Registration Is Now Open For People That Want to Volunteer At The 2014 Boston Marathon
Much like the spots to run in the 2014 Boston Marathon, volunteer positions to help on race day are bound to fill up fast.
On Monday, the Boston Athletic Association, which runs the annual event, opened up online registration for people that want to lend a helping hand in April when runners hit the pavement and travel from Hopkinton to Boylston Street.
Because next year’s race will mark the first anniversary since the Boston Marathon bombings, there was increased interest for runners to sign up for the event, and race organizers expect the case will be the same for volunteer positions, so they are urging people to get their applications in fast.
“The 2014 Boston Marathon will be a special event for the City of Boston and the sport, and we are working hard to prepare for the event,” according to a statement from the B.A.A. “We’re currently preparing for a field size of 36,000 runners and 10,000 loyal volunteers. The commitment of our volunteers has always been paramount to the success of the Boston Marathon.”
Besides runners that qualified this year, those that were unable to finish following the bombings were invited back in 2014, adding thousands of runners to the already-crowded event.
The Globe reported in November that the charities allotted bibs have also been overwhelmed with people willing to participate and raise money.
From the report:
Dream Big!, a nonprofit that helps low-income girls play sports, has 200 applications for 15 bibs— up from 50 for the 2013 race. Inquiries about joining Team Red Cross started the day of the attack and applications for 35 slots hit 190, compared with last year’s 75.
Because of the increase in runners, organizers said they need more help—that’s why they opened the application process early, and are calling for roughly 1,500 more volunteers than usual. “We are expecting an outpouring of support,” Elisabeth Worthing, who coordinates the volunteer program, told Runner’s World Newswire.
While merely being part of what will become an historically significant event is reward enough, volunteers that are picked to help out get a little something more, according to race organizers. “While we understand you will most likely never forget your time volunteering, as a parting gift we present each volunteer with a Boston Marathon commemorative pin,” they said on their volunteer page. “Another exciting part of being a volunteer is wearing the Boston Marathon Adidas volunteer jacket as you carry out your volunteer duties.”
Each volunteer over the age of 21 also receives a complimentary ticket to the Post-Race Party, “offering another way to share and celebrate your volunteer accomplishments with other members of the Boston Marathon community.”
Organizers said they usually receive 1,000 more applications than they have jobs to fill, and this year especially, they expect that number to increase. They advise first-time volunteers to select a job in Hopkinton, rather than the Finish Line, to increase their chances of getting position. Registration online ends in January.
Volunteers that are picked for race day will be notified by the B.A.A. on or around Monday, February 24, 2014.
