Like most communities, Ottawa has a legion of people who volunteer their time to raise money and to give a helping hand. Some of these people are near saints with their tireless devotion to the greater good. Others are Bluesfest volunteers. You do not become a Bluesfest volunteer because you want to make a difference in the lives of people. You become a Bluesfest volunteer to get free entrance to the festival and maybe get up close and personal with Jim Cuddy or Elvis Costello. To get an autograph. To get a bird's eye view of the stage. It isn't one of those great volunteer gigs for Ontario students who have to get their volunteer papers signed to graduate high school. The Bluesfest volunteer brigade is comprised of a lot of people who don't want to pay for the privilege of seeing bands. A lot of public servants take weeks off every year to carry garbage, pour beer or guard the gates from interlopers. The Bluesfest volunteer system is a lot like a pyramid schem...
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