HEADLESS HORSEMAN INSTRUCTIONS

Thanks to all of you who are signed up and ready to volunteer for Headless Horseman. Who knows what the weather will hold for us this year with the strange fall we’ve had so far so be prepared for anything. This event takes a massive amount of help from both staff and volunteers. We need to fill just under 900 -adult volunteer positions for the 12 nights of HH. If you haven’t signed up yet, there are still plenty of openings on plenty of nights, all posted in Volgistics. You can sign up for HH shifts up until the very last minute. Here is a list of important instructions for your scheduled nights:

All volunteer shifts are scheduled to start at 5 p.m. End times are mostly estimates but listed as close to what we estimate they will be. The admission gates are open 6-9 p.m. All HH activities run 6-10 p.m. The hayride runs until each guest has had a chance to ride one time. Expect to stay until or past 11 p.m. if volunteering at the hayride.

• Volunteers should arrive between 5-5:30 p.m. Check in is at the gate in front of the Apple Store.
• Please park in the paved lot located behind the Apple Store. After turning in from Allisonville Road, take the first right and follow the road around until you see the Apple Store on your left, and the parking lot on your right. Park as far to the east end of the lot as possible.
• You will receive your two free HH admission passes when you sign in.
• Hot dogs OR cream of tomato soup and a pretzel will be served each night from 5-5:30 p.m.
• Food and the nightly briefing will take place at the Café in Clowes Commons this year.
• Briefing and roll-call start at 5:30 p.m. in the cafe. ALL volunteers must be present. Following this meeting you will be taken to your post and receive specific instructions there. Positions that start before briefing are excused.
• We can’t stress enough to dress for the weather. Wear your red CP cold weather gear if you have it but if not, just dress for the cold. Layer, layer, layer. Bring gloves and a hat. You can always take a layer off but you can’t add one if you don’t have it with you. Ladies – you need to leave your purses in the car as there is nowhere to store them.
• If you are volunteering on a Thursday or Friday night, remember that there could be delays getting here due to rush hour traffic.

Headless Horseman is cancelled ONLY when weather conditions are too dangerous for people to be on the grounds. If this happens we will send out a mass email to volunteers, or call if time permits. The decision to cancel is usually made by 3-4 p.m. If it is raining and you are unsure whether to come, please check our website (www.connerprairie.org) for cancellation information or call the Conner Prairie operator at 317-776-6000, ext. 0.

Remember, if you need to cancel a shift at the last minute please call or email on weekdays before 4:30 p.m. We are not in the office on weekends.

Many, many thanks in advance and don’t forget to sign up early and often! It’s going to be a great event, again, and we couldn’t do it without you.

A MERRY PRAIRIE HOLIDAY

Sign up will for our exciting new A Merry Prairie Holiday (MPH) starts just after Headless Horseman. The positions and signup procedure will be very similar to HH. All activities take place outdoors so hope for a mild winter. BEFORE this event starts, we need lots of help. Testing of the donated Reynolds lights has already begun and continues every day through October 31. Then starting on November 4, the big work of setting it all up begins. Help will be needed doing more light testing, hanging garland, setting up props, and more. Watch for an email with specific tasks and instructions.

APPLE STORE DISCOUNT

Don’t forget – or if you didn’t already know here is some tasty news! Volunteers receive a 10% discount in the Apple Store every Tuesday. There are 4 Tuesdays in October so that is 4 opportunities to purchase apple goodies to your heart’s content. Just present your volunteer badge at checkout to take advantage of the discount and the final weeks of mouthwatering deliciousness.

DON’T FORGET

There are a couple of very important "don’t forgets" coming up:

• Don’t forget that there will not be a fall Follow the North Star this year. This program is being revamped and we will let you know when it returns.
• Don’t forget that our volunteer fiscal year is changing. Any hours you record in November and December will be counted towards your 2019 total, giving you an extra 2 months to earn hours – and 100 hours earns you a free basic membership.

UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS

The following volunteer opportunities will be or are posted in Volgistics. Sign up for your favorite events and programs during the months listed below. You will receive email notification when each opportunity is open and ready for self-scheduling: