The Friends School Plant Sale is entirely volunteer-run. Over 800 people are needed to do everything from building display tables to shelving plants, and from tallying up orders to packing it all up after the sale is over.
Each year, volunteers are invited to shop at the presale, Thursday evening from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Each volunteer is expected to work four hours. Shifts generally are from 7 or 8 am to 12 noon; from 12 noon to 4 p.m., 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and sometimes 8 p.m. until midnight. Find out about your specific shift time when you sign up.
Volunteers can sign up at volunteer.friendsschoolplantsale.com from now through the sale on Mother’s Day weekend in May.
Here is an overview of the types of volunteer jobs available.
ONGOING TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY
Volunteer Desk
Shifts throughout the day most of the week. Using a computer, check volunteers in as they arrive. Hand out shirts/aprons/hats, name tags. Do miscellaneous tasks as needed. Comfort with computer data entry very important.
SETUP (before the sale)
Packup/unload
Monday
Ability to lift 30 pounds
Lifting and bending
Remove items from storage at school and load into truck. Unpack this truck and large semi full of lumber at Grandstand. Move lumber and items on carts to locations inside the Grandstand for table setup.
Unload truck and table construction
Monday
Ability to lift 30 pounds
Lifting and bending
Comfort with drills and screwdrivers (bring own power tool if possible)
Unpack large semi full of lumber at Grandstand. Move lumber and items on carts to locations inside the Grandstand for table setup. Assemble tables with a partner (with instructions).
Volunteers working up to or after 11:00 pm should bring a flashlight because the Fairgrounds’ exterior lights are not always lit after 11:00.
Table construction
Monday, Tuesday
Ability to lift 20 pounds
Lifting and bending
Comfort with drills and screwdrivers (bring own power tool if possible)
Assemble tables with a partner (with instructions). Hang strings for signs along the top of the tables.
Outdoor Setup
Tuesday
Ability to lift 20 pounds
Lifting and bending
Comfort with drills and screwdrivers (bring own power tool if possible)
Assemble tables with a partner (with instructions) or shrub sign stands. Hang signs sign stands or fences.
Table signage
Tuesday
Detail orientation and ability to measure accurately and follow directions carefully
Assist with measuring spaces on tables for plants and mark with temporary signs. Hang plant signs above tables with clips so that two clips (top and bottom) are on each sign. Do not try to share clips with a sign from the other side of the table.
Lily Shop construction
Tuesday
Ability to lift 30 pounds
Lifting and bending
Work with a team to set up grocery-store-style shelving system to hold the bulbs and bareroots; hang signs in appropriate places for the bulbs.
Hanging basket frame construction
Tuesday
Ability to lift 30 pounds
Lifting and bending
Work with a team to set up large frames for hanging baskets and move them as needed.
Section sign hanging
Tuesday
Ability to lift 30 pounds
Lifting and bending
Able to work 10 - 20 feet above the floor
Work on cherry picker to hang signs from the ceiling.
2 people operate from a height.
A third person assists from the floor.
Volunteers working up to or after 11:00 pm should bring a flashlight because the Fairgrounds’ exterior lights are not always lit after 11:00.
Plant receiving
Wednesday, Thursday
Ability to lift 20 pounds
Lifting and bending continuously throughout shift
Move plants from trucks to staging areas within Grandstand, and then place them in their assigned table locations. Knowledge of plants useful but not necessary. Bring gardening or work gloves!
Bulb bagging
Wednesday, Thursday
Work standing up throughout shift; otherwise, low physical demands
Place required number of bulbs or roots in each bag, staple bag shut with label provided, and place in bin.
Cashier area setup
Thursday
Ability to lift 30 pounds
Lifting and bending
May require tool use
Set up tables and chairs, run extension cords, hang signage. Assemble row dividers (locate buckets, assemble pieces, fill bucket with water, connect with rope).
Price sticking and plant labeling
Thursday
Standing and walking throughout
Detail orientation
Place price sticks or plant label sticks one per plant or pack in flats as directed.
Shelf checking
Thursday
Standing and walking throughout
Lifting and bending (less demanding than other areas)
Detail orientation
Plant knowledge, familiarity with our catalog and past sales required.
Assist a Plant Sale committee member as they check a section to find mislocated plants and assess plant condition. Take notes and run errands as needed.
Contact if you think you’re suited to this job.
DURING THE SALE
Tidying, shelving
Thursday - Sunday
Ability to lift 15 pounds
Lifting and bending
When you sign up, pick which section you will cover. Consolidate partial flats of plants into fewer flats, raise plants from lower shelves to the most visible shelves as needed. Locate stray plants and put in collection areas. Reshelve stray plants.
Watering
Wednesday - Sunday
Ability to lift 20 pounds
Lifting and bending
Use a mobile pump-action watering system. Be sensitive to which plants need watering and give them a drink. Water thoroughly.
Greeters
Thursday evening, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Usually must stand throughout shift
Outgoing personality
Familiarity with previous sales useful (one person per shift at least)
Hand clipboard, map, shopping sheet and pencil to ALL shoppers who enter. Explain briefly about recording purchases. Answer other questions as needed.
Cashiers
Thursday evening, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
No standing required
Must be Friends School parent, alum, staff, grandparent or close relative
Comfort with making change
Take cash and checks from shoppers, make change. Process credit cards. Direct shoppers to exit/exterior area where they can leave plants at curb.
Tallyers
Thursday evening, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Comfort with math and calculators; training provided.
If you haven’t done this before, arrive 15 minutes early.
Speak to each person in your line. Review their sheet and total their purchases. Write totals on sheet.
Line chutes directors
Thursday evening, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Must stand throughout shift
Outgoing personality
Stands at the beginning of the chutes and directs shoppers to the shortest line (keep the line moving!!!)
Line walkers
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Must stand throughout shift
Outgoing personality
Check with all shoppers in the line if it is longer than the chutes to see if they have their form filled out. Spot check some lists (especially big ticket items) to make sure the items are recorded on the shoppers’ forms.
Master Gardeners
Thursday evening, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
No standing required
Must be official Master Gardener
Familiarize self with catalog before sale
Answer questions and help shoppers with plant selection
Clipboard runners
Thursday evening, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Able to run or walk fast, stand a lot waiting for things
Move clipboards and pencils from cashiers to greeters
Black flat pickup
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Walking and bending
Circulate throughout sale picking up empty flats, bring to one location and group with like flats
External line organizers
Friday, Sunday
Must work outdoors
Outgoing personality
Keep line organized and make experience pleasant for people waiting
“Line ends here” sign holder
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Stand throughout shift
Outgoing personality
Ability to hold sign up for four hours
Stand at end of either regular line or express line if they are longer than the chutes. Give shoppers estimates of how long the wait is. If regular line, tell those with 8 or fewer items to use Express line, if Express line tell those with 9 or more items to use regular line. If lines do not exceed the chutes, help at price check desk and be ready to go back with sign if the line builds up.
Bulbs and Bareroots
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Standing
Review catalog before the sale–particularly items marked “in bulbs and bareroots”
Answer questions and help shoppers find things. Bulb knowledge useful.
Info Desk Assistant
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Sitting and standing
Knowledge of plants helpful
Experience with the sale
Comfortable with computers
Answer questions from shoppers; look up prices for plants; help total orders for people who have written nothing down and need to start from scratch.
FSM info
Friday
Parent, staff or alum / alum parent
Answer questions about FSM and share publications. Answer questions about the sale as needed.
Rare Plants booth
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Stand throughout shift
Plant knowledge necessary; review catalog beforehand
Ability to lift 30 pounds helpful
Answer questions, hand people plants, store large pot items for later pickup.
Curbside loading
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Stand throughout shift
Ability to lift 20 pounds
Hand out numbers to shoppers who leave their plants; help them load their plants when they return with their car. Make sure only person with the right number loads plants.
Inventory
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Stand/walk throughout shift
Detail orientation
Same person must work all inventory shifts throughout sale (Friday at 8, Saturday at 6, Sunday at 4 p.m.)
Record number of flats left on table for each plant in assigned sections. Consolidate flats somewhat to help count. Move plants that are in the wrong place to middle of aisle for reshelving.
Floor sweeper
Friday, Saturday
Stand/walk throughout shift
Sweep floors as directed
Box pickup
Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Comfortable driving a truck
Able to lift 10-20 pounds
Drive to locations in the neighborhood and pick up stacks of strawberry flats, bring to Grandstand and unload
Saturday morning plant receiving/shelving
Saturday
Ability to lift 20 pounds
Lifting and bending continuously throughout shift
Return shopping carts from west end to east end when you arrive. Unload trucks and move plants from truck to floor staging area, and then from staging areas to table locations. Knowledge of plants helpful.
Sunday setup
Sunday
Ability to lift 20 pounds
Lifting and bending continuously throughout shift
Help with tasks as directed
Post-sale manager
Sunday
Managerial and people-skills required.
Oversee the distribution of leftover plants
CLEAN UP (after the sale)
Table disassembly
Sunday
Ability to lift 30 pounds
Lifting and bending
Comfort with drills and screwdrivers (bring own power tool if possible)
Disassemble tables as they become empty and move lumber to truck
Miscellaneous disassembly
Sunday
Ability to lift 50 pounds
Lifting and bending
Disassemble hanging plant frames, disassemble line chute markers, take down section signs with cherry picker
Truck loading
Sunday
Ability to lift 50 pounds
Lifting and bending
Heavy, strenuous work.
Volunteers working up to or after 11:00 pm should bring a flashlight because the Fairgrounds’ exterior lights are not always lit after 11:00.
Hauling to school
Monday (after the sale)
Ability to lift 50 pounds
Lifting and bending
Requires transportation means for about 2 miles distance.
Organizing at school
Monday (after the sale)
Ability to lift 50 pounds
Lifting and bending
Organizing skills helpful.
Some positions may be sitting.
Labeling, filing, organizing supplies.