VOLUNTEER
We are always looking for volunteers. From monthly projects to our seasonal events and on going programs, there are so many ways to contribute your talents and skills.
Check out some of our Volunteer Opportunities
Interested in ongoing volunteer opportunities and committees? Please check out our opportunities below and contact the office.
UPCOMING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Lillördag - Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Can you help us take a break from the hustle and bustle of the work week and join us for Lillördag, the delightful Nordic tradition of a midweek mini-weekend for all ages! We are looking for volunteers to help with:
Baker (opportunity filled)
Nordic Paint & Sip - Friday, April 25, 2025
We are looking for 1-2 volunteers to help tend the bar and check-in attendees. Volunteers will be trained by staff and are welcome to stay during the program.
Nordic Nights Auction & Gala on Saturday, May 3, 2025
Nordic Nights is an exciting & elegant evening with socializing, entertainment, wine and food, all while raising vital funds in support of our cultural mission. Join in the fun as part of the crew! Flex your muscles during set-up; if you like computers, we’d love to have you at guest check-in, check-out and auction item recording. Can you help tend the bar? We are also looking for wall of wine and dessert dash helpers; full concentration is needed for the fun and short recorder shift during the live auction, or would you prefer to be a runner? There's lots of fun ways to participate! Can you help? We would love to have you!
Sign Up (a couple of spots left)
Vappu Celebration - Sunday, May 4, 2025
Join us for this fun Vappu Celebration at Nordia House with Finlandia Foundation Columbia Pacific Chapter and the Portland Finnish School. We are looking for volunteers to help with:
Family Birch Bark Baskets - Saturday, May 10, 2025
Come join us in exploring the treasured folkcraft of Nordic birch bark weaving, create your own birch bark basket, and learn about the amazing birch tree!
Portland Nordic Chorus Annual Spring Concert - Saturday, May 10, 2025
Come join us and celebrate spring with the Portland Nordic Chorus. We are looking for volunteers to help with:
Skål Night with Ruby Vineyard - Wednesday, May 13, 2025
Join us on Skål Night for a tasting from one of our wonderful local wineries, Ruby Vineyard! We are looking for volunteers to help with:
Lillördag - Wednesday, May 15, 2025
Can you help us take a break from the hustle and bustle of the work week and join us for Lillördag, the delightful Nordic tradition of a midweek mini-weekend for all ages! We are looking for volunteers to help with:
Spring Family Fairy House Workshop - Saturday, May 17, 2025
Can you help guests explore the world of fairy houses in the woods of Nordic Northwest and help them build a perfect dwelling for fairies (and tiny trolls!) using foraged and other materials? We'd love to have you.
Drop-In Nordic Spring Branches - Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Can you assist attendees in making their own Nordic decorated spring branches to celebrate and display the season? We'd love to have you!
Volunteer Fair & Mixer – Wednesday, May 21 from 6-8pm
Newer to volunteering with Nordic Northwest and would like to know more about our amazing volunteer community and fun opportunities? Or a seasoned volunteer interested in learning more about other opportunities, or just interested in seeing friends, enjoying nibbles and drinks? We would love to see you all to our VOLUNTEER FAIR & MIXER.
Meet our wonderful event, program and board committee members in search of volunteers followed by a social mixer with light snacks and drinks, lots of laughs and chats! Here is some more detailed info. You can rsvp here. Not necessary, but helps us plan.
Book Talk: Woman, Captain, Rebel with Author Margaret Willson - Friday, May 23, 2025
Anthropologist and writer Margaret Willson talks about her book - Woman, Captain, Rebel: The Extraordinary True Story of a Daring Icelandic Sea Captain. We are looking for volunteers to help with:
Family Paper Mushroom Workshop - Saturday, June 7, 2025
We are looking for a volunteer to help attendees create fairytale paper mushrooms out of crepe paper!
Drop-In Paper Flower Crowns Thursday, June 12, 2025
Can you help attendees create their own Midsummer paper flowercrowns? We'd love to have you!
Drop-In Nordic Borch Bark Rings - Friday, June 13, 2025
We are looking for a volunteer to help attendees with this fun introduction to weaving. Can you help guests make a simple but beautiful woven birch bark ring? We'd love to have you!
Natue Weaving for Kids - Saturday, June 14, 2025
Can you assist attendees in weaving a beautiful nature tapestry in the sunny woods of Nordic Northwest? They will learn how to make a loom from branches and gather colorful natural materials to intertwine with yarn.
Oregon Midsummer Festival – Friday, June 27 & Saturday, June 28, 2025
This year it’s a 2 day party on the Nordic Northwest Campus!
Here is the link to our Midsummer Volunteer Opportunities.
