WAILEA - The Maui Film Festival, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday, still needs 40 to 50 more volunteers.
Some volunteer positions will put people in eyeshot of celebrities, but there is a more pressing need for people to fill The Waste Stream Crew, part of the festival's increased effort to dispose of trash in a more environmentally friendly manner, and to staff the parking lots and late shifts, said Keith Ranney, festival volunteer coordinator for the 12th year and founder of Art of Volunteering, a volunteer management consulting firm.
Additional perks for volunteering for a four-hour shift include tickets to movies at the festival and First Light Festival in December, a T-shirt and a coupon for a pizza at Flatbread Co.
Ranney said that there are about 168 out of 600 total shifts currently unfilled. With most volunteers taking 2.2 to 2.5 shifts, Ranney said he figures he needs between 40 and 50 more people.
He added that 730 local and visiting people have indicated interest in volunteering but only 190 have signed up.
If he can get the percentage up to the low 90s (it's in the 70s currently), he'll be fine, said Ranney, adding that he always overstaffs.
"Somehow every year it works out," he said.
Ranney said that he tries to match people's skills and talents with the jobs available based on information from the application form. Volunteers for most positions must be 16 or older; they must be 18 or older for positions that involve serving alcohol. Available shifts may be found at the website www.bit.ly/MFFVolStats.
To sign up, call Ranney at 276-1366 or go to the websites mauifilmfestival.com or artofvolunteering.com websites and follow the links.
