As an event organiser, I’ve always encouraged people to “race first, volunteer second” if they want to support an event. But I’ve always quickly qualified this statement with the fact that I love my volunteers. By organising events through the QLD Rogaine Association, I’ve had the pleasure to meet a collection of the most amazing people willing to give up their time and comfort to be part of an event as a volunteer, always willing to jump right in and help with any small task I can throw their way.
So while the Raid Adventures series will be run as a for-profit undertaking moving forward, we plan to keep very close ties in a direct partnership with the QLD Rogaine Association with events under the banner of “Rogaining Queensland”. We’ll be working closely to coordinate promotion, memberships, calendars, event locations and pool resources where appropriate. Raid Adventures will utilise the Navlight timing system as I believe electronic timing is fundamental to the end user experience. Raid Adventures competitors will also be eligible for the Rogainer of the Year points series.
One other area where this partnership will be directly evident will be through our Rogaining Queensland Volunteer Reward Scheme:
- Volunteers at a Rogaining Queensland event (QRA or Raid Adventures race) are eligible for free entry up to the value of $50 to be used within 12 months at any Rogaining Queensland event. A volunteer is classified as someone who gives up a day of their time to assist at a race in a capacity that precludes them from competing in that event.
- Furthermore, a volunteer who meets the criteria of a Volunteer Reward as defined above is guaranteed an entry to any Raid Adventures race within the next 12 months, provided they enter and pay during the pre-entry period prior to the official entries opening. This is a significant reward given that Raid Adventures races have consistently sold out quickly in the past.
Having volunteered at close to 20 rogaines over the past decade, I can attest that the experience has been a genuinely rewarding one. I’m keen to foster this culture of volunteering within Rogaining Queensland moving forward. If you wish to volunteer at a QRA or Raid Adventures race, please contact either myself at rogueadventureracing@gmail.com or volunteer@qldrogaine.asn.au.