Each participating charity must agree to provide the following 13 key volunteers.
It is essential for each volunteer to have an e-mail address that is used on a regular basis.
Chief Hostess or Host (1): This position is the single point of contact for the assigned home.
Mandatory training (2 sessions plus 1-2 visits to the assigned home) will be in late April and late August and will address:
- Understanding the tour purpose, organizational structure, and requirements
- Determining the number of Hostesses/Hosts needed for tour days
- Working along with Caller Committee volunteers to ensure trained volunteers for all shifts
- Establishing traffic patterns within the assigned home (determined during a visit to the home)
- Preparing tour scripts for the room hostesses/hosts
- Managing the shift schedules
- Obtaining and maintaining Hostess/Host supplies
- Organizing snacks and beverages for the volunteers during “tour days”
- Training room volunteers before the start of each shift
- Completing daily reports
The Chief Hostess must be available the weekend of the Home Tour but is not required to be on-site for both days if coverage is supplied by the co-hostesses/hosts.
Co-Hostesses or Hosts (3): These people share the responsibilities of the Chief Hostess/Host in all the categories shown above and are required to attend all training as above. One member of this team shall act as the “Expeditor”.
- Co-hostesses/hosts act in full capacity of the Chief Hostess/Host as required, during the Tour shifts and must be available during the Tour dates.
- The Expeditor shall oversee all aspects of ticket sales at the home during the tour. Special training will
be provided. The Expeditor shall also be responsible for pick up of home tour supplies from the
storage shed and return of supplies after the tour.
Traffic Captain (1): During the tour, this person is responsible for all aspects of land and marine traffic at the charity’s assigned home, including parking of vehicles, docking of boats, managing the volunteers, coordination with the chief hostess, and safety.
Mandatory training (2 sessions plus 1 visit to the assigned home) will be in late April and late August and will address:
- Understanding the tour purpose, organizational structure, and requirements
- Determining the number of Parkers and Dockers needed
- Establishing traffic patterns to the assigned home (determined during a visit to the home)
- Managing the shift schedules
- Learning to use the radios to control traffic
- Obtaining and maintaining traffic supplies
- Training traffic volunteers before the start of each shift
- Completing daily reports
The Traffic Captain must be available the weekend of the Home Tour but is not required to be on-site if coverage is provided by one or more of the Traffic Co-Captains.
Traffic Co-Captains (2): These people share the responsibilities of the Traffic Captain in all the categories shown above and are required to attend all training as indicated above.
- Co-Captains act in full capacity of Traffic Captain, as required, during the Tour shifts and must be available during the Tour dates.
Auction Solicitor Chair (1): This person chairs a committee of charity volunteers who are responsible for contacting businesses and individuals to secure items or services for the auction.
Mandatory Training (1 session in early April; 2 “turn-in” times in July and August) will address:
- Describing appropriate (best-selling) items
- Describing the benefits of having a product or service included in the Auction
- Making initial contact and follow-up with businesses
- Completing required documentation
- Ensuring proper delivery of the item or service documentation to the designated location.
Auction Workers (2): These volunteers need to be available to work the day before the Gala (possibly 2 days, depending on the site) and the day of the Gala.
Mandatory training (1 session in late August) will address:
- Transporting items from the storage facility to the auction site
- Setting up the displays
- Monitoring the displays during the Gala
- Cleaning up
Sponsor Home Team Chair (1): This person chairs a committee of charity volunteers who are responsible for making follow-up phone calls to potential sponsors for their assigned home and completing the form for each business solicited. The list of potential sponsors is provided by the homeowner.
Mandatory training (1 session in March/April) will address:
- The levels of sponsorship sought and the associated benefits
- Making the call
- Completing the documentation to assure correct billing
Web Caller (1): The Web Caller ( who must use e-mail and be able to send and receive files and attachments in Word and Excel) will solicit volunteers by phone and then schedule them as hostesses and traffic helpers for specific shifts at their assigned home during the days of the tour. (This person may have a charity committee to help with the calling.) The web caller will enter all the volunteer data directly onto the CHT volunteer web site. A “lake-based caller” will be assigned to solicit lake area residents to help staff the house.
Mandatory training (1 session March/April) will address:
- Frequent communication with the Web Lake caller to insure adequate volunteers for each shift
- Using your personal contacts
- Using your charity volunteer and Board of Directors’ lists
- Using the contact lists provided by the tour
- Calling until your assigned home is fully staffed
- Learning how to process the data onto the web site
- Adhering to the specified time frames
- Sending confirmation cards or electronic confirmation to volunteers
Poster Distribution (1): Volunteer will work on a committee to distribute Posters and Brochures the first week of August. This person will be assigned to a specific area (close to where he or she lives or frequents).
Mandatory training (1 session in late July/Aug.) will address:
- Placing posters in every possible location within a specific area
- Placing brochures and brochure containers in as many locations as possible within the assigned area
- Keeping a running list of all locations where posters and/or brochures were placed