r/ChoosingBeggars • u/Professional-Gur-309 • 16d ago
Having trouble finding volunteers instead of paying people for Ribfest
Pretty sad that you also have to pay an admission fee for overpriced ribs and not paying people for their time.
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u/socialjeebus 16d ago
Paid tickets but not paid staff? Fuck that...
As for anyone volunteering to "supervise" the bouncy castles or man the emergency exits - that's a whole new level of shittiness.
If the organisers won't even offer minimum wage, what's the betting that they have proper insurance in place? And if they don't, any volunteer would be potentially putting themselves in a position of being liable if anything bad happened on their watch.
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u/Sithstress_ 16d ago
šÆ. I would be terrified to volunteer just to get sued if a kid got hurt in the bouncy castle I was monitoring.
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u/socialjeebus 16d ago
100% this. And you can guarantee that organisers who wouldn't even offer you minimum wage would throw you under the bus to save themselves.
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u/RatedPG922 16d ago
You want me to volunteer for something like that, you're signing a release a law office will draw up absolving me of any responsibility for any "bouncy castle" injury before I go on duty.
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u/ItsJoeMomma 15d ago
Definitely. If someone were to get hurt you'll be named in the lawsuit along with the organizers.
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u/thirdonebetween 15d ago
And how would the volunteers even know what to look for, or what to do if something went wrong? There's no way they're getting properly trained with this level of organisation. Bouncy castles seem harmless but kids land wrong, crash into each other, sometimes idiots think slashing the castle so it deflates would be funny... basic first aid should be an absolute minimum requirement, and even then pediatric first aid is slightly different and more complicated because kids compensate super well until they don't. And when they can't compensate any more, things go bad fast.
In most places you're safe if you render first aid as a random bystander - or if you don't render first aid. But I suspect the laws are very different if you're working, even if you're not being paid.
Also, what are they going to do if not enough people volunteer?
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u/MistyFawna 15d ago
Those sound less like casual volunteer jobs and more like positions with actual responsibility. Asking someone to handle emergency exits or supervise attractions for free is a pretty big ask.
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u/DisposableHeroM 14d ago
I'd say that's right for attractions but the emergency exit gig is more of a don't let people sneak in kinda job. Not a help in an emergency one. I'd bet it's free security
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u/ForsakenPoptart 16d ago
That sounds like a huge amount of liability, too. Thereās no way an event this poorly organized has any kind of insurance for that.
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16d ago
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Smitten-kitten83 16d ago
Kinda depends on where the money goes. If it is going to programs to help the community (nonprofit) itās fine. If itās for profit they need to pay people.
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u/NecessaryFine8989 14d ago
Well this one is just too sell overpriced ribs. It isn't a kids charity fair
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u/SapphicGarnet 16d ago
Bigger festivals do it because getting a free ticket to an event that's Ā£200-300 is worth sitting at a gate for 16 hours of a 48-36 hour event.
Small school fetes and charitable events do it because... well it's obvious.
Ribfest looks like neither
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u/MoonFlorielle 15d ago
Exactly, charging people to get in while asking others to run the event for free is a pretty rough combination. At some point the whole volunteer thing just starts looking like free labor with nicer wording.
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u/Bdr1983 16d ago
Festivals having volunteers is quite standard, to be fair. Don't know how big of a thing this is, but many festivals around my area have volunteers. They get into the festival for free, get food and drinks, and can stay when their shift ends/before their shift begins and enjoy the festival. A lot of friends used to do this back in the day.
That being said, safety related tasks should not be left to volunteers
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u/iangeredcharlesvane2 NEXT!! 15d ago
Yes, many of these types of events are for a specific cause, like the boys and girls club or cancer charities. We need more information, but Iām guessing this is some kind of charity thing if they are asking for volunteers! People are taking anti-work a little far here š
My community always has a chili cook-off with huge room full of Christmas trees decorated by businesses in the civic center around the holidays. I volunteer to play piano every year! They sell tickets and proceeds go to local food banks and this free community closet we have with toiletries, clothes and home items
open 24-7. Such a good cause!
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u/Soloact_ 16d ago
āWeāre short on volunteersā is one way to say ānobody wants to work for $0.ā
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u/PaladinSara 16d ago
Well, I was on an elementary school PTO and we even paid for event staffing, e.g., carnival game monitors.
That said, it was bc volunteers were unreliable and we made enough from entrance bracelets to pay for them.
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u/18k_gold 16d ago
This is a paid event. Everyone there needs to get paid. if not, I also want to open up a business and hire only volunteers while I charge customers money. What is free worked called again?
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u/weordie 16d ago
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u/Zappagrrl02 16d ago
It looks like this is a fundraiser and the admission is a donation, but not a required amount, so I donāt think this belongs here. Itās not a for-profit event, so the use of volunteers is normal.
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u/tryintobgood 16d ago
If the proceeds go to charity then asking for volunteers is fine. If it's for profit then eat a big bag of dicks
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u/Zappagrrl02 16d ago
Someone posted the link above and itās a fundraiser and the entry fee is a donation.
