Normally around this time I am asking for volunteers to help out with the state fair in October - but this year I am working on something different, but I still need volunteers. In late September there will be a national convention in downtown Raleigh for Garden Writers. My job is to organize the tours to various gardening hot spots in the region and I need local gardening folks to help out as ÂBus CaptainsÂ. I need two volunteers to ride along on each bus and we expect to have 750 attendees so thatÂs a lot of buses and a lot of captains.

Tours will start on Thursday, September 24th and end on Sunday, September 27th. Each day a different destination, some in the morning, some in the afternoon. Volunteers can opt to captain every day or just one tour depending on their schedule.

Bus Captains need to have at least a basic knowledge of Raleigh and Durham and a cell phone in case the bus runs into problems or gets lost (the buses will have GPS systems but sometimes a wrong turn happens).

As a volunteer you will get to participate in the activity of the tour you captain including meals (some tours feature meals, some donÂt). Buses will be coming and going on a rotation so you can shift from early to late departures if your schedule is tight or if you want to take in the gardens at a leisurely pace. You will also get a free t-shirt and access to the trade show on one special afternoon. Due to the concentration of all the movers and shakers in the garden publishing world, the convention center will have a massive trade show with all the latest gardening gadgets, decorations, along with the latest live plants introductions. Most items will not be for sale, this is mostly a showcase of whatÂs new for next year. So besides all that you get to mix and mingle with some of your favorite garden writers and photographers.

Email me with your contact information if you are interested and I will send you a packet of info and explain things further.

johnbuettner@hotmail.com