Volunteers needed at U.P. State Fair

The annual Upper Peninsula State Fair is just over three weeks away. Between now and then, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is seeking more than 100 volunteers.

The U.P. State Fair will be held August 13-19 in Escanaba.

Among the exhibits and events is the DNR’s U.P. Pocket Park, a place where thousands of kids will learn to fish or shoot a bow or pellet gun in a safe, fun environment. Forty energetic, outdoors-minded volunteers are needed each day to bait hooks, teach kids how to catch and release a fish, shoot a bow or pellet gun, greet visitors and generally help provide a positive experience.

Volunteers will receive a free Pocket Park T-shirt, lunch during the shift worked, and a free pass to the fair to be used on the same day before or after the shift.

There are two time slots each day: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 4 to 8 p.m., starting on August 13 at 4 p.m. Volunteers are welcome to sign up for as many shifts as they would like.

“Last year, we had volunteers ranging in age from 18 to 89, and in some cases, included four or five immediate family members pitching in to help,” said the DNR’s coordinator for the event, Janet Canode. “There’s a lot of work to be done, but it’s fun work, and you’re outdoors, passing on a love of Michigan’s natural resources.”