You can find more festival information here.
Ongoing & Committee Opportunities:
Nordic Cuisine Committee
Do you love food? Especially the Nordic variety? Join this fabulous committee in planning Nordic cuisine programs. Have fun recruiting guest chefs, creating delicious line-ups and evaluate the success of classes and instructors.
Committee meets at various times based on the frequency of events being planned. Times and dates are varied and agreed upon by members availability.
We are looking for... community members with a background in cooking & baking (no professional experience needed) who are interested in planning programs or teaching about various kinds of Nordic inspired meals.
Field Trip Guides
Do you have a background in education, docent touring, or love working with students and sharing knowledge through tours, games and activities? Share your skills and experience and help create fun, meaningful field trip visits for students of all ages who come to the Nordic Northwest Campus for our Trolls, Trails, and Tall Tales field trips! Our field trips are centered on Ole Bolle Troll and include Fogelbo, Nordia House, with subject matter in Nordic culture and folktales, nature education, and sustainability. You’ll be helping set up, prepare for, and assist during all parts of the field trips. All information, orientations, and trainings are provided in preparation for assisting.
Youth & Family Craft Workshop Assistants
Do you have crafting experience, or experience with Nordic folk arts? We are in need of extra pairs of crafty hands for our Youth & Family craft workshops! Assist in setting up, helping students, and cleaning up for a variety of folk and craft classes throughout the year. This is a fun way to learn new skills, share your existing skills, and meet and mingle with the craft-curious of all ages in our community.
Sign Up
Nordic Northwest embraces volunteers and strives to provide opportunities that deepen community, share the experience of the cultural heritages represented by Nordic Northwest and advance its mission and vision.
Nordic Northwest maintains an active volunteer base and we are and will be forever grateful to our amazing volunteers without whom this organization would not exist. We truly appreciate your wonderful enthusiasm and support. As a volunteer you, of course, get free entry to the events and programs for which you selected a volunteer shift, enjoy the benefits of special invitations to volunteer programs and make lasting friendships along the way!
APPLY TODAY
You can apply in a few simple steps.
1. Interested in volunteering but not entirely sure how? Fill out our online volunteer interest form and send it back to Nordic Northwest. We will contact you and explore further steps
PLEASE NOTE:
You have to log in to your account.
If you are a member or have attended events and this is the first time you are logging in, or if you have forgotten your login information, please click “Having trouble logging in?”. You are prompted to enter the email address associated with your account, and a link will be emailed to you to set up your login.
If you have not been a member in the past or attended events, please click on “create account."
OR
2. You have signed up to volunteer for a specific event, program, committee and just have to send in the paperwork?
Complete the volunteer application, sign the waiver and email to Sassa and you are good to go!
Feel free to browse one or more of our volunteer opportunities posted below and call the office with any questions about upcoming opportunities, etc.
ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES
Please contact the office if you are interested in any of the following opportunities:
Office Assistance:
Help us with event preparation, reception, digitizing archives, mailings, and other office tasks.
Tour Guides & Docents:
Lead groups on architecture tours of Nordia House and the Nordic Northwest Campus. We also have volunteer opportunities to be part of the quarterly Fogelbo Tours.
Stewardship, Volunteer & Membership
Assist with active community outreach campaigns to recruit new members and volunteers and attend volunteer fairs.
Facilities & Groundskeeping:
Spend time beautifying and brush-clearing at Fogelbo, potting plants or gardening at Nordia House through spring, summer, and fall with the award winning Fogelbo Trolls, a fun volunteer group that meets every Tuesday morning. We also have week round opportunities for indoor and outdoor Nordia House beautification.
Event Photography:
Do you have an affinity for taking pictures? we are looking for avid photographers to capture the fun and diversity our festivals, fundraisers, programs, concerts, classes, lectures and more with their camera.
Event-Day Volunteering
We're always looking for help at our festivals, programs, concerts, galas and more. Sign up for a shift at one of our seasonal events and help with set-up, check-in, volunteer coordination, games, bar (with current OLCC license), food (with valid food handler's license), kids area, Nordic Northwest booth, admission, decorations, take-down, and more.
Translation
Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic or Finnish is your first language? We would love to have you help with occasional translation needs!
Event, Program, & Committee Opportunities
Are you looking to get even more involved? Help us plan events, festivals and programs.
Events & Festivals
Fastelavn - Nordic Carnival (February - March)
Oregon Midsummer Festival (June)
Nordic Nights Auction & Gala (Spring)
Nordic Vintage Sale (Fall & Spring)
ScanFair - Nordic Christmas Market (December)
Are you a member or are looking to get even more involved? Join one of our committees!
Committees: