Uphill Ministries at Cherokee Cove is run primarily by volunteers. No matter what your gifts, aptitudes, or skills are, we have a volunteer position for you!

          From March through October each year, volunteers are needed for many various jobs in and around the camp.  Opportunities include landscaping, cleaning, painting, organizing, cooking, hospitality, guest relations, child care, clerical, construction, and much more.  This is a great way for either individuals or groups to come together in a beautiful area of our country to serve the Lord.  You are guaranteed to have a lot of fun and to learn a lot of useful life skills, not to mention enjoy Stu's great cooking!

          There are several different ways to volunteer at Cherokee Cove.  You could come for part of a day or a full day, for a weekend, for an entire week or more.   You may volunteer to work on a specific project or to help with one of the many events, retreats and conferences that we offer.  You may want to do a specific job at several different times, or come just once, or try out several different areas.  We will provide training for each area where you are working.  Whatever the Lord leads you to do, we will be thankful for your participation in this ministry. Contact us at 423.727.8560 or info@cherokeecove.org.  Thank you!

I.  VOLUNTEER FOR A SPECIFIC PROJECT

This year we are designating specific times during the day when volunteer teams will be working on the projects listed below.  This will enable us to best utilize your time and ours in effective ministry.  We will gather at the Conference Center at 9:00 and 2:00 on work days to review the work that needs to be done, form teams, and receive specific instructions and any necessary equipment.

Morning Teams- 9:00-12:30
Afternoon Teams- 2:00-5:30
All-Day Teams - 9:00-5:30

Here is a sampling of our volunteer needs:

Last week in February - April (off-season)
Landscaping, cleaning, painting, organizing, clerical, construction, etc. to get the camp ready for the season.  You will need to bring lunch, snacks and a water bottle with you.  If you or your group wants to work over two days or longer, we will provide lodging and meals at a suggested donation of $30 per night per person to cover food, lodgin and operational costs.  You will need to bring bath towels and your bed linens or a sleeping bag. 

April through October
There continues to be work on projects during this time, as well as help that is needed for the specific events that occur at Cherokee Cove.  Because this is our operating season, we may be able to provide lunch for the work teams.  When you contact us, we will be able to give you more information about our availability to provide in this way.  We do ask that you bring a water bottle with you.  If you or your group wants to work over two days or longer, we will provide lodging and meals at a suggested donation of $25 per night per person to cover the related costs.  You will need to bring bath towels and your bed linens or a sleeping bag. 

November (off-season)
Landscaping, cleaning, painting, organizing, clerical, construction, etc. to close the camp for the winter.  You will need to bring lunch, snacks and a water bottle with you.  If you or your group wants to work over two days or longer, we will provide lodging and meals at a suggested donation of $25 per night per person to cover the related costs.  You will need to bring bath towels and your bed linens or a sleeping bag. 

Senior Specific Projects (or anyone that would like to help in these areas)
We love Seniors!  Here are some other ideas on how you can get involved.  If you have a gift, skill or talent that isn’t on this list, we would still love for you to help out as God has gifted you.  Contact us at the addresses above, and let us know how you can help – we want you to be a part of the ministry here at Cherokee Cove!

• Sew as needed or host a sewing workshop for young ladies
• Help set up on a Thursday or Friday for the weekend event
• Sunday afternoon greeter/host for people who drop in at the Conference Center.  Can a do a little laundry, and other light household chores while there.
• Spend one day a week supervising the Conference Center (answer the phone, e-mail correspondence, light laundry, general upkeep – if this is unclear, we’d love to tell you more about it)
• Spend a day doing “handyman” jobs around the camp
• Adopt a specific work project.  Examples are: converting the small camp store into a guest cabin, re-modeling the Family Camping village efficiency kitchen, & building an outdoor chapel.
• Mentor and/or pray for an Uphill Youth (from mid May-mid Aug)
• Share garden vegetables
• Make bird and bath houses for the Evergreen village
• Share perennials and bulbs from garden and/or plant donated plants and bulbs. 
• Pray for the ministry needs
• Clean windows and/or help us do laundry
• Organize a team from church (or other organization) to volunteer

II.  VOLUNTEER FOR A SPECIFIC POSITION

Coordinator for “Go Green” campaign at Cherokee Cove
Assess “green scale” now- i.e: we currently recycle construction materials, grow our own herbs, use many organic foods, limit paper product usage, etc.  We want to use Eco friendly cleaning products, generate solar power on CC, generate micro-hydro electric power at stream, compost, and recycle.  This person would research what it takes to move in this direction.  We would have the goals and progress posted on our website.  Develop 1, 2, 5, and 10 year plan.

Marketing Editor
Edit marketing information for Cherokee events and other ministry documents in preparation for going to the publisher and to the web-site manager.  May volunteer from home, communicate with Cherokee Cove staff via e-mail and telephone.           

III.  VOLUNTEER FOR A SPECIFIC EVENT

If you or your group wants to work over two days or longer, we will provide lodging and meals at a suggested donation of $25 per night per person to cover the related costs.  You will need to bring bath towels and your bed linens or a sleeping bag.  (This is not applicable for Uphill Youth.)

Please note that anyone working with children must have a Background Check for a fee of $10.

Uphill Youth Counselor :  May through August
This is ideal for someone interested in a short term missions opportunity.  Primary responsibilities include "shepherding" the members of our Uphill Youth team by guiding and encouraging them in completing their daily volunteer activities; leading "group time" and Bible study for Uphill youth; leading and supervising weekly field trips off campus; enforcing curfew and adherence to Uphill Youth guidelines; and other mentoring/leadership responsibilities with this special group of young people.  You will also be supervising and helping with daily activities such as food service, hospitality, guest relations, housekeeping, landscaping, etc., working alongside Uphill Youth and other volunteers. 

