Volunteer

Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner

Volunteer
Registration

Volunteer registration opens in September 2026.

Thank you for volunteering! Please complete the volunteer registration form below and agree to the terms and conditions.
Positions fill quickly, so some positions may not be available when you register. View sample job descriptions here.

We do our best to assign volunteers to their preferred positions and timeslots. You will receive an email confirmation with your position and timeslot and any additional directions once your shift has been assigned.

Volunteers under the age of 10 are not permitted. Golf cart drivers must have a valid driver’s license and be at least 16 years old. Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner relies solely on volunteers to offer guests an enjoyable and smooth dining experience. Volunteers are expected to commit to and stay for their entire shifts.

Questions? Contact us at info@communitythanksgiving.com or 843-505-1370.

Volunteer Position Job Descriptions

Bus Team
  • As guests are dining, go by tables and remove empty dishes. Take these to your Bussing Station.
  • When guests have left a table, clear all remaining dishes, silver, and napkins. Your cart will have bus tubs on the top shelf for dirty dishes and drink cups, plus a small caddy for dirty silverware. CHANGE TABLECLOTHS ONLY IF NEEDED – FIRST FLIP, NEXT CHANGE OUT IF NEEDED – SEPARATE TABLECLOTHS FROM OTHER LINES. Note: Guests may take drink cups OR they go in the bus tubs.
  • Take the cart to the Kitchen and give the bus tubs and silverware to the Plate Scrapers. Get new bus tubs if needed. Locate the drop off labeled Dirty Linen and deposit the dirty linens. Be sure there isn’t any silverware in the soiled linens.
  • Regularly sweep the floor with floor sweepers at the restocking area.
  • Familiarize yourselves with the supplies at your station and the tables in your area. Introduce yourself to the Servers and Table Coordinators nearest your station.
  • Prepare a few glasses of each – Iced Tea or Water as the tables in your area are seated. ADD ICE LAST, SO THE BEVERAGE ISN’T DILUTED. The Servers will take drink orders at their tables and come to your station. Assist the Servers in filling their orders and help them deliver them to the guests.
  • As beverage supplies begin to run low at your station, alert the Beverage Re-stocker when they check in on your station.
  • DO NOT GO INTO THE KITCHEN FOR SUPPLIES – THEY WILL BE BROUGHT TO YOU.
  • Once everyone is seated, get them drinks.
  • Notify the Table Coordinator to have food trays delivered and start the passing of the bowls and platters, beginning with the Host and Hostess. DO NOT GO INTO THE KITCHEN – ALL FOOD WILL BE DELIVERED.
  • Work with the Table Coordinator to order dessert.
  • PLEASE MAKE SURE FOOD IS NOT SENT BACK TO THE KITCHEN. Once the food has gone back to the kitchen, it has to be thrown away! Check with your Table Coordinator to see if another table can use the food.
  • When guests leave the table, work with the Bussers to clear and reset the table.
  • Coordinate the seating, food service, cleaning and resetting of tables in your section.
  • Communicate with the Dining Room Manager (A Hudson Employee), the Table Servers, and the Busser Teams to keep the food service and flow running smoothly.
  • If a table cannot use all of the food, see if another table can. Please do not send food back to the kitchen. Once the food has gone back to the kitchen, it has to be thrown away!
  • Introduce yourself to the Hudson’s staff in charge. They will give you a job and train you.
  • Be certain to familiarize yourself with your assigned area and ask questions if you are unsure about the instructions.
  • PLEASE DRESS COMFORTABLY AND APPROPRIATELY, AND WEAR CLOSED-TOE SHOES. Bring your own apron.
  • PLEASE USE CAUTION IN THE KITCHEN, whether you are performing a Food job or a cleaning job.
  • Introduce yourself to your Server.
  • Become familiar with the menu that will be served.
  • Introduce yourself to the table guests as they arrive, and ask them to introduce themselves to each other.
  • Once everyone is seated, lead everyone in saying the blessing that is provided at each table. You may ask if a guest would like to read the blessing.
  • Encourage conversation throughout the meal. Explain that the jars on each table are for donations to Deep Well, Second Helpings, and Bluffton Self Help. Make sure everyone gets enough to eat.
  • Once the meal is finished, thank everyone for coming and remind them that donations benefit Deep Well, Second Helpings, and Bluffton Self Help. Note: Guests are welcome to take home their drink cups.
  • DO NOT LEAVE YOUR TABLE UNTIL YOUR REPLACEMENT HAS ARRIVED!
  • Familiarize yourselves with the seating chart, table numbers, and locations. The seats at each end of the table are reserved for the Host and Hostess. All seating is family- style.
  • You will be working as a Seating Team, one will lead the group of diners as they are led to their table and the other will be at the back of the group, keeping them moving and together.
  • Once you have led the guests to the table, see that guests and Host/Hostess are greeting one another, then return to the podium for the next seating instruction.
  • Maintain cleanliness of Dining Room throughout service.
  • Keep floors clean and free of debris.
  • Ensure all dirty dishes are removed from the dining area in a timely manner and are not visible to guests.
  • Ensure that refuse and linens are removed and disposed of properly in a timely manner.
  • The dining room, at a glance, should appear clean, neat, tidy and free of debris.

Volunteer floaters act as general helpers, filling in where needed when voids occur from no-shows or unforeseen gaps in scheduling. Floaters also ensure smooth operations by covering shifts for those who are unable to fulfill their duties.

Floaters need to be flexible and comfortable taking on different roles and responsibilities as required.