Volunteering and Rewards

Helpers Roster

Course Planners, Organisers and Controllers put many hours into an event. Garingal runs over 20 events each year so our need for helpers is large. Helping is voluntary and we simply ask you for about 2 hours probably once a year, hopefully for an event close to home. IMPORTANTLY: you should still get a run that day AND there is a financial reward (see GObies below).

The Helpers Roster is put together by Season

A Winter roster for events in the Sydney region – mostly Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings
A Summer roster, mostly on Wednesday afternoons but a few late Sunday afternoons.

Here is the current season Helpers Roster

Your role as a Helper

Respond to the Helpers Roster co-ordinator (currently Ken Strupitis-Haddrick) as to which events you are able to help at and put into your diary
Let the co-ordinator know if your circumstances change and you can’t make that event but could help out at another event.
Know that the club has an Automatic External Defibrillator at every event (place the big green sandwich board sign out near the AED). You can watch this video on how to use our particular model AED - anyone can give it a go even without any training - you might save a life.

You should hear from the event Organiser close to the event about preferences for what jobs and running early/late, helping late/early etc.

Helper Rewards: GObies

Members who help at Garingal's events are rewarded with points towards free entry to Garingal events according to the duration of help. These points freebies are known as 'GObies'. Consult the GObieTracker to see how many “GObies” you have earned/redeemed (updated at the end of each month).

Earning GObies

After you have helped at an event, either by volunteering to Ken S-H, or by telling a GO friend that you will help them, they will send your name to Carol who is the GObies “accountant”.
At the end of each month, the GObie Tracker is updated to record how many GObies each GO member has earned in the month, and displays their current GObies balance.
The number of GObies that is earned for each event is related to the time commitment involved. E.g. an Organiser of an event will earn more GObies than helpers, because they spend more hours making the event happen.

Re-deeming GObies

GObies can be redeemed when you have 3 or more. They are only accepted at Garingal events, but (like dollars) they never expire. They can be redeemed when you enter an event through Eventor (easier) or enter on the day.
In Eventor, start your entry in the usual way, and then go to “Add a Service”. Choose GObies and click ‘Add’. When you do this the entry fee is discounted by $12, so your entry is free. Note: You must still complete the entry in the usual way.
If you enter on the day using Garingal’s EOD QR code, after you have entered your details, one of the payment options is to pay with GObies (rather than Tap n Go).
If you are thinking “They’re no use to me, because I have a season ticket to the SSS series” then think again! Garingal also organises other summer events, e.g. South and West SSS events and GO’s Summer Sprint, as well as winter events such as GO’s Metroleague event.

Who can earn/redeem GObies?

Any orienteer who helps at a Garingal event can earn GObies including people from other clubs.
You can share GObies with family or friends. But it is a little tricky and importantly you MUST email Carol caroljacobson@optusnet.com.au to say whose GObies will be used, and who they are given to.
NOTE: Some people still have old paper GObies. We would like to phase these out by the end of the year! Please staple your old paper GObies together and give them to Carol before 31/12/2022. They will be added to your GObie credit in the GObies tracker.

Any questions? Please send them to the GO committee (secretary@garingal.com.au) or Carol (caroljacobson@optusnet.com.au), or chat to someone at a SSS event. st