Volunteer at the 2025 North Jersey Orchid Show and Sale

It is helpful to know who and how many people are coming in advance, but walk-ins are welcome. Online signup will be available in November.


No Experience Necessary! Everyone Welcome!


Rutgers Security requires that all cars on campus be registered.  Car Registration

Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Begin the transformation of Cook Student Center into an orchid oasis. Exhibits and vendor areas are set up. NJOS members bring their show plants which are registered including orchid taxonomy verification and plant labeling. Then, the North Jersey exhibit is built with your beautiful plants. Pizza lunch is provided. All volunteers are welcome. Sign up and come for whatever part of the day fits your plans. Other exhibitors/vendors may begin their set-up in the afternoon.

Thursday, January 16, 2025

The transformation is completed with the remaining exhibitors and the vendors loading in. This may involve unpacking shipping crates, building displays, and/or assisting with registration. Exhibit and vendor areas set-up are completed. Pizza lunch is provided. All volunteers are welcome and the need is greatest in the morning.

Friday, January 17, 2025

Show Judging: Following a light breakfast, 25-30 clerk-volunteers work in teams with American Orchid Society (AOS) accredited judges to locate plants in exhibits, record awards, and place show ribbons. Orchids are put into classes by the exhibitors, and judging teams assess the orchids by class, awarding ribbons based on the merits of the entries. Judging is a team activity and clerks are invited to participate in ribbon and trophy award conversations. Lunch is provided. Advance registration for clerks is greatly appreciated.

AOS Judging: After lunch, 1 to 2 clerk-volunteers pull selected plants from exhibits for American Orchid Society (AOS) judging and return them after judging. AOS judges evaluate orchids against an established database of prior awards. Everyone is welcome to listen in on the judging discussion and ask questions as time permits.

Guard Duty: We need 1 to 2 volunteers to monitor the doors while ribbon judging is in progress.

Welcome Table: 2 to 3 volunteers welcome visitors to the show and answer questions as needed including handing out North Jersey Orchid Society membership forms. Welcome desk volunteers work in 2-hour shifts.

Saturday, January 18, 2025

Welcome Table: See above.

Sunday, January 19, 2025

Welcome Table: See above.

Tear Down: At the conclusion of the show (4 pm), volunteers help exhibitors and vendors remove their exhibits and pack up and return the venue to its former self. Tear down typically completes by 7:00 pm.