Welcome to our page about volunteering at the Growing Kids Sale! If you read the information below, as well as the links on the right-hand side navigation bar, you will learn everything you need to know about volunteering!
REMEMBER TO VISIT THE LINKS ON THE RIGHT ---->
We are so grateful for our volunteers at each sale! Volunteer help is CRUCIAL to maintaining an efficient, successful sale, and the invaluable help from our volunteers is incredible. If the Growing Kids Sale is a benefit to you and your family, please consider giving 4 hours of your time to volunteer. Find a friend to work a shift with you!
- SHOP FIRST! You get the biggest and best selection by shopping at the Volunteer Preview Party (a full day before consignors shop!).
- IT'S LIKE MOMS-DAY-OUT! You get some time to get out of the house, interact with other women and meet new friends!
- POPULAR GKS T-SHIRTS ARE AVAILABLE! You get a FREE, collectible GKS t-shirt with a purchase of $200 or more at the Volunteer Preview Party! (while supplies last)
- EARN A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF PROFITS: You can earn an additional percentage on your items (by volunteering two 4-hr shifts)!
- WIN GKS BUCKS, T-SHIRTS, HIGHER PERCENTAGES: You can be entered into a drawing for free GKS t-shirts, gift certificates and 100% of your earnings (by volunteering two 4-hr shifts)!
Volunteer one 4-hour shift ---> Earns you a Volunteer Preview Party Pass
Volunteer two 4-hour shifts ---> Earns you a Volunteer Preview Party Pass AND 75% of your earnings AND an entry into the drawing for 100% of your earnings!
Volunteer two 4-hour shifts, with one of those shifts being a designated “Re-sort Shift” ---> Earns you a Volunteer Preview Party Pass AND 75% of your earnings AND an entry into the drawing for 100% of your earnings AND a “Line Pass” (a Line Pass allows you to be first to enter the Volunteer Preview Party with no waiting in line!)
PREGNANT OR NURSING? Are you pregnant needing a less-active shift, or nursing an infant that you need to bring with you? Please contact us at the number below so that we can help you pick a shift that will be suitable to your needs, and remember to review our policy about bringing children to your shift (located in the Volunteer Agreement below).
In order to participate as a volunteer at the Growing Kids Sale, volunteers must agree to the following guidelines in this agreement. Please understand that these guidelines have been created in an effort to maintain a high quality sale that meets the needs of our community.
- Volunteers must either participate as a consignor (selling 15 items or more) or pay a $32 cash deposit (fully refunded at the completion of the volunteer shift), to be considered eligible to be a volunteer and shop the Volunteer Preview Party. If a volunteer realizes they cannot consign after signing-up, they need to un-register as a consignor & volunteer before the deadline (see below). If a volunteer does not cancel their shift before the deadline has passed, they are still obligated to fulfill their shift or choose one of the options below. For those who want to volunteer but do not have anything to consign (i.e. grandmother, first-time mom, aunt, etc), you can either find someone who will let you consign 15 of their items (and give them the proceeds!), or call us to get information on paying the deposit to be eligible to volunteer.
- Volunteers must be age 16 or older.
- Volunteers may not bring children under age 12 with them to volunteer. Rare exceptions have been made for nursing infants during certain shifts, but the appeal must be made and approved by the Growing Kids Staff BEFORE signing up to volunteer.
- Growing Kids needs every assigned volunteer in order to run the sale smoothly and efficiently. In an effort to ensure the quality of the sale by retaining a sufficient number of volunteers, Growing Kids requires that volunteers fulfill their assigned 4-hour shift.
- Volunteers can go on the GKS website to cancel their work shift or switch to a different shift until the deadline, which falls on the evening before the first volunteer shift begins. The deadline for the upcoming sale is Wednesday, February 29th at 10pm.
- After the deadline, volunteers have the following options if they are unable to make their shift:
- Find a suitable replacement on their behalf. If the substitute fulfills the shift, the volunteer will still receive their full earnings percentage and will not receive any penalties toward volunteering at future events.
- Call the GKS Staff to switch to a different, available shift. Shift availability may be limited. If a volunteer calls GKS Staff, reschedules to an available shift and fulfills that entire shift, they will receive their full earnings percentage and will not receive any penalties toward volunteering at future events.
- If a volunteer is unable to find a suitable replacement and does not have the option of switching to a different shift, they can avoid any penalties by bringing a $32 cash to the sale location (or paying via Paypal) before the end of the sale (preferably more than 24 hours before their assigned shift). The GKS Staff will then seek to hire a replacement on their behalf. If the $32 is paid before earnings checks are printed, the volunteer will receive their full earnings percentage and will not receive any penalties toward volunteering at future events.
- In the event a volunteer does not fulfill their obligation or send a suitable replacement, or pay $32 for a replacement volunteer to be hired on their behalf, Growing Kids will deduct 30% of the volunteer's earnings check, and they will not be allowed to volunteer & shop a Volunteer Preview Party at a future event until they have paid a $32 cash fee.
- Consignors who have not fulfilled a shift in the past and were placed on the Prohibited Volunteers List may be reinstated as a potential volunteer by paying a $32 fee, which is basically a replacement volunteer fee at $8/hr for the 4-hour shift. Once the fee is paid, the consignor will be cleared from their prohibited status and be allowed to volunteer at future events. Contact Kim for more details.
- Volunteers understand that they are choosing to exchange their 4-hour shift time volunteering at the Growing Kids Sale solely for the priviledge of shopping during the designated Volunteer Preview Party.
- Volunteers must be on time and fulfill their entire shift in order to reap the benefits and escape the consequences of the Volunteer Agreement.
"I love working...it's not even just the getting to shop early...it's just the whole atmosphere - it's fun!"
"I just want to share how much I appreciate "Growing Kids"! I have been shopping consignment shops and looking for bargains all my life. I discovered “Growing Kids” this year, and I have never experienced such quality items, so reasonably priced, displayed in such an organized manner, by such professional people. I will be back every six months to work, consign and shop 'with friends'!"
“I drive 6 hours from Louisiana and work because the savings and selection available at the worker sale are worth the trip and the effort.”
“Wanted to let you know I loved the shopping this year for the workers, It was GREAT!!!!!! The check-out was Great, also!!!!!!! Thanks So Much for all of your Work!!!!!!!”
“I like to volunteer because the people that run the sale are very friendly and make the experience so pleasant. The shopping early is great too, the people you meet while shopping and while sitting in line is great the money you save is spectacular. I look forward to each sale it is like my trip to Disney world!”
“This will be my first time to work, but I am so excited. This has been an awesome experience so far and it hasn't even started yet. Love the fact I will get to shop early and earn 75% of my sales. I am driving from Bella Vista and back three different days to work (2 shifts) and shop! Cannot wait!!”
“I would like to say thank you so very much for helping us have such a great sale. The day that workers shopped I had to get my sister to pick up my large items the young men that were helping load stuff were so helpful and were very polite, it made it a lot nicer to shop. I was really impressed with the way things were done this time. I will be there bright and early at the next one. And again a great big Thank you so very much you guys in my book are the best.”
"I love to be able to volunteer at the GKS it breaks the everyday routines and it's all worth it in the end. I found some really good deals at this sale and can't wait for the next!!"
"This was my first year to shop/consign and volunteer. This is a very organized event!!!!! Very well planned and I could tell everyone works as a team. Thank you for the worshipful music. It kept me going while I worked! :)"
