Volunteer Requirements
In order for our programs to work, we need volunteers. To make sure we have a consistent stream of volunteer hours, we have created the following volunteer requirements (the requirements are per family, so if you have 2 skaters in a family, you do not double the hours):
All skaters (regardless of type of membership) who participate in Saint Louis Synergy Synchronized Skating must volunteer at least 10 hours between June 1 and March 31. These hours can be spent on any club event that does not have its own volunteer hour requirement, e.g., volunteer hours for Nutcracker on Ice will not count toward the 10 hour Synergy requirement if the skater participates in Nutcracker on Ice.
All skaters (regardless of whether a member or not) who participate in Nutcracker on Ice must volunteer at least 4 hours for Nutcracker on Ice. (Mere skating in an exhibition for the show does not count as “participating” in Nutcracker on Ice.)
Donation of 3-5 food/hospitality items to club events throughout the year is also requested.
Many activities count toward your volunteer requirement outside of Nutcracker on Ice . These include working on the summer show, fundraising events that benefit the club, club ice monitor, service on MEFSC committees, and Synergy team related activities, such as organizing team activities, playing music at practice or serving as team manager or costume manager. However, chaperoning does not count toward your volunteer hours due to the direct benefit of transportation and lodging (although we acknowledge that chaperoning involves a lot of work!)
A check for the Synergy volunteer buyout equal to $300 must be submitted with the Synergy contract. Your membership will not be submitted to USFS until the $300 check is delivered. The synchro treasurer will hold the check until the annual MEFSC meeting in April, and will be returned to you at that time if your volunteer commitment has been satisfied. If you have not satisfied the commitment by the annual MEFSC meeting, the check will be cashed following the meeting. If you served some but not all hours, you have the option to give the treasurer a check for the hours not served at the annual meeting and your original $300 check will be returned.
A check for the Nutcracker on Ice volunteer buyout equal to $100 must be submitted with the Nutcracker on Ice application. The club treasurer will hold the check until after the shows have concluded, and it will be returned to you when the dress deposit is returned, if your volunteer commitment has been satisfied. If you have not satisfied the commitment by the last show, the check will be cashed around the following Monday. If you served some but not all hours, you have the option to give the treasurer a check for the hours not served at the shows and your original $100 check will be returned.
If you prefer to buy out of your volunteer commitment, please contact the synchro treasurer (for the Synchro volunteer requirement) or the club treasurer (for the NOI volunteer requirement).