By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Ship Simulator Docents Needed
Train with the best of them and run our Ship Simulator for the public!
After special training, our Ship Simulator Docents will encourage the public to step up to the helm and take this adult-sized video game for a spin! The idea? Practice driving any vessel, anywhere around the world, in any kind of weather condition.
Docents will need to attend at least one training session plus shadow a seasoned docent during a tour. We’ll do our best to schedule training sessions at times that work best for everyone involved.
Qualifications:
- Comfortable with computers and technology, specifically Windows
- Can happily engage with and respond to members of the public
- Available during some of the tour times mentioned above
- Able to attend training(s)
- Love of the sea and NWM
Interested? Contact Venue Rentals Manager Marvin Copeland-Griggs at marvin@nwmaritime.org
Welcome Center Volunteers Needed—Especially on the Weekends!
Volunteer at the heart of Northwest Maritime—regular and on-call Welcome Center volunteers needed!
Do you enjoy engaging with people in a fun environment? We are seeking volunteers to not only provide great visitor service to visitors looking for quality maritime gear, but also to serve as interpreters for the exhibits in our Welcome Center.
As a Welcome Center volunteer, you will also be an ambassador for Northwest Maritime’s many exciting programs, including adventure races such as the Race to Alaska, SEVENTY48, the Wooden Boat Festival, Maritime High School, boatbuilding and navigation workshops, and more.
Currently, we are seeking folks willing to take on a 4-hour morning or afternoon shift once or twice a week, especially on weekends!
If this dynamic opportunity sounds like a good fit for your time and talents, reach out to Tracy Thompson, Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteer@nwmaritime.org
Volunteer at the 48th Wooden Boat Festival!
Join us in celebrating the 48th Wooden Boat Festival by volunteering during the first week of September! Shifts are available Thursday–Sunday, September 4–7, 2025.
We’re seeking volunteers in these high-need areas: A/V Crew, Main Gate Greeter, Parking & Traffic Crew, Paddlewheeler Hosts. Paddlewheeler hosts will help kids 12 and under get suited up in PFDs and give safety instructions about how to use the paddlewheelers. Shifts range from 1.5 to 2.5 hours and require some lifting, bending, and squatting to assist kids.
Browse volunteer roles here. Are the shifts you want already filled? People’s schedules do change, and shifts may open up as we get closer to the Festival.
Questions? Contact Tracy Thompson at volunteer@nwmaritime.org or call (360) 316-1570.
All Signed up to Volunteer at the Festival? Make Plans to Attend the Volunteer Orientation
Get ready to be an amazing volunteer! Attend the Wooden Boat Festival Volunteer Orientation on Wednesday, August 27. Doors open at 5 PM; Program begins at 5:30 PM. Located at the Northwest Maritime Center, 431 Water Street, Port Townsend—upstairs in the yellow building.
We’ll have snacks and beverages; share highlights of the Festival, and give you opportunities to meet your Area Captains. Also, if you’re a 3-shift volunteer, you can pick up your Volunteer T-shirt.
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION
Navigator Night Out Event Supported by Volunteers
On a lovely evening in July, Northwest Maritime held its largest fundraiser of the year: Navigator Night Out.
Over 260 guests gathered under a giant white tent at the Northwest Maritime Center’s First Fed Commons. The keynote speech from Schmidt Ocean Institute’s CEO Eric King highlighted Northwest Maritime and the Ocean Institute’s “…profound and unyielding passion for the ocean”.
Volunteers helped every step of the way, with Kathy and Glenn Hartmann organizing registration packets, Ashley Paterson, Patti Rowdabaugh and Heather Moore ably assisting as the Welcome Crew—which involved getting the venue ready and welcoming the guests, Catherine Russell and Cathi McDade stepped in to wash glassware, and Julie Sotomura and Luc Schoonjans were the photographers for the evening. Geoff Grant, Sid Grant, and James Quinn volunteered for site breakdown. Thank you so much for your kind help for this important event!
Read more about this event here.
Ongoing Volunteer Support Appreciation
The following volunteers assist us on an ongoing basis; we are grateful for the support from these folks in the following areas:
Welcome Center: Dick Benesch, Susan Camp, Myron Gauger, Alice King, Susan Kutsch, Anna Shafer
Front Desk: Anne Cameron, Sharon Dale, Pat Keaty
Boatshop: Walt Crinean, Howard Elder, David Oddo, John Quinn
Youth Volunteers: Kai A., Bodhi F., Robin H., Scott H., Skylar J., Chloe L., Alan M., Millie O., Reid S., Willa W.
Questions? Or interested in joining our NWM volunteer team?
Contact Tracy Thompson at volunteer@nwmaritime.org or call (360) 316-1570.