Ironman needs you!
BILL BULEY | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 7 months AGO
Bill Buley covers the city of Coeur d'Alene for the Coeur d’Alene Press. He has worked here since January 2020, after spending seven years on Kauai as editor-in-chief of The Garden Island newspaper. He enjoys running. | May 22, 2021 1:00 AM
Ironman wants you — to volunteer.
Ironman Coeur d’Alene set for June 27 is in “desperate” need of volunteers.
“We typically have over 3,500 volunteers on race day and by this time we are more than halfway there,” wrote Michelle Haustein, Ironman volunteer director. “Right now, we are sitting at just over 400 registered volunteers. This is a scary number for us when we are a little over six weeks away.”
The race includes a 2.4-mile swim in Lake Coeur d'Alene, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run. More than 3,000 men and women are registered, one of the largest fields in event history.
Here’s what is needed to help them reach the finish line:
• Volunteer groups and captains. Captains help organize volunteer areas and assist in recruiting volunteers. They are Ironman’s first point of contact for specific areas. Captains get Ironman CDA captain/staff clothing, special access and more.
•Volunteer groups, which are essential for a safe race. Nonprofit groups of 25 or more are needed. Groups can be anything from a yodeling club to a high school sports team, a church group to a women's shelter.
“We love them all,” Haustein said.
• Two bike aid stations need captains and groups. These offer a large community foundation amount and are critical to the race.
• Crowd control, pointers, aid station volunteers are needed.
“We have every single volunteer opportunity out there,” Haustein said.
Some popular volunteer jobs, like wetsuit peelers, body markers, sunscreen team and massage and change tents, have been eliminated due to COVID.
“But we do still have all the other fun areas,” Haustein said.
Volunteers get a T-shirt. In years past they were also rewarded with a dinner, but due to COVID regulations and size constraints, the dinner may not happen, Haustein said.
To volunteer: www.ironman.com/volunteer
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