. One of the stations we offer is Wool Spinning.

Training & Support

Wool spinning training is a requirement before doing it alone! You will attend a wool spinning training session which is led by an experienced volunteer. It is also recommended that you learn the history of the Chortitz Housebarn so that you are able to share that history with visitors when they come in.

Clothing & Equipment

Please wear a period costume during your time volunteering. If you need a costume, MHV’s costume room is available for you to look through.

Overview

Old Fashioned Laundry volunteers wash clothes and cloths using a metal bucket and washboard in the yard of the Chortitz Housebarn. When the clothes are washed, they hang them on a clothesline that is hung between the trees. There is an opportunity to use a mangle and clothes rack if desired. Supplies and instructions are provided.

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests
• Show the process of washing laundry by hand with a washboard and bucket
• Share the ideas of homemaking and not having a wash machine to do your laundry
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Old Fashioned Laundry volunteers are needed at almost all of MHV’s events and festivals. Check MHV’s Calendar of Events to see when you’ll be called on!
• School Field Trips: During May and June, our grounds are bustling with school field trips and one of the stations we offer is Old Fashioned Laundry.

Training & Support

Old Fashioned Laundry training is not a requirement. You will learn most of the skills when you come to volunteer for the first time. However, if you’d like to run through it before your volunteer shift, training will be provided!

Clothing & Equipment

Please wear a period costume during your time volunteering. If you need a costume, MHV’s costume room is available for you to look through.

Overview

Printery volunteers showcase what a turn of the century printery would have looked like. They work on different projects, show guests how the printing press is run, and offer the history of this specific printery and shops like these in general.

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests and volunteers
• Get the printing press up and running (if you are on the first shift of the day)
• Clean up the printing press and all other materials used (if you are on the last shift of the day)
• Operate the printing press as would have been back in the day
• Share the history of this printery
• Events & Festivals: Work on some sort of project during your time in the printery. Create pamphlets to hand out to visitors. One of the lead printers will have set up the type in advance.
• School Field Trips: There are different types of school field trips that we accommodate: Interpretive and Hands-On.
  • For Interpretive school groups, please talk the students through the printery, mentioning points of interest of the building itself, and explain how a printing press worked and what it was used for.
  • For Hands-On school groups, please print copies of the blank newspaper activity for the kids. They will then be able to colour these.
• Pioneer Day Camps: During July and August, kids spend the week on the grounds, having a more intensive experience of the Mennonite story. Each day of their camp has a theme, and each week one of the day’s themes is Career Day. This day focuses on different careers in Mennonite communities and one of the careers is naturally, printing. For some of the groups, you will be making a project with the students which will require some preparation. These details will be communicated at a later date.
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Printshop volunteers are needed at almost all of MHV’s events and festivals. Check MHV’s Calendar of Events to see when you’ll be called on!
• School Field Trips: During May and June, our grounds are bustling with school field trips and we try to have a volunteer in the Printery as much as possible.
• Pioneer Day Camps: During July and August.

Training & Support

Printshop training is a requirement before working in the printery! You will attend a Printery training session which is led by an experienced volunteer. You will then be paired with an experienced volunteer for your first few volunteer shifts in the printery shop until you are ready to work in the shop alone! It is also recommended that you learn the history of the printery on your own so that you are able to interpret when you are in the building.

Clothing & Equipment

Please wear a period costume during your time volunteering. This ensures that the Printery looks as much as it did in its operational days as possible! If you need a costume, MHV’s costume room is available for you to look through.

Overview

Butter Churning volunteers churn butter using an old-fashioned butter churn in the Waldheim House. Supplies and instructions will be provided. Training is required and will be given if interested!

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests
• Show the process of churning whipping cream into butter
• Get guests involved in the process
• Share the ideas of homemaking and not having a grocery store to purchase food items from
• Interpret information regarding the Waldheim House
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Butter churn volunteers are needed at almost all of MHV’s events and festivals. Check MHV’s Calendar of Events to see when you’ll be called on!
• School Field Trips: During May and June, our grounds are bustling with school field trips and one of the stations we offer is Butter Churning.

Training & Support

Butter churning training is a requirement before doing it alone! You will attend a butter churning training session which is led by an experienced volunteer. You will then be paired with an experienced volunteer for your first few times churning butter until you are ready to do it alone! It is also recommended that you learn the history of the Waldheim House so that you are able to share that history with visitors when they come in.

Clothing & Equipment

Please wear a period costume during your time volunteering. This ensures that the Waldheim House looks as much as it did in its operational days as possible! If you need a costume, MHV’s costume room is available for you to look through..

