Volunteering is required to be able to keep our club running smoothly. Gateway Skating Club requires each family to fulfil volunteer hours. How many hours are required depends on what level your skater is.

*There is no required Volunteering for Gateway Academy Skaters, only to the skaters who register for the additional ‘Plus-Next Step’ program.

Time Period & Tracking

Volunteering must be completed by June 30th of the skating season.  Any volunteer credits completed during the summer months will be applied to the upcoming skating season.

Volunteer hours that are not fulfilled by June 30th are subject to a fee of $50/hour.

Members are responsible for tracking their volunteer hours to ensure completion.

Types of Opportunities

Opportunities may include (but are not limited to):

• Canskate: Check-in Table, Dressing Room Attendant

• Gateway Challenge: Check-In Table, Dressing Room Assistant, Flower & Apparel Sales, etc.

• Christmas Ice Show: Dressing Room Assistant, Costume Collection, Decoration Set-up / Take-down, Flower & Apparel Sales, etc.

• Board members: Meetings, Coordination and Administration duties, other duties as needs arise

Sign-up and Cancellations

Signing up for shifts will be done through Uplifter.  Shifts will be available on a first come, first served basis unless a minimum requirement has already been met.  Priority will be given to those with uncompleted volunteer hours.

Any family member aged 14 and up may assist in fulfilling the volunteer hours.  The volunteer coordinator should be notified if the person signed-up is not the person who will be volunteering.

If a volunteer must miss a shift, they may send a suitable substitute and notify the volunteer coordinator.  If a substitute is not possible, the volunteer coordinator should be notified as early as possible of the cancellation.

Opt-Out Policy

Families may choose to pay a fee in lieu of earning volunteer credits.  Volunteering opt-out must be done at the time of registration.  To do so, the Opt-Out Volunteering option must be selected and $50 will be added to the invoice immediately.  The remainder will be invoiced at the conclusion of the skating season.  These opt out fees do not apply to Excluded Volunteering identified later in this document.

Volunteering opt-out fee: $50/hour (for required hours, refer to table above)

Credits for Additional Volunteer Hours*

For members that volunteer in excess of their minimum hours, a credit may be applied to their account at a rate of $50/hour to a maximum of $175/month.  To be eligible for credits, members must be asked to take on additional shifts and the credits for the additional hours must be approved in advance.

Approval for credits will be contingent upon the availability of others who have not completed their mandatory volunteer hours.

Credit usage - Credits may be used for club fees and intra-club events only.  Credits may not be used for private lessons, merchandise, nor external events such as competitions.  Credits may not be redeemed for cash value.  In the event that a skater leaves the club, any credits will be forfeited.

*This clause will come into effect July 1, 2024.

Excluded Volunteering

Any volunteering required for a spring ice show will be over and above the minimum yearly requirements.  Only families with skaters participating in this show will be required to fulfill volunteer shifts.

Volunteer shifts will vary in time and quantity.  Every effort will be made to balance commitments fairly.

Ice Show Volunteering requirements cannot be opted out of.

NO SHOW or CANCELLATION of Shift

Once your shift is confirmed, if you are unable to complete the shift, you must find your own replacement and inform the mandatory shift coordinator and executive member in charge of the change. The person replacing you will be credited with the hours unless the mandatory shift coordinator is informed otherwise.

Mandatory Volunteering for Ice Shows/Challenges

There will be volunteering requirements that are separate from the yearly requirements. These are Ice shows or Challenges where the families of the registrants in those shows will be required to volunteer time or skills to help ensure these special shows can happen. You will be notified upon registration of these shows what is needed. *These shifts cannot be opted out of.

Online Sign Up Instructions