We are looking for someone 18 years or older who is mature spiritually, has leadership skills and experience, a strong work ethic, an energetic and motivational personality and a passion for mentoring young people.  We will provide room and board, as well as ministry materials that would be helpful to you in raising any financial support that you need during the time that you are serving at Cherokee Cove.  Three people are needed, one for each 4-week term.

Uphill Youth Program:  May through August
A unique opportunity for youths aged 12-22 to experience a summer volunteer trip while learning valuable skills in areas such as outdoor recreation, hospitality, food service, leadership and construction, just to name a few. These youths will also take part in daily disciplines such as a morning quite time, regular meal times, and evening Bible studies.   During the course of the summer, youths will take weekly field trips that excite, stimulate, and refresh.   We are asking each youth to pay $100 per week ($600 per session) to cover room, board, and other incremental expenses while they are living at Cherokee Cove.  We will provide ministry materials that will be helpful to these youths to raise this financial support.

Leadership Camp for Boys:  August

• Camp Coordinator - filled
• Camp Counselors - need 2 or 3 volunteers to assist the coordinator and mentor the boys
• Food service, cleaning and laundry - need 2-3 volunteers for the week

Praise, Graze, and Raise:  See Calendar

• Food and Hospitality Coordinator - Responsibilities include supervising set up of the Conference Center and dining room, food service, and clean up, from 3-10 p.m.
• Food service, set up and clean up - need 3-5 volunteers for the August 22 event, from 3-10 p.m.
• Clean Conference Center - need 1-2 volunteers to clean the Conference Center during the day on Friday for the August 22 event

Conference Center Supervisor
Saturday night from 6 p.m. until Sunday 9 a.m. (This is a great opportunity for a father/son team.)

Needed from June through October.  Saturday- responsibilities include:

(1)  supervising and helping volunteers finish the cleanup with dinner,
(2)  leading Bible study for Uphill youth, volunteers, and others,
(3)  enforcing curfew for volunteers,
(4)  preparing for breakfast next morning,
(5)  lights off, and securing Conference Center for the night

 Sunday- responsibilities include:
(6)  waking the Uphill Youth and any other volunteers there to help with breakfast,
(7)  supervising and helping with breakfast preparation and cleanup,
(8)  helping guests check out and cleaning up the building/grounds.

Family Campout Weekends:  May through Ocotober

 (You may choose to work in more than one of these areas.)

(1)  Guest check in/check out - Friday 3 - 6 p.m. and again Sunday
10-11:30 am
(2)  Guest move in/move out - Friday 3 - 6 p.m. and again Sunday
10-11:30 am.  (This person needs a pick up truck,  preferably.)
(3)  Hiking leader (hiking maps provided) - Sat 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. 
(4)  Food service - Friday 3 p.m. until Sunday 10 a.m. - 3 -5 volunteers are needed for the September and October weekends
(5)  Children's Activities (child care, crafts and games) - Saturday 10 a.m.-noon and 3 - 5 p.m. - need an adult and 2-3 teens   (These volunteers would need to arrive Friday after 3 p.m. to set up and prepare for the activities.)
(6)  Singing and guitar around the fire - Friday and Saturday night 8-9 p.m.
(7)  Sunday worship leaders - 9-9:30 a.m. (You will need to come with a Powerpoint show with background music and live music as well.)
(7)  "Encouragers" to sit and talk with guests, offer spiritual advice and encouragement, and perhaps pray with the guests - any part or all of the weekend  (This is a perfect opportunity for more senior and mature volunteers.)
(8)  Photographer and videographer - Friday 3 p.m. until Sunday 10 a.m .  (Also, involves assembling CD of the weekend and for each of the families participating.  A great project for a budding artist!)
(9)  Follow-up - Call, write, and/or email families who have attended Cherokee Cove FCO to see how they are doing, how we can pray for them, if they would be interested in volunteering in the future.  This can be done from home and should be done within 2-3 days after the end of FCO.
(10)  Counselor - filled for all weekends

Proverbs 31 Woman: A Camp for Girls - June

(1)  Retreat Coordinator -
(2)  Program Leaders -
(3)  Food service, cleaning and laundry - need 2-3 volunteers for the week
 

Marriage Enrichment Retreats:  June and October

(1)  Food service and hospitality supervisor- Friday morning until Sunday afternoon
(2)  Food service, cleaning and laundry -  need 3-5 volunteers for the October retreat from Friday 3 p.m. until Sunday 10 a.m
(3)  Child care for June retreat - need 1-2 volunteers from Friday 3 p.m. until Sunday afternoon
(4)  General helper - need 1 volunteer from Friday 3 p.m. until Sunday afternoon 

Song Writers Camp:  July

Food service, cleaning and laundry - need 2-3 volunteers for the week

Mother Daughter Retreat:  See Calendar

(1)  Retreat coordinator
(2)  Crafts - need on Friday from 3 p.m. until Saturday at 3 p.m.
(3)  Masseuse - need on Saturday from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
(4)  Manicurist - need on Saturday from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
(5)  Photographer - need on Saturday from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.
(6)  Music and worship - need on Friday night from 8-9 p.m.

Father Son Camping Retreat:  September

(1)  Retreat coordinator
(2)  Activities
(3)  Food service