2019 Ashley Country Christmas Volunteer Positions · These Pere Marquette 1225 steam locomotive trips, The North Pole Express, are featuring the 1940s – 1950s time period. This PM 1225 locomotive was the model for the train in the Polar Express movie. · Train passengers are in Ashley for 2 hours to enjoy activities, sights, and sounds of Christmas at an earlier time including World War II, with an old fashioned Christmas · The first gift of Christmas drawing is held approximately 15 minutes before the train departs back to Owosso · The train trip arrival schedule is each weekend Saturday and Sunday, 11:00 and 6:00 from November 16 through Saturday, December 21. · Please keep in mind that heated buildings are not overly warm due to constant door opening/closing · Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled work shift and meet with the Volunteer Coordinator at the Emporium (Remenar Building) Volunteers needed for each train trip: Hobo camp: 3 – 4 volunteers dressed as typical (old tweed sports coats, wool pea coats, hats, army type clothes, wool gloves) for hobos of the time will be around the campfire/hobo area and parked locomotive, primarily outdoors. Skills needed are basic knowledge of the hobo lifestyle of the time, able to work outdoors, and being crowd friendly. Hobos were not necessarily dirty, or appearing to be as bums or panhandlers. Harmonica playing is a plus! Many visitors like their pictures taken with the hobos. Stage Entertainment: 1 volunteer (“theater” is a room inside the Emporium) will direct theater attendees to chair and bleacher seating, answer questions, assist performers with questions, stage issues, etc. Will straighten chairs and tidy area after performances. Skills needed are being welcoming and attentive. Building is heated. Volunteers are encouraged to wear clothing/hats of the 40s – 50s.
Santa Claus: 1 – 2+ volunteers to manage crowd movement to keep the line moving, remind adults to have their cameras ready. Volunteers are encouraged to wear clothing/hats of the 40s – 50s.
Photo Opportunity with the 1225: 2 volunteers will offer to take group photos with the attendees own cameras, phones, etc., so their entire family/group may be in their photo with the 1225. Photos with the 1225 is a very popular activity. One volunteer may organize groups while the other volunteer takes photos. These are outdoor positions. Skills needed are being crowd friendly, assertive, organized, basic camera/phone knowledge, and able to work in the cold. Volunteers are encouraged to dress warmly in coats/clothing/hats of the 40s – 50s. Touch screen gloves are very useful.
Santa’s Workshop: 2 - 3 volunteers to assist the Sawdust Santa’s group in the Remenar Emporium with helping children put together the wooden toy kit they choose to make and take; this is a very popular activity. Building is heated. Volunteers will wear t-shirts provided by the Sawdust Santa’s group. Skills needed are being friendly and patient with children and their adults, and tolerating a moderately loud noise level and flurry of activity.
Kids’ Carnival Games entrance: 1 volunteer to hand out game playing cards to children, several volunteers to staff the games, 1 volunteer to hand out the prizes. Skills needed are being friendly, welcoming and assertive, able to answer information questions. Volunteers are encouraged to dress in warm clothing/hats typical of the 40s – 50s. Santa's Reindeer: 1 volunteer to monitor for Stickers/train tickets at the entrance. Outdoor position. Volunteers are encouraged to dress in warm clothing/hats typical of the 40s – 50s.