You’re aching to take some time off, to recharge, maybe breathe some fresh mountain air, but the reality is that bills need to be paid and even a short camping trip is costly. If you love the outdoors, dream of exploring beautiful BC and know what “MTB”stands for – read on!
From June 27 to July 4, BC hosts the most epic seven-day single-track mountain bike race in the world, the sold-out BC Bike Race (BCBR). Volunteers are needed so this is your chance to get out of dodge for free this summer. All you need is time because the rest is covered. You’ll travel to some of the most beautiful West Coast towns while gaining valuable work experience behind the BCBR scenes. This is a flawlessly executed beast of an event and you should aim to be a part of it.
If the idea of working for free doesn’t tickle your fancy, maybe the perks will. During the seven-day stretch everything you need is covered like camping accommodations, three delicious meals a day, transportation and BCBR swag! Book the week off and bring a friend. You won’t get a paycheque, but you will become part of a very special family. Depending on what floats your boat, there are plenty of roles to choose from including positions on-course, medical, base camp and more. Daily volunteers are also needed in North Vancouver, Cumberland, Powell River, Sechelt, Squamish and Whistler if taking the full week off is out of the question. The bottom line is, the BC Bike Race does it up in style, offering both plush and tasty extras for all to enjoy.
Meet John Kearns, Ticketmaster’s Director of Client Development and a BCBR veteran volunteer. Kearns says he was forced to reexamine his work/life balance when his kids left home. At that point he made a choice to spend more time on his bike. Kearns was introduced to the idea of joining the crew by some BCBR peeps and he just couldn’t refuse. After volunteering for just two days in year one, he made a commitment to the sign on for entire seven-day race week or the “full pull”, as he calls it.
Volunteering for the BCBR is like a holiday, he says.
“It’s like running away and joining the circus. As a mature gentleman, that’s appealing! We all work hard in daily life and the idea of being able to leave work and travel around with people who share the same interests is fun and engaging.”
What really surprised Kearns about the experience were the friendships and emotional bonds he formed with international racers.
“To be able to high-five someone you see in camp who travelled from across the globe to ride in the BCBR or to cheer on a familiar face at the finish line is priceless.”
Lucky for John Kearns, his employer believes they also reap the benefits of letting him go.
“It’s a win-win for both of us,”he says. “Ticketmaster lets me leave for a week and I come back happier and more productive.”
Kearns also enjoys the experience of executing a big event like the BCBR because it’s the opposite of what he does at work, which is all behind-the-scenes. Kearns tends to favor the bus host role as it allows him to interact with new people and entertain the racers throughout the seven-day journey.
Visit BCBikeRace.com/contact-us/volunteer to sign up and sign on for an amazing experience you won’t soon forget.
