Volunteering with the Children's Water Festival
The Haliburton Muskoka Children's Water Festival is a fun and educational event for everyone, including volunteers.  You will be in the gorgeous Haliburton Highlands as the leaves are turning. You will spend the day playing with water and having the joy of seeing young faces come alive with understanding.
Approximately 70 volunteers are needed each day to help run the Festival. HMCWF is tremendously fortunate in having about half of our volunteers from the Trent University environmental studies program. The remainder of our volunteers are recruited from the local community.
Why should I help?
The Haliburton-Muskoka Children's Water Festival helps shape children's attitudes about respecting and conserving valuable water resources so they can ensure a reliable water supply for the future. About 70 volunteers are needed each day to staff the activity centres. Volunteers will help with running activities, act as greeters, directing groups through the site, and helping to keep the grounds safe and tidy.
Who will attend the Festival?
About 300 students from Grades 4 and 6 will attend each day of the Festival from the Trillium Lakelands District School Board which encompasses schools from Georgian Bay, Muskoka, Huntsville, Haliburton to Lindsay, and perhaps beyond. Students who are home schooled or attend private schools also attend.
What happens at the event?
 The Festival has 35 hands-on activities that will challenge students to consider the importance of water to themselves as individuals, and to society at large. The activities follow five themes: Water Conservation, Water Protection, Water Science, Water Technology and Changing Attitudes.
Each activity has one or two simple messages. Materials are available for background and instructions for each activity.
What do you get for helping out?
All volunteers will receive a certificate of appreciation, a Water Festival T-shirt and lunch. You will also:
- increase your network
- meet new people
- become involved in your community
- engage children in new concepts
- build your resume
How much time is needed?
A minimum one-day commitment is necessary, from 8 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m. that day. If you would like to volunteer for more than just one day, please do!
What is a typical day at the Festival like?
 8 a.m.—Arrive at the Kinark Outdoor Centre and meet at the welcoming tent. After checking in and meeting your activity centre partner(s) you will be taken to your activity centre. There will be time for you to try the activity yourself, and make sure you are comfortable with leading the activity. There will be Marshalls dedicated to each area of the festival, they will be there to assist with the activities or to fill in so volunteers can take a break and explore the rest of the festival!
9:30 to 10:00 a.m.—About 300 elementary students will arrive, get oriented and hit the activities.
11: 45 - 12:30—Lunch is provided to volunteers at the Kinark Dining Hall. There is no food available for sale on site. If you have a large appetite, feel free to bring your own snacks. (Litterless ones, please!) Feel free to bring a reusable mug for coffee, too - it will be supplied throughout the morning.
After lunch—Return to your activity. Students will be eager to continue with their festival experience.
Approximately 2:30—Clean up your station and take inventory. Please advise organizing staff of any and all malfunctioning equipment, or anything that the activity will need stocked up for the following day. Return to the registration area for a quick wrap-up session and to fill out an evaluation form. Head back to school, or head home.
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