VOLUNTEER AT ARC
ARC welcomes volunteers year-round serving shifts for a few hours, a day, a weekend, or a week at a time in a homelike atmosphere supporting sponsored, private, and group retreats.
Volunteers help in the kitchen with table setting, basic meal preparation, and clearing and washing dishes, especially when we have large group retreats on weekends.
Other volunteer jobs include spending time helping in the garden, in the woodshed, with housekeeping or office related tasks, or other regular or seasonal projects.
Every four hours worked, volunteers are encouraged to take additional time for retreat outdoors on the trails or indoors in one of the several spaces designed for contemplation. Volunteers working six hours or more are provided private sleeping quarters for overnight stays.
VOLUNTEERS WELCOME & NEEDED
WOOD DAYS
ARC relies on both donated and harvested wood to keep guests toasty warm during the cold months. Teams of volunteers are needed to assist in cutting, splitting, hauling and stacking wood.
Hospitality Volunteers
ARC is known for its radical hospitality in part because of the gifted volunteers that work to make sure the guest experience meets and/or exceeds expectations. Volunteers work with guest services in four-hour shifts to prepare to greet guests, provide care and nurturing while the guests are present, working with the kitchen team, and assist the housekeeping team with clean up after guests depart.
Current Daily Volunteer Needs
Share the joy of service with a friend or family member. We need a minimum of two volunteers per day.
Ongoing Volunteer NEEDS
Day Retreats
2 Kitchen Volunteers
Weekend Retreats
Friday
2 Kitchen Volunteers after lunch through dinner - 1:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
2 Hospitality/Housekeeping Volunteers 10 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Saturday
2 Kitchen Volunteers for breakfast until lunch - 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
2 Kitchen Volunteers after lunch through dinner - 1:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Sunday
2 Kitchen Volunteers for breakfast until lunch - 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.
2 Kitchen Volunteers after lunch through dinner - 1:30 p.m. - 7:30pm
Monday
2 Hospitality/Housekeeping Volunteers 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Volunteering at ARC - FAQ’s
Why does ARC need volunteers?
ARC has been supported by daytime and overnight volunteers since its inception. Even the buildings were constructed with the support of volunteer work camps. Volunteering is central to the ARC mission of providing radical hospitality for guests. Volunteers stay and eat for free.
What kinds of tasks do volunteers help with?
Our daytime and overnight volunteers help maintain the radical hospitality of ARC through basic food prep (chopping vegetables, making salads and dressings), washing dishes, setting tables, housekeeping (such as vacuuming and dusting), folding laundry, and other tasks as needed. Seasonally, volunteers may also help with splitting wood, raking leaves, gardening, or shoveling snow.
Where do volunteers stay?
ARC volunteers typically stay on the community side of the lodge in a private room. Linens and towels are provided. Volunteers are asked to clean their room and change their sheets prior to departure to prepare it for the next volunteer.
What times are best for arrival and departure?
Volunteers are welcome to arrive and depart at times that work best for them. ARC’s preference is that volunteers arrive at least one hour before their scheduled task so they can settle and transition into the contemplative space ARC offers. Volunteers are always welcome to join the 7:30 a.m. meditation, as a way to begin and end their day.
We also ask that volunteers involved in serving a group retreat, stay for three hours following a group departure to help in cleaning and preparing the lodge for the next group, this usually results in a 2 p.m. finish time. We value you and understand that this is not always possible.
What should I wear or bring with me?
We recommend that you dress casual and comfortable. We dress similar to our guests, so think retreat. Please check the weather forecast prior to coming and bring clothes for both indoor and outdoor work. This may mean long sleeves in summer to protect from the mosquitoes and ticks. In the spring and fall, please bring warm clothing for being inside the lodge, especially for sleeping, as the heat may not be on during the in-between seasons. In winter, consider warm clothing and appropriate footwear for outdoor tasks. Close-toed shoes are required for the kitchen.