Eclipse volunteers needed for Oregon SolarFest

Central Oregon, in particular Madras, is considered one of the best places in the country to view the solar eclipse in late August. But in order for everything to run smoothly, volunteers are absolutely necessary.

J.R. Brooks, president of the Jefferson County Tourism Group, which is responsible for the Oregon SolarFest, is looking to pick up as many volunteers as he can get.

“We’re going to need garbage people, gate people, shuttle pass people. We’re talking hundreds and hundreds of volunteers.” Brooks said Tuesday.

“You can imagine the infrastructure it takes to run a city,” he added. “That’s basically what we’re doing, on a temporary basis.”

Professional volunteer positions are available as well, said Brooks.

“We’ve even gotten to the point where we’ve got a mobile clinic set up, so we’re asking for EMTs and doctors to volunteer,” he explained.

Being a volunteer does come with some perks.

Eight hours of your time will get you a T-shirt, day pass and food voucher. And if you volunteer more than 24 hours, you’ll also get a weekend pass, camping pass and weekend shuttle pass.

Two interesting volunteer positions include a “Junior Scientist,” who will educate the public about the eclipse, as well as multilingual people who will help translate for the many visitors expected from more than 29 countries.

Brooks said he’s been overwhelmed by how much interest Oregon SolarFest has already generated, but he’s hopeful volunteers can take away from the event as much as they put into it.

If you’re interested in volunteering, you can visit this website: https://www.oregonsolarfest.com/contact

Be sure to check KTVZ.COM’s Eclipse section for all of our stories on the Aug. 21 event and preparations, as well as interactive maps and more.