June 14, 2019

Come volunteer at the 2019 Native American Festival

June 14, 2019/ Jill Sawyer

On July 6th, from 10 am to 3 pm the Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market will celebrate its 26th year! The festival is an opportunity to meet and mingle with local Native artists and see their amazing work, all while learning about contemporary Wabanaki art and culture. And in order to make it happen, we could use your help! Read on to see this year’s needs – just a few hours of your time will have a big impact.

If you are interested in lending a hand, please contact Jill Sawyer at 207-288-3519 or jill@abbemuseum.org. We can't wait to work with you!

SPECIFIC TIME COMMITMENT

SET UP & BREAKDOWN (7 AM & 3 PM)
Volunteers assisting with Set Up and Breakdown will be on hand to transform the backyard into the Native American Festival...and back again. There are 2 opportunities to help -- set up will be taking place on Saturday, July 6 before the event opens at 7 am and breakdown will be directly after the festival closes at 3 pm.

ARTIST SET UP ASSISTANTS (8 AM)
Once the event is set up it is time for the artists to come in and make it come alive. We could use a handful of people to help artists get settled and assist in their booth set up. Set up will begin at 8 am on Saturday, July 6 and end at 10 am.

HALF/FULL DAY OPPORTUNITIES

GREETERS (TWO SHIFTS: 10 AM – 12:30 PM; 12:30 – 3 PM)
Stationed at an entrance to the backyard, greeters will be responsible for orienting visitors, answering questions, and taking donations. It’s a fun and easy way to help out, all while enjoying the beautiful July weather.
**Must be comfortable handling cash.

REFRESHMENTS TABLE (TWO SHIFTS: 10 AM – 12:30 PM; 12:30 – 3 PM)
Help visitors maintain their energy as they visit with and buy from the artists by helping out at our refreshments table. The table will be stocked with an assortment of goodies for you to sell and is sure to be a great way to mingle with everyone at the event.
**Must be comfortable handling cash.

April 12, 2019

Join us at the 2019 Abbe Museum Indian Market!

April 12, 2019/ Jill Sawyer

This May the Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) is all set to take over Bar Harbor’s Village Green once again for a weekend long celebration of Native art and artists. And we could use your help!

As a volunteer you will experience AMIM in a way the average visitor will not. You'll meet interesting people, be inspired by amazing artists, and learn about different Indigenous cultures from across North America. All while supporting a great cause and giving back to your community!

Volunteer opportunities are listed below. If something catches your eye contact Jill Sawyer at jill@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519 to sign-up or learn more.

Thank you in advance for your support, we are excited to work with you!

Half/Full Day Opportunities

Saturday - 10 am to 1:30 pm, 1:30 to 5 pm / Sunday - 10 am to 1 pm, 1 to 4 pm

GREETERS

Stationed at an entrance to the event, greeters will be responsible for orienting visitors and will take turns doing walking the Village Green to make sure everyone is having a great time. It’s a fun and easy way to help out, all while meeting new people and enjoying the beautiful May weather.

ABBE BOOTH

Like greeters, volunteers stationed at the Abbe Booth will be on hand to address visitor needs. This involves answering questions, chatting about other Abbe Museum initiatives, or selling AMIM merchandise. If you get excited about giving directions or have a lot of opinions on where to get the best food in town, this may be a good fit for you!

ARTIST LIAISON

Assigned to a specific section of the event, this role will be responsible for making sure that the artists attending the Market are taken care of. This encompasses anything from handing out snacks, giving them breaks, or just chatting with them about their experience - a little bit of your time will have a big impact!

Specific Time Commitment

SET UP or BREAKDOWN
Saturday, May 18 from 7 to 9 am / Sunday, May 19 from 4 to 6 pm

Volunteers assisting with Set Up and Breakdown will be on hand to transform the Village Green into the Abbe Museum Indian Market...and back again. Kind of like a fairy godmother, but with tools instead of a magic wand! Set up will be taking place on Saturday morning, with breakdown occurring on Sunday evening.

FASHION DESIGNER ASSISTANTS
Saturday, May 18 from 1 to 8 pm

See some amazing Native designed clothing up close and get to meet the artists behind the looks, by volunteering as a designer’s assistant at this year’s Abbe Museum Indian Market Fashion Show. In this role you will be assigned to help one designer in the hours leading up to the show, this could involve anything from fitting models to steaming garments and beyond. Assistants will need to be on hand from 1 pm on Saturday to the close of the show.

FASHION SHOW MODELS
Saturday, May 18 from 1 to 8 pm

We’re looking for volunteer models to walk the runway in the Abbe Museum Indian Market Fashion Show on Saturday, May 18. Here’s your chance to strut your stuff in some fabulous Native designed clothing representing everything from couture looks to street wear. Models will need to be available on Saturday at 1 pm, with the show being from 6 - 7.

