With the 2019 Canada Winter Games just over a year away, volunteers are starting to be recruited.

Over 300 planning leadership volunteers and about 5000 to assist, are needed to help in the planning and execution of the Games.

Help is required in many different areas including event services, transportation and administration.

Volunteer Venue Chair for the Games Kay Kenney said volunteers are essential to the Games and reminds people that you don’t have to be from just Red Deer.

“We are a Games that are situated in Red Deer, but really Central Alberta would be our drawing point so from any of the communities in the area around here.”

An open house is being held until 8 p.m. tonight (Nov. 15) at the Harvest Centre in Westerner Park, where residents in and around Red Deer can find out more about what they can do to help.

Food services, media relations, merchandise and ticketing are other areas that need your help and Kenney said they need all the help they can get.

“In comparison to only 50 staff that will be paid to coordinate and guide all the volunteers, you can see the ratio is pretty high. So, we really do need good individuals, who’ll make that commitment.”

The Games is the largest event ever to be hosted in the Red Deer, and will welcome up to 3,600 athletes, managers and coaches and more than 100,000 spectators.

In case you missed the event, click here for more info.