From The "Newbie" To The Volunteer Who's Been At It For Decades

By ANN Associate Editor Annette Kurman

Sharon Travis is a busy woman. An AirVenture volunteer since 1973 and Volunteer Chairman for the past two years, she is responsible for the logistics in placing many of the 5,000 Oshkosh volunteers in all areas of the site, from the flight line to playing with young children.

Her team's planning efforts start the first of the year. EAA also posts a volunteer page with job descriptions on its Web site to fulfill the extraordinary volunteer need for the seven-day extravaganza.

"All of the jobs are really important," she said. "AirVenture couldn't run without them.

For those without the necessary experience, on-the-job training is available (except for the flight line safety operations, where experience counts). People can volunteer for two hours or eight hours (or more) each day. Even 14-year olds can volunteer, with parental permission and following the Wisconsin state laws.

Popular jobs for youngsters are Protect Our Planes (POP), where they monitor and protect display aircraft.

The most requested volunteer jobs? Driving the trams, flight line safety, and EAA's membership village. For women, said Travis, the activities center is very popular.

Other volunteer jobs include aircraft greeter, craft tent, flying cinema, the hospitality pavilion, activity center, baby services, communications center, member village, office support, special events, the display area, the federal pavilion, maintenance, merchandise, Operation Thirst (making sandwich lunches for volunteers), presentation hosts, registration at the North 40, volunteer centers.

Also, volunteers to make the Warbirds area safe, security, aircraft maintenance, aircraft registration, and the Youth Kiddie Cockpit, where volunteers meet the needs of families with children up to 3 years, helping sort and clean toys, read stories, play games, and help with safety patrol.

Volunteers come not only from all over the country, but all over the world, as far away as Australia, she said.

"It's their vacation. This is what they choose to do because it's just so fun."

She recalled an entire family coming to her booth to volunteer earlier in the week: the dad did the flight line, the mom was at activities, and the two boys were on the POP beat.

The most challenging time to secure volunteers? According to Travis, it's at week's end, when people are packing up and starting to head home.

"We have to work hard towards the end of the week for any of the positions." But by the same token, many people, before they leave, ask how they can volunteer next year."

Why Do Volunteers Come Back Year After Year?

It's a great opportunity to see everything and the people, friends, whom you only see once a year, said Roger Klotz, from the Badger State (WI). "It's like a family reunion."

A retired employee of Lucent Technologies, which use to be AT&T in a previous corporate life, he and fellow company retirees wear their navy blue AT&T Pioneers shirt and sell AirVenture programs across the site.

For Bill Carlson of Monticello, MN, it IS a family reunion. An AirVenture attendee for 25 years and a volunteer for 23, the Carlson clan meets from their diverse hometown at Oshkosh.

"Where else can you go to see all these beautiful airplanes," he said from his volunteer West Ramp Rat position on the flight line. "It's the best seat in the house."

"Everybody works harder here than they do for their regular job, but it's fun," he said. Carlson expects to work 65 hours this week.

He starting bringing his two sons to Oshkosh when each was eight years old, and they, too, volunteer each year. His youngest (adult) son, he said, had the opportunity to "crew" with the B-17 crew last year and logged his first two hours of flight instruction on the B-17. (How many student pilots can claim that?!)

Carlson's oldest son, Mike, who is 28, is a 14-year volunteer. For Mike, it's all about family, friends, and aviation. And even though he is in construction and summer is the busiest time to work, he has yet to miss an AirVenture over the past 20 years.

Volunteers are at the heart of EAA's success through the years. During EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, EAA members and other aviation enthusiasts help create the unique atmosphere that makes The World's Greatest Aviation Celebration possible.

Volunteers do not devote their time and energy for compensation or personal gain, but to truly lend a hand and create an unmatched community of flight.

FMI: www.airventure.org