In late April, I dropped my husband off at the airport and drove off to pick up a 10X14 area rug we’d purchased. The store dumped the neatly folded rug into the back of my truck; but I could tell by the salesman’s bulging muscles that mine was a very heavy bundle. At home, it occurred to me that I couldn’t just leave it in the truck until the hubs returned. But how would I move a 200-pound rug into our house alone?
I could have used some help. That’s true about an ANWG conference as well.
One of the many great things about the Bend conference was the amazing team of volunteers who served on site during the week. That group was so inspiring that our committee hopes to recreate it in Yakima. We have two talented Co-Chairs directing our on-site volunteer team: Linda Stryker (Past president of the Tacoma Weavers Guild) and Kathy Minor (Past President of the Arachne Guild).
You might wonder what volunteers do. The short answer is, “anything.” But really, you’ll find volunteers serving at both the registration and help desk. They’ll be available to help weavers unload cars and move looms into classrooms. They’ll carry sewing machines and ironing boards and mirrors. No, you don’t have to be a weight lifter to volunteer. They’ll also put signs on classroom doors, collect material fees, and run errands for instructors. They’ll help models dress and direct parts of the fashion show. They’ll direct people through the show exhibits, help with set-up and tear down. And finally, when all is done and the conference center is as clean as we found it, they’ll be the last ones out of the building—turning out the lights.
Though they may not be highly visible, volunteers do all the heavy lifting—literally and figuratively—that make a great conference possible. And next year, in addition to all of that, volunteers will help our group of instructors by providing rides from regional airports to Yakima and back. Drivers will be organized by our new transportation chair, Sandy Carroll of Bonney Lake, WA.
The conference is now just one year away. Maybe you’d like to be one of the many who help make the conference great. You might think about how you might give an hour or two to help your fellow weavers. We’ll be asking for volunteers starting in the fall of 2024.
As for my rug, I dumped it off the end of the truck onto a hand cart, schlepped it around my driveway, up the stairs, and dragged it into the house. When I was finished, I took some ibuprofen and sat on a heating pad. If only I’d had some help. . .
Bette Nordberg
ANWG 2025 Co-Chair