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Volunteering at the SPSP

By Lesa Moore

Every year, the ASNSW and all participants are grateful to a band of more than forty volunteers who help with the preparations and safe running of the South Pacific Star Party (SPSP). This set of web pages is designed to help our regular volunteers and, also, to assist new volunteers who would like to get an idea of what the volunteer jobs entail. This Volunteering Index is organised into sections.

Click on the Section Heading (1 to 10 below) to go to the page with details of all the jobs in that Section.

Preparatory information
0) Miscellaneous

These items don't have specific instructions written for them, but should be delegated by the Star Party planners.

  1. First Aid
  2. Hall Heating
  3. Overseeing Barry Gerdes Lodge and the adjacent Astroimaging Field
  4. Photography
  5. Roving Reporter
  6. Quiz (inclement weather backup)
  7. Reserve Speaker
  8. Volunteers' Cocktail Party
  9. Wet weather protocols (turn power boards upside-down in Image Processing Pit; unplug or turn upside-down the power boards in the Recharging Station)
1. Getting Everything set up on Site
  1. Power and Lighting for the Check-In Desk and Pavilion
  2. Power for the Meeting Hall and Throwing the Earth Switch
  3. Power for the Recharging Station near the Roller Door
  4. Testing the Projector
  5. Turning on the Sound System
  6. Tables for the Scouts
  7. Setting up the Tea & Coffee Station
  8. Putting up the Signs and the Check-In Tent Banner
  9. Mirrors for the Outside Sinks
  10. Positioning and Maintaining Safety Lighting (all areas)
  11. Setting up the Check-In Desk
  12. Setting up the Apparel
  13. Setting up and Maintaining the Pit Toilets
  14. Putting out the Fireplaces
  15. Star posts and bunting around Emergency Assembly Area

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2. Check-In Desk Procedures
  1. Checking In Participants
  2. Lost Property
  3. Sales
  4. Cash
  5. Setting up the Printer
  6. Stocktake
  7. Packing Away

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3. Field Duties and Sky Tours
  1. Attending the Gate: Thursday morning to Saturday afternoon
  2. Marshalling the Camping Areas: Thursday am to Saturday pm
  3. Checking Vehicle Compliance: Friday and Saturday afternoon
  4. Twilight Sky Tours
  5. Telescope Sky Tours

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4. In the Meeting Hall
  1. Moving the Furniture
  2. Putting the Program on the Whiteboard
  3. Making Announcements
  4. Checking the Essential Operations on Friday and Saturday Morning
  5. MC and the Saturday Afternoon Program
  6. Emergency Drill

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5. In the Bush Kitchen and Food Pavilion
  1. Maintaining the Tea & Coffee Station in the Kitchen
  2. Setting up the Kids’ Art Workshop in the Pavilion
  3. Assistant to the Scouts

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6. Toilet and Shower Cleaning
  1. Toilets
  2. Showers

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7. Rubbish Management
  1. Bins around the Camping and Caravan Areas
  2. Bins in the Toilets and at the Tea/Coffee Station
  3. Rubbish to the Tip on Sunday
8. Competitions

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  1. Coordinating the Astronomy Innovations Showcase
  2. Coordinating the Astroimaging Competition
    1. Preparation before the Event
    2. Accepting the Entries
    3. Setting up the Display Panels
    4. Putting up the Entries
    5. The Voting Boxes
    6. Counting the Votes and working out the Winners
    7. Processing the Winners
    8. Awards Ceremony
    9. Saving Files to USB for Publication

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9. The Roast Dinner
  1. Ingredients List
  2. Baking and Serving Supplies
  3. Preparing the Meal
  4. Preparing the Servery and Tables
  5. Serving the Food - 7 volunteers needed
  6. Sunday morning washing up in the Bush Kitchen
10. Cleaning up and Putting Everything Away and Throwing Back the Earth Switch

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