They could be found at every venue, sporting event and special activity during the Estevan 2016 Saskatchewan Summer Games.
Clad in their green T-shirts, they worked tirelessly throughout the week, ensuring that the spectators were greeted at venues, the facilities were prepared before games, the statistics were tracked and the athletes were fed.
And they did it all without seeking recognition.
But without the volunteers, it wouldn鈥檛 have been possible for Estevan to host the Summer Games.
Well over 1,100 volunteers lent their time and their talents to the Games, which ran from July 24 to 30. Sheila Guenther, who was in charge of the volunteers, said they had enough people for the Games to run smoothly.
鈥淲e had many different jobs for the volunteers,鈥� Guenther said in an interview with Lifestyles. 鈥淭here were minor officials at some of the sports, there were people doing admissions and selling merchandise, and providing access control to protect the athletes.
鈥淎nd, of course, they were in food services to prepare and serve all of the food for the athletes.鈥�
She noted the Games organizing committee was always confident that people would step up and help out during the Games.
Guenther estimates more than 28,000 person hours were dedicated to the Games by the volunteers.
鈥淭here was more than 7,000 (four-hour) shifts, so probably about 28,000 hours were required,鈥� said Guenther. 鈥淎nd there was actually even more (volunteer hours) than that, because there were lots of (volunteers for) things like setup and take down, where the shifts weren鈥檛 even created.鈥�
Some people showed up, even though they weren鈥檛 scheduled, because they knew help was needed.
While the sports venues were certainly a highly visible site for volunteers, Guenther said many volunteer hours were dedicated to the Games Village at Estevan Comprehensive School (ECS). The green shirt-clad volunteers greeted the athletes, provided security and served meals. Access control and meal preparation were two areas in which they were concerned they might not have enough workers, but in the days leading up to the event, enough people stepped forward.
鈥淲hen people think of the Summer Games, sometimes, maybe, they think more of the sports, but the Athletes Village is a vital part, and we did, in the end, get enough volunteers to help out with that,鈥� said Guenther. 鈥淚 think those volunteers realized that there鈥檚 so much activity going on in the Athletes Village that it was an exciting place to volunteer.鈥�
The Games committee took the time to thank the volunteers, too. Two days before the opening ceremonies, about 600 volunteers gathered at the Power Dodge Curling Centre for an appreciation event, where they could eat, drink and socialize together.
鈥淲e thought having it before the Games would just be a new experience, and be a chance for those volunteers to get together and realize how many other people were volunteering as well, and how many people it takes,鈥� said Guenther.
It was the first time that Guenther knows of in which the volunteer appreciation night was held before the Games, rather than afterwards.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 sure how it would compare to having it after the Games, but sometimes after the Games, while it鈥檚 really nice to share all of the things that happened throughout the week, people are just too exhausted to get out,鈥� said Guenther.
The athletes, coaches, officials, parents and others who were in Estevan for the Games appreciated the volunteers鈥� efforts, too. Guenther has received a lot of great comments about the volunteers, and the Games as a whole, and Guenther chalks it up to the people who contributed so many hours to the Games before, during and after the event.