July 18, 2017

Have fun and lend a hand at the Abbe Midsummer!

July 18, 2017/ Abbe Museum/ Jill Sawyer

Photo courtesy of rogier van bakel, eager eye photography

Come celebrate with us at the inaugural Abbe Midsummer on Thursday, August 3rd. The Midsummer is our biggest fundraising event of the year and your help will play a huge part in its success. Alongside directly supporting the mission of the Abbe Museum, volunteers also get to meet and hang out with fun people, see beautiful artwork, and be part of an event that is unlike any other this summer. Below is the list of tasks, each an important element in making the Midsummer AMAZING – there's definitely something on here that you would be perfect for, and we will do our best to make sure that you are assigned roles that fit your strengths and interests!

PARKING ATTENDANTS

Stationed at Conners-Emerson School, the parking attendants will help direct guests to an Oli’s Trolley pick up area. Taking turns one attendant will ride back to the museum with guests to help them get oriented, before riding back to the school. Volunteers in this role will have good energy and be able to keep guests excited about the Midsummer as they are making their way to the event.

SILENT AUCTION CREW
Working at an assigned table, Silent Auction volunteers will manage a variety of responsibilities. This includes chatting with and encouraging bidders and providing information about items and artists. You will also monitor bids and keep bid sheets organized, as well as handle any absentee bids at your station. This is a great way to interact with and have fun with our guests!

LIVE AUCTION CREW
For the Live Auction, we will need a couple volunteers to point out raised paddles and record winning bids. During the paddle raise this team will collect and organize paddles in preparation for check-out. This is your chance to get caught up in the excitement of the live auction and paddle raise!

WRAP & PACK CREW
The Wrap and Pack Crew will make sure that auction items are appropriately packaged and tagged in anticipation of the end of the evening. At check-out, this team will be responsible for monitoring the pick-up table and making sure guests get their items in a timely fashion.

CHECK-OUT CREW
Once the event ends the Check-Out Crew will be on hand to assist guests in paying for their items/donations before they head home for the night. Check out will be divided into two sections with volunteers assisting with both regular and express check-out. Be sure to have good energy and keep guests excited until the very end of the evening.

If you're available on August 3rd from 4:00 to 10:00 pm and would like to lend a hand, contact Jill at 207-288-3519 or volunteer@abbemuseum.org. From there you will be sent a packet with more information about the Midsummer, your assignments, and the specific requirements of each task. Leading up to the Midsummer, we will be hosting an orientation/pizza night -- there you will get a sneak peek of the event, meet some of your fellow volunteers, and get to chow down on free pizza!

For a fun way to give back to your community, consider signing up to volunteer at the Abbe Midsummer today! We can't wait to work with you -- and, as always, THANK YOU for your support!

Jill Sawyer is the Abbe Museum's Advancement & Gallery Associate. She provides advancement support for the income generating activities and daily operations of the Abbe Museum and is also responsible for building and strengthening relationships with Native artists. In 2013 she spent 3 months in Manila, Philippines, evaluating the Museo Pambata’s Mobile Library Program. This experience became the foundation for her master’s thesis, which discusses the importance of advocacy and community outreach in museums.

June 26, 2017

We could use your help at the Native American Festival!

June 26, 2017/ College of the Atlantic/ Jill Sawyer

On July 8th, from 10 am to 4 pm at College of the Atlantic, the Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market will celebrate its 24th year! The Festival is a rare opportunity to meet local artists and see their amazing work, all while learning about contemporary Wabanaki art and culture. But in order to make it happen, we need your help.

Below are the volunteer needs for this year's Festival - there's sure to be something that you would be a great fit for!

PARKING ATTENDANTS (TWO SHIFTS: 9 AM - 12:30 PM; 12:30 - 4 PM)
Armed with walkie-talkies and fluorescent vests, the parking team will direct people to appropriate parking areas and keep an eye out for open spots. It’s like a live-action game of Tetris!

ABBE INFORMATION BOOTH ATTENDANT (TWO SHIFTS: 10 AM - 1 PM; 1 - 4 PM)
At the Abbe Museum's information booth you will get to talk about all of the amazing things that are happening at the Museum: from the Abbe Midsummer to the Abbe Museum Indian Market. It's a front row seat to the festival and a great way to meet interesting people.

ACTIVITY TABLE ATTENDANT (TWO SHIFTS: 10 AM - 1 PM; 1 - 4 PM)
Also at the Abbe Museum booth is an activity table that is a hit with our younger visitors. Here you will be in charge of touch-tables, crafts, or storytelling sessions. Tap into your inner child and have a great time!

Your support directly affects the mission of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance to save the ancient ash and sweetgrass basketry traditions among the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Tribes in Maine. Just a few hours of your time can have a huge impact.

If you are interested in lending a hand, please contact Jill Sawyer at 207-288-3519 or jill@abbemuseum.org. We can't wait to work with you!