Overview

The Waffle Booth is open on event days such as Canada Day and Pioneer Days, as well as the Waffle Booth at Summer in the City. The Waffle Booth serves MHV’s famous heritage waffles and white sauce.

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests and volunteers
• Participate in the waffle booth in your assigned role
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Waffle Booth volunteers are needed many of MHV’s events and festivals. See MHV’s calendar of events to know when you’ll be called on! 

Training & Support

Waffle Booth training can be set up prior to the day that you come to volunteer. This training will include understanding the layout of the Waffle Booth and the particulars of your position. However, lots of training will be day-of as the food machines will only be operational on the day of the event.

Clothing & Equipment

Waffle Booth volunteers are not required to wear a period costume. Please make sure that you wear closed toe shoes and that your hair is tied back.

Overview

The Short Order Booth is open on event days such as Canada Day and Pioneer Days. The Short Order Booth serves burgers, hot dogs, fries, chips, drinks, and ice cream treats.

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests and volunteers
• Frying Burgers and Hot Dogs: The burger and hot dog fryer operates the grill and cooks the burgers and fries. Please speak to Geri if you have questions about how to operate the grill, what temperature to cook the burgers, etc.
• Frying Fries: The French fry fryer operates the deep fryer to cook the fries. The volunteer will then scoop the fries into fry dishes and lightly sprinkle with salt. Please speak to Geri if you have questions about how to operate the fryer.
• Wrapping Burgers: The burger wrapper takes the fried burgers and hot dogs, places them in a corresponding bun and wraps them in tin foil to keep warm. They are then placed in the warmers until customers come to purchase.
• Cashier: The cashier’s job is to take the customer’s order at the order window. Use the Short Order Booth order tickets to fill out the customer’s name and order. Add up the total using the calculators provided. Please ensure that you are adding correctly. Customers can either pay with cash or by card. Please make sure that you are charging correctly and receiving the correct change! This makes our accountants’ life much easier! It is also your job to communicate with the floater what food they need to get for the customer.
  • If a staff member comes to order, write their name on the order ticket, and write staff beside their name. Get them to sign the BACK of the ticket and place it in the box. This charges the meal to their account, and they do not need to pay for it.
  • If a volunteer comes with a $10 meal coupon, staple the meal coupon to the back of their order ticket. If they order a $6 meal, they do not get change back. If they order a $15 meal, they pay the difference.
• Floater: The floater gathers the food that the customer has ordered and brings it to the Pick Up Window. They then call out the customers name for them to pick it up.
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Short Order Booth volunteers are needed at almost all of MHV’s events and festivals. See MHV’s calendar of events to know when you’ll be called on! 

Training & Support

Short Order Booth training can be set up prior to the day that you come to volunteer. This training will include understanding the layout of the Short Order Booth and the particulars of your position. However, lots of training will be day-of as the food machines will only be operational on the day of the event.

Clothing & Equipment

Short Order Booth volunteers are not required to wear a period costume. Please make sure that you wear closed toe shoes and that your hair is tied back.

Overview

Ticket Booth volunteers sell tickets for barrel train, wagon, and buggy rides, sell water, sell Corn on the Cob during Fall on the Farm, help guests sign up for guided tours, and offer general information regarding the event day. You will be provided with a cash box, calculator, and relevant information sheets so that you can answer questions that people have when they come to the booth! The booth is located under the Steamer Shelter.

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests and volunteers
• Sell tickets for barrel train and wagon and buggy rides and water via cash
• Help sign guests up for guided tours
• Give information to guests regarding the activities happening on the event day
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Ticket Booth volunteers are needed at almost all of MHV’s events and festivals. See MHV’s calendar of events to know when you’ll be called on! 

Training & Support

Ticket Booth training is done on the day that you’ll come to volunteer! On the day that you’re scheduled to volunteer, you’ll receive an information sheet that includes relevant information and day-of reminders!

Clothing & Equipment

Ticket Booth volunteers are not required to wear a period costume.

Overview

Shuttle Drivers drive our golf carts around on event days and offer rides to staff and guests. Lots of seniors appreciate a drive to and from where they parked so it is important to be going around the parking areas frequently.

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests and volunteers
• Pick up visitors and bring them to the location they want to get to. Pick-up areas are usually the Gate 4 parking lot, by the pathway coming out of the Village Centre, and the Steamer Shelter. On some event days, there are special events happening at various spots on the grounds that visitors might want rides to.
• Give information to guests regarding the activities happening on the event day
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Shuttle Drivers are needed at almost all of MHV’s events and festivals. See MHV’s calendar of events to know when you’ll be called on! 

