Volunteering Information
Thank you for your interest in volunteering at the Palo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run & Walk!
Volunteers are an essential part of making the evening safe and successful and we need dozens of youth and adult volunteers, including experienced trail bike riders interested in monitoring the course.
Although we do our best to place everyone in their preferred positions, we sometimes ask volunteers to switch to a higher need station. All volunteers will check in at the volunteer tent first on race night before proceeding to their assigned location. Your volunteering assignment determines where you will check in:
Volunteer Check-In: located at the intersection of Embarcadero Rd. and Faber Place (across from the Honda dealership). Course monitors, refreshment volunteers, finish line helpers and bike monitors should check-in at this location. Kiwanis Club adult members should check-in at their preassigned location at the Baylands Athletic Center.
- Parents dropping off and picking up youth volunteers will do so at the Volunteer Check-in tent noted above, beginning at 5 p.m.
- Detailed information and maps will be emailed prior to the event to all volunteers.
- If you have any questions or issues please email moonlightrun@paweekly.com
Volunteer positions on race course
Course Monitors:
Volunteers assisting as course monitors will be helping with one of the most important tasks of the evening: directing the participants along the race course. Volunteers who are under 18 and assigned to this role will be placed in pairs with an adult along the route to cheer on the runners and staff the water stations. Training will be provided on race night.
Please be mindful of which shift you sign up for and any other commitments you may have on race night. Due to the nature of the course in the Baylands, it is not possible to leave early.
You will be provided with a race t-shirt and a safety vest, plus a lanyard with key personnel contact phone numbers. Bring your fully charged cell phone, a warm jacket and a flashlight.
Minimum age is 15 years old or 10th grade.
Lead Course Monitors (must be over 18):
Lead Course Monitors are adults who will be helping with one of the most important tasks of the evening: directing the participants along the race course and monitoring for any problems or injuries. Volunteers signed up for this role will be placed at key turns along the race course along with several youth volunteers. Volunteers in this role should be 18 years or older. No experience is necessary - all training will be provided on race night.
Due to the nature of the course along the Baylands, it is not possible to leave early.
You will be provided with a race t-shirt and a safety vest, plus a lanyard with key personnel contact phone numbers. Bring your fully charged cell phone, a warm jacket and a flashlight.
Lead Bike/Bike Course Monitors (must be over 18):
Volunteers in this role will ride their bike on an assigned section of the course to monitor the race, check on course monitors and advise key personnel of any falls or injuries. No experience or special training is needed other than riding a bike.
Bring bike, helmet, and headlamp, plus fully charged cell phone.
Volunteer positions at race venue
General Check-in (Bibs and t-shirts)
Volunteers helping with this task will assist participants with general check-in for their race. Hand out bibs and t-shirts. Bring reading glasses if needed.
Late Registration/Day of Registration (Must be 18 or over)
Volunteers helping with this task will assist participants with late registration and day of check-in for their race, and/or register on-site. Bring reading glasses if needed.
Start/Finish Line Crowd Control
This is a fun task for volunteers who would like to be located in the heart of all the action. At the start/finish area, volunteers assisting with this task will cheer runners as they finish their race, help aid in traffic moving in the right directions, and may help with handing out half marathon finisher medals.
Bag Check Monitor (Must be over 18)
Volunteers assisting with bag check will help facilitate a bag check for race participants. Participants will be able to check in and check out their warmer layers or other items while they participate in their race.
Refreshments
Refreshments volunteers will assist at preparing the post-race refreshments table on the baseball field with tasks such as cutting up fruit and pastries and distributing them to the participants.
Volunteer Check-in (Must be over 18)
Volunteers helping in this position will assist our staff in checking in course volunteers. This includes the check in process on tablets, handing out t-shirts and pizza, and assigning volunteers to a location on the route.
