By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator
THANK YOU, WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL VOLUNTEERS!
Phenomenal. The outpouring of support for this year’s Wooden Boat Festival was truly astounding.
More than 600 individuals volunteered, stepping into 78 different roles across nearly 500 shifts! Whether you greeted guests at the front gate, helped with setup throughout the week, or took on a Captain’s role leading an entire area—you made a difference, and you are deeply appreciated.
We were thrilled to welcome volunteers from Canada, California, Oregon, and Rhode Island. Some of you have shown incredible dedication by volunteering for 10 years or more, while others joined us for the very first time—and we’re grateful to all of you.
It was a joy to see volunteers trying out a variety of roles, as well as those who returned to the same position time and again to hone their expertise. Every approach was essential to making the Festival run smoothly.
Attendees couldn’t stop raving about how clean, organized, and welcoming the Festival Village was—all thanks to your hard work and hospitality. Whether you came from out of state or just down the road, your contribution was vital to the success of this event.
And, we welcomed over 20,000 visitors this year!
A Heartfelt Note of Thanks From Katie Oman, Northwest Maritime Chief Operating Officer:
Every year at the Wooden Boat Festival, I’m inspired by the spirit of volunteerism in our community. Hundreds of people show up with their time, skills, and heart to welcome neighbors, carry on traditions, and keep this amazing event going strong for nearly 50 years. In a world that can feel so disconnected, it’s pure joy to watch people come together in real life to build community.
A Note From Marvin Copeland-Griggs, Welcome Center Merch Team Captain:
A huge THANK YOU to ALL of our Welcome Center Volunteers during Wooden Boat Festival, both old & new!!
We established a couple of amazing retail records that will stand for a very long time. Of note is 25 Patagonia garments sold in a single day! The norm is 2-3.
It looks like we also found some new, year-round volunteers… Welcome Aboard!
Extra Special kudos to volunteers Mari Friend, Anna Shaffer, and Nancy Genther for your organizational skills and creativity!
A Note From Verity FitzSimmons, HQ Information Tent Captain:
Shout-outs to Dee and Keith Norlin, and Carol Sedar Tepper, who help so much with the pre-festival preparation and then joined during the event too—such follow-through!
Thank you also to the front desk folks who are here all year and then come to help out at the festival too—Anne Cameron, Sharon Dale, and Pat Keaty!!
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Boatshop Demonstrators Needed
If you are familiar with the Northwest Maritime Boatshop and can capably describe and demonstrate what goes on in this incredible space, your help is needed. We are looking for volunteers to guide and welcome groups of visitors to the Boatshop on Friday and Sunday afternoons in October. We are expecting groups of 15-30 people to visit between 2:15 and 4:45 PM. Demonstrations might include the proper use of a wood plane and how to steam-bend. Interested/available? Contact Tracy at volunteer@nwmaritime.org or call (360) 316-1570.
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION
We are always grateful for the support of folks who volunteer on an ongoing basis in the following areas:
Front Desk: Jane Covert-Lannon, Sharon Dale, Pat Keaty
Welcome Center: Sandra Baughman, Dick Benesch, Anne Cameron, Susan Camp, Mari Friend, Myron Gauger, Alice King, Susan Kutsch, Anna Shaffer
Youth Programs Support: Kai Anderson, Robin Haney, Rita Harris, Scott Hill, Chloe Leonard-Stephens
Boatshop: Walt Crinean, Howard Elder, Carol McCreary, Tim Rohrer, John Quinn
Volunteer Safety Vessel Operators On the Job!
Gordon Burke and David Oddo are now volunteering on Tuesdays and Thursdays as Volunteer Safety Vessel Operators for the Port Townsend Maritime Academy. They completed first aid and CPR training, as well as an introduction to marine risk assessments and mitigation, for this role. Thank you for helping keep the students safe as they venture out in rowboats and longboats, Gordon and David!
Questions? Or interested in joining our NWM volunteer team?
Contact Tracy Thompson at volunteer@nwmaritime.org or call (360) 316-1570.