Thank you for volunteering your time and talents for Vacation Bible School 2025! We are grateful for your service and truly appreciate your willingness to share your many gifts with our children. VBS would not be successful without our volunteers!
We hope that the information posted here and on the main VBS page will answer any questions you may have about your week at VBS. The VBS page features general schedules, our carpool line drop off/pick up procedures, activity lists, and other items of interest to campers and their parents. We hope you will take time to read this information.
This Volunteer page features details about each group’s schedule, Group Leader and Activity Leader responsibilities, and more.
We will do our best to assign volunteers to their preferences. We appreciate your flexibility and your willingness to pitch in and make VBS a great success.
Volunteer Assignment Descriptions
Logistics – Carpool drop off/pick up organization, craft transportation and distribution system, name tags, water stations, allergy bracelet system
Age/Grade Group Leaders – familiarize yourself with the daily lessons before arriving to VBS, greet campers as they arrive in the morning and engage in suggested icebreakers, shepherd the group around to the various stations per the schedule, be available to help at the various stations, attend to campers’ needs, encourage campers to drink water
Craft – support and assist the craft lead to help with the craft of the day (each day will reflect the theme), set-up and clean-up the craft station, support and assist campers
Recreation – assist in implementing planned recreation activities for campers that encourage team building and cooperation, set-up and clean-up recreation equipment as needed for daily activities
Service to the Earth – support and assist the lead to help with the activities of the day, set-up and clean-up the service station, support and assist campers
Science – support and assist the lead to help with the activities of the day, set-up and clean-up the science station, support and assist campers
Music – sing songs and work with campers as they learn about the instruments at camp; assist music leader as necessary
Snack – provide snack to all campers and volunteers, set-up and clean-up snack station
During VBS
We want to make your experience with VBS as easy and as rewarding as possible. We will provide copies of vital information (allergies, schedules, maps, etc.) in various places for your convenience.
Included in that information will be contact information for Nancy Myer (UPC Associate Pastor for Family Ministry), Amelia Howard (Co-Coordinator), and Srah Sakai (Co-Coordinator). You may contact us at any time if you need assistance or have questions at any point.
We are here to help and support you, so please let us know what we can do!
Handling an Emergency
In the event of a medical emergency, remain calm but call for onsite help immediately:
Amelia Howard – 919.802.0720
Sarah Sakai – 336.554.3005
Nancy Myer – 317.753.2131
If possible, bring the child to the Craft Pavilion for additional assistance.
If you need to call 911, make it easy for the ambulance to find you.
New Hope Presbyterian Church
4701 N Carolina 86, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919.942.4716
VBS Format
VBS 2025 will meet Monday through Thursday at New Hope Presbyterian Church. Campers will arrive beginning at 8:40 am and be dismissed at 12:00 pm. We ask that volunteers arrive by 8:25 am each day.
All VBS classes will come together as a group at the beginning and end of the day for an All Camp Gathering. These gatherings provide a chance for different age groups to interact with and get to know one another. We hope it will foster an even greater sense of community.
Each group of children will rotate through five different stations (Crafts, Recreation, Service to the Earth, Science, and Music) over the course of their day. Each group’s schedule will be the same each day. Group Leaders will remain with their classes the entire day, but at each station, additional volunteers will lead the activities and crafts. For a sample daily schedule, click here.
Snacks, Water, & Allergies
Snacks will be served mid-morning to all ages at the same time.
IF YOU ARE A SNACK VOLUNTEER OR A GROUP LEADER, PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL CHILDREN WASH OR SANITIZE THEIR HANDS BEFORE EATING SNACK.
Children will bring water bottles with them each day. If you are a Group Leader, please encourage the children in your group to drink water. We want to make sure everyone stays well-hydrated and healthy.
Children who have food or other allergies will wear bracelets. If you are a VBS Logistics Volunteer or a Group Leader, please assist in identifying these children and making sure they wear their bracelets. Logistics volunteers will try to assist during check-in. Group Leaders, please check your rosters each day to make sure children with allergies are identified.
If a child with allergies requires an Epi-pen, inhaler or other medication on-site, it should be clearly labeled and given to the Group Leader and placed in the Group Leader backpack. Please communicate to Anna Rose or Amelia if you have a child with medications in your group.
Volunteer Parking
On days you volunteer, we ask that you park in the paved parking lot in front of New Hope Presbyterian Church. Please be sure to pull all the way forward (the front half of your car will be on grass; the back half will be on pavement).
Additional Information for Group Leaders
General Information for Group Leaders
We will provide each team of Group Leaders with a backpack. This backpack will travel with you and your students, and it will contain a roster (including allergy information), and first aid supplies. You will also have some room to store other items children in your group might bring.
You do not need to transport any crafts or art projects from station to station. CRAFTS WILL BE COLLECTED BY VBS VOLUNTEERS AND KEPT UNTIL THURSDAY, WHEN THEY WILL BE SENT HOME ALL AT ONCE. Parents utilizing the carpool line will receive these items there; parents who choose to walk up and pick up their children may retrieve their child’s craft bag from the area near the Service Tent.
Please familiarize yourself with the story for the day before arriving at VBS.
Group Leader teams will consist of at least two adults. We also hope to place at least one Youth Volunteer with each age group.
Carpool Line Protocol
For a full description of the carpool line drop off/pick up system, please see the map, diagram and explanation on the main VBS page.
Ideally, one Group Leader will participate each day in the morning and afternoon carpool lines at Camp New Hope. In the morning, this Group Leader will wait near the carpool line in a designated area and shuttle children as children in his/her group arrive. Another Group Leader will verify the children’s attendance, distribute name tags, and verify allergy information where needed.
In the afternoon, Group Leaders should remain with their group in designated areas as children are picked up for the day. As children are picked up by their parents or called for carpool line, please indicate on your roster sheet that they have been picked up for the day and have children check out on the master list.
Schedule Information
As Group Leaders, the children will look to you for guidance and assistance throughout the day.
Because our carpool line begins at 8:40 am, we ask that you arrive at your group gathering station or your carpool line area no later than 8:25 am each morning. Childcare will be available for children of volunteers beginning at 8:15 a.m.
As Group Leaders, you are also responsible for keeping your group on schedule at Camp New Hope. To ensure smooth transitions between stations, please be aware of the time and allow a few minutes for cleanup and rotation before heading on to the next station.