During the past year, approximately 60,000 people applied to work for the 2002 Winter Olympics - without pay.

Charlotte Petersen, 22, a junior majoring in recreation management from Paris, Texas is one of the applicants.

"It will be one of the most incredible things I get to participate in. To be in the same setting as some of the world's greatest champions is a lifetime experience in my opinion," Petersen said.

Steve Clark, director of staffing for the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, said only 23,000 positions are available. Although room for volunteering is limited, SLOC will be able to route service-minded individuals to work in a non-volunteer atmosphere.

"About fifty percent of the people who've signed up with us say if they're not selected as a volunteer they'd have an interest in working in a paid temporary position," Clark said.

As far as the volunteer distribution, SLOC appears to have everything in order.

"It wasn't like we had a dearth of candidates for any particular job," Clark said. "We asked for a list of preferences and in some cases we were able to grant it, in some cases we didn't."

Petersen originally interviewed for the position of ticket handler, but was asked to serve in the food area.

"I'm going to be basically greeting athletes, and the Olympic family and the reporters as they come in for their food," she said. She said the work would be difficult and shifts would last between eight and twelve hours.

The worry that volunteers will burn out doesn't appear to concern the organizers.

"I think previous games have shown that volunteers don't want to go home. They'll work on average of eight to ten hour days - sometimes sixteen hour days," Clark said.

Despite the projected workload, Petersen said she was excited to be a part of the Olympics.

"I would settle on taking out trash just so I could say I was there," she said.

For those with Petersen's enthusiasm, Salt Lake City needs separate volunteers of its own. These "Host City Volunteer" opportunities include greeters, information booths, setup/takedown, activity support, phone support and trash removal.

"We're just starting the process right now, we're going to need between 500 to 700 volunteers," said John Sittner, the Salt Lake City Olympic planning director.

Sittner said the city would probably take volunteers up until Feb. 25, the day after the closing ceremonies.

Salt Lake City has been taking volunteers only since the city's Olympic Open House Agenda on Aug. 1.

"I think it's the Olympic spirit that drives people to want to volunteer. There's obviously enough people out there who are motivated by the spirit of the games and not by money," Clark said.



Copyright Brigham Young University 13 Aug 2001