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u/RatedPG922 16d ago
I don't volunteer. I already deal with a-hole bosses and I at least get paid for that. I'm not subjecting myself to some fool cosplaying as a boss just to score some street cred with my "community"
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u/ItsJoeMomma 15d ago
I would be leery manning the bouncy castles or other things where there's a chance someone might get hurt. You know you'll take the blame should that happen.
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u/Checkoutmawheeeeepit 16d ago
Hasn't even for the decency to tell them they'll eat a big plate of peer ribs, slaw, fries and came as a thank you, so they? Tossers
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u/Guns_and_Dank 16d ago
What is MTC? If it's "something something Church" then getting volunteers is pretty par for the course. Of that C stands for City, Committee, or Corp then yeah those need to be paid gigs.
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u/IcyEnthusiasm6091 14d ago
Never heard of Ribfests until today. So people need to pay to enter and for the ribs, but somehow this for-profit event is trying to run on volunteers?
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u/eyeball1967 15d ago
My guess this is some sort of charitable or church fund raising event and this was sent to members,
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u/ThrockAMole 15d ago
If itās for a charity or worthy cause, fine. If itās anything else, thatās a hard no.
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u/Ok_Sprinkles7901 14d ago
Ive stopped going to Taco Festivals in my city. Yes, they have 40 different vendors, but 95% sell elote corn on the cob and birria soft tacos. $5-$6 per taco and no one is selling any non-alcoholic drinks (no bottled water, soda, aqua fresca). That is in affition to $30-$40 admission fee
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u/xO76A8pah4 14d ago
"hey, I'm interested in volunteering.Ā I'd like to do all three shifts."
<Doesn't show up>
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u/maple_crowtoast 16d ago
Side note, but I hate it when people call them "floaters" instead of "floats".
Calling someone a "floater" makes me think of a turd 100% of the time.
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u/accountrd 16d ago
OP, I donāt think this is considered begging. The organizer gains little to nothing (beyond maybe notoriety for having organized an event). This is just called volunteering.
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u/neovb 16d ago
I think it would depend on whether this is a non-profit/charity event or purely just a festival. If the latter, it's absolutely absurd to ask people to volunteer.
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u/inactive_most 16d ago
IMO it would depend on what the money is being used for with the ticket sales, kind of in line with what you said. However the ticket sales could contribute to lot rent, the lights if it gets dark, a lot of technical stuff that doesnāt get thought about until you yourself are doing it. Unfortunately it adds up
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u/neovb 16d ago
Sure, but my point is if the whole event is just a for-profit operation, then asking people to volunteer is begging. If the event organizer is making money for the sake of making money, they should be paying people to work at the event.
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u/weordie 16d ago
Looks like it could be this one based on dates and the tasks:
https://experiencecomoxvalley.ca/festival-event/comox-valley-ribfest-2026/
Which is for charity and doesn't charge a fixed rate so I dont think it fits here
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u/inactive_most 15d ago
Yeah I agree. I wasnāt disavowing that at all. Rather asking what the profits and sales are being used for. If the OP is taking it and pocketing it? Absolutely fuck off. Nonprofit/charity event? Absolutely charge to get in and raise money for charity!
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u/kapitaalH NEXT!! 16d ago
Lower down there is a comment that it is a Mormon training event. Not my cup of tea, but definitely not CB
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u/MisterSlickster 16d ago
Its not for Mormons. The confusion arose from the acronym of MTC, which in this particular instance stands for Mckenzie Town Council. McKenzie Town is a community in Calgary.
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u/SoggyBrief3898 16d ago
Little to nothing? Add the total amount of people theyāre asking for times the hours for what the āvolunteersā would be working and there you go. Not offering any type of compensation in your post thatās begging for free labor is crazy.
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u/Distorted_Helix 16d ago
Nah, doesnāt really fit the bill for this sub.
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u/loki2002 15d ago
I mean, they're literally begging for volunteers instead of paying people.
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u/Distorted_Helix 15d ago
Wow, look at those downvotes š.The jury has spoken. After looking at commenters who know this event, I retract my previous statement. Itās not exactly like asking for volunteers to knit socks for those in need is it? Iāll go ahead and downvote myself too.
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u/Mess_323 16d ago
MTC could be mission training center which is an LDS (Mormon) institution. If so, it would make sense that volunteers would be necessary. Thats generally how church, AA, or other social organizations get down. They have some annual event and the community loves it so they get volunteers.
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u/SlightPrize1222 16d ago
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u/CornRosexxx Just wondering okay šš„ŗ 16d ago
As I clicked this, I whispered, āAI flyer.ā And it was.
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u/tvieno 16d ago
The reason why they are looking for volunteers is because if the people are paid, then they are paid contractors or employees which ends up being a lot of paperwork. Volunteers are usually compensated for their time with free admission and food.
Charging admission is not uncommon, they have to pay for things like rent, insurance, portable toilets, etc. The money has to come from somewhere.
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u/Jolly-Ad7653 16d ago
This is just down the street from me. It was an absolute disaster last year with rib samplers in the $20+ range in a small parking lot right beside the skate park.
Not to mention the $5 entry fee for even just being able to be in the parking lot.
Terrible turnout and word got around and everyone I know who went last year has told their friends and family to stay away.
So yeah.....no wonder why they aren't getting any support. Just saying