Training & Support

Shuttle Driver training is done on the day that you’ll come to volunteer! Prior to the day that you’re scheduled to volunteer, you’ll receive an information sheet that includes relevant information and day-of reminders!

Clothing & Equipment

Shuttle Driver volunteers are not required to wear a period costume; however, it would add a nice historical touch.

Overview

Parking Attendants help our guests park properly in our parking lots and grassed parking areas on event days. They ensure that all cars are parked in such a way that everyone can get in and out. Parking maps, high vis vests, and parking batons are provided.

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests and volunteers
• Direct vehicles to open parking spots
• Ensure that all vehicles are parked in such a way that everyone can get in and out
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: Parking Attendants are needed at almost all of MHV’s events and festivals. See MHV’s calendar of events to know when you’ll be called on! 

Training & Support

Parking Attendant training is done on the day that you’ll come to volunteer! Prior to the day that you’re scheduled to volunteer, you’ll receive an information sheet that includes relevant information and day-of reminders! You will need to understand the vehicle parking layout so it might be wise to come to the museum for a run-down before the day you’re scheduled to volunteer!

Clothing & Equipment

Parking Attendant volunteers are not required to wear a period costume. We will provide you with a high-vis vest as well as a parking baton. These will be at your admission station: either the Front Reception Desk or the Gate 4 Admission Booth.

Overview

Barrel Train Drivers drive the Barrel Train for kids during event days. The route usually goes down Main Street, does a few circles, back up Main Street, around the Windmill, and back to the parking spot. You must watch out for the Wagon and Buggy Rides on event days. The starting spot is on Main Street in front of the Waldheim House. Drivers take the tickets from the kids as they hop onto the train.

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Be friendly and welcoming to guests and volunteers
• Drive the barrel train up and down Main Street, making loops as you go, and keeping clear of all Wagon and Buggy rides
• Take tickets from barrel train riders
• Log your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• Events & Festivals: The barrel train is operational at most of MHV’s events and festivals! See MHV’s calendar of events to know which days we will require barrel train drivers.
• Pioneer Day Camp: During Pioneer Day Camp (July & August), the students will receive barrel train rides. This position requires summer daytime availability.
• Private Events: For some private events, companies want to offer barrel train rides for their people.

Training & Support

Barrel Train Driving training is done on the day that you’ll come to volunteer! Prior to the day that you’re scheduled to volunteer, you’ll receive an information sheet that includes relevant information and day-of reminders! If you’d like to come to the museum for a run-down before the day you’re scheduled to volunteer, we can absolutely make that work!

Clothing & Equipment

Barrel Train Driving volunteers are not required to wear a period costume; however it adds a nice historical touch if you do!

Overview

Daytime Education Program Volunteers are volunteers who have daytime availability to volunteer in a variety of positions which are used for our Education Program. These positions could include interpreting in the Semlin, Housebarn, Old Colony Church, Blumenhof Private School, Barkfield Public School, Blacksmith Shop, Printery, or Windmill.

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation
• Engage school-aged children in the material you are presenting
• Be flexible as you will be working with a variety of different ages of children
• Logging your volunteer hours

Opportunities

• During May & June, we have school field trips almost every day. We are also expanding our school program to offer Fall & Winter programming which span from October until April. Most volunteer shifts are from 10 am-12 pm

Training & Support

Most of the volunteer positions used for the Education Program require training. This will include training sessions as well as being given material to read through.

Overview

Daytime Village Interpreters are volunteers who have daytime availability to volunteer in a variety of positions. These positions could include interpreting in the Housebarn, Old Colony Church, Blumenhof Private School, Barkfield Public School, Blacksmith Shop, Printery, or Windmill. These volunteers will be in costume on the grounds during the week to interact with visitors who come to the museum. We are a living history museum and interpretation and demonstration in various heritage buildings help to share that history with the public!

Responsibilities

• Attend Volunteer Orientation.
• Be friendly and welcoming to visitors.
• Be in character as you interpret the history of the specific volunteer position you are in.
• Logging your volunteer hours on a Volunteer Hours Log.

Opportunities

• We aim to have volunteers in 2-5 buildings from Monday-Friday 10am-4pm. Individual shifts will be either 10 am-1 pm or 1-4 pm. There is much flexibility for this though and we are willing to work with your schedule!

Training & Support

Most of the Daytime Village Interpreter positions require training. This will include training sessions as well as being given material to read through.

Clothing & Equipment

All the Village Interpreter positions require costumes. If you need a costume, MHV’s costume room is available for you to look through.