DCC 2013 Volunteer’s Update

To everyone who volunteered in 2012…THANK YOU and welcome back!!!! To everyone interested in coming on board in 2013…THANK YOU and welcome!!!!

As you all know by now, DCC 2012 was an overwhelming success! I remembered when we were crossing our fingers and rubbing rabbits feet hoping to have 5000 people show up. I guess it worked because, in the end,  the inaugural Denver Comic Con had 27,700 attendees. What was the biggest lesson I learned? We’re going to need more volunteers this year as we anticipate having approximately 45,000 attendees in 2013. So thank you for thinking about volunteering in 2013.

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO?

First and foremost, is why Denver Comic Con was started. It is the main fundraiser for Comic Book Classroom. Comic Book Classroom is a nonprofit, free, after-school program for fifth through eighth grade students that teaches literacy and arts education through comic books. Comic Book Classroom uses a state standards-based curriculum and is dedicated to educating at-risk and under-served students through teaching the basics of the craft, starting with the elements of structure and storytelling. When you volunteer at Denver Comic Con, you directly help us reach more students than ever before.

WHAT’S NEW?

First up, we have a great new website. You can find it at http://www.denvercomiccon.com/2013/comic-con/volunteer/. It has answers to frequently asked questions, info on available staff positions, and other volunteer opportunities in addition to the volunteering at the Con. This is also where you’ll find the Volunteer Application for 2013. We will be launching it tomorrow, Wednesday, January 2, 2013. The application will stay open until April 1, 2013. Then we have to get to the business of making assignments for everyone.

I hope to double, if not triple, the number of volunteers we had last year. That means bringing on 300 people. Some of the areas we will need help in are:

Registration
Crowd Control
Programming
Vendor Services
Artist Alley Services
Merchandise Booth
Information Booth
Media Guest Services
Gaming
Cosplay

DID YOU VOLUNTEER IN 2012?

If you volunteered last year and want to get more involved this year, we have a new category of volunteer called Crew. Crew members will work intensively behind the scenes from Thursday through Sunday. If you’re interested be sure to mark the proper boxes on the volunteer application. Even if you volunteered last year, you still need to fill out an application this year because it includes legal waivers.

STREET TEAM and GAME MASTERS

If you are interested in volunteering for Street Team, please contact our marketing department at streetteam@denvercomiccon.com. Street Team-ers canvas a given area with flyers to raise awareness of the upcoming Con. They will be able to get you on the right track.

The Gaming department will need volunteers who will help with tasks like crowd control. This is different from offering your experience as a game master. It was a little confused last year so to make it less so, people interested in being a game master should contact gaming@denvercomiccon.com. DON’T fill out a volunteer application.

OUT OF AREA VOLUNTEERS

With orientation and training meetings, volunteering with Denver Comic Con requires a significant time commitment before the Con opens its doors. Please be sure you can honor that commitment before you agree to volunteer. For this reason, we ask that you live in the Front Range area. If you live outside of the Front Range area but want to volunteer, you might want to consider joining the Street Team and advertise DCC in your area.

Thanks again for considering to volunteer for DCC 2013. As always, if you have questions that can’t be answered by the FAQs on the website, you can email me at volunteering@denvercomiccon.com.

Sincerely,
Beth Kovacs
Director of Volunteer Services