Volunteering, A Way to Give Back

Ron Manning and Elliah Homstad, concessions stand volunteers, smile out the window of the Rushmore concessions stands on day 1 of the NFAA National Field Championships ready to take on the day and help archers any way they can (Photo by Gabby Fink).

Jean Hunhoff and Her Reason to Give Back

“If you wanted to get things done you have to volunteer,” said Jean Hunhoff, concession stand volunteer at the International Field Archery Association (IFAA) World Field Championships. 

Hunhoff is a retired nurse from the Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, SD. Today, she owns Czeckers Sports Bar with her son Matt and his wife Kelsey. Hunhoff has deep roots in the Yankton area. She grew up in Tabor, SD, and now, on top of owning Czeckers, owns a fitness center and a small hobby farm in Tabor with her husband. 

“I grew up in Tabor and worked there extensively and I wanted to give back to the community,” said Hunhoff. “We opened up the center and it's really doing well and getting people engaged in activities.”

Hunhoff's giving personality and knack for public service shined through at the state level by serving 24 years in the South Dakota state legislature. Hunhoff has spent her life giving back to others, and even though she is retired, her need to give back is still a defining point of who she is. 

“I got an email from the archery center and they said they were looking for volunteers for this tournament. I thought wow, Bruce Cull (National Field Archery Association (NFAA) Executive Director) has done some good things for me, has helped me over the course of the years and I felt that I needed to give back to him,” says Hunhoff. “Any opportunity, organization, or the community, I want to give back because this community of Yankton has done so much for us and it's done a lot for the citizens. We have so many great things here in Yankton, but it's all been done by a lot of leadership and by people volunteering, so I just feel that's part of my value system. If an opportunity presents itself, I'm going to take advantage of it.”

New Experiences at the IFAA World Field Championships

Even though the hot temperatures of the IFAA World Field Championships make the fall season seem out of reach, the relief of cooler temps will be here before we know it. With the turning of the leaves and the temperatures comes even hotter archery action and even more volunteer opportunities for the World Archery Championships. Hunhoff looks forward to taking advantage of volunteer opportunities for the World Archery Championships and encourages people to look into these opportunities as well. 

“Where in this world do you have this kind of opportunity to meet international people? They're educating me and this is a great learning opportunity,” says Hunhoff. “You can work in a concession stand or you can give out water bottles. You can select things that you do, and the people at the archery center are really welcoming. They make you feel like you're part of the event and they thank you. They’re there to answer your questions, they have everything set up, and they deliver to you, so it's really an easy opportunity to volunteer. It's not really heavy work or anything; it's just being a good communicator and being public relations for the archery center and the city of Yankton.”

Hunhoff’s favorite part of volunteering at the IFAA World Field Championships was having conversations with the archers. She has learned lots about archery and the customs of other countries through the vast international representation at the IFAA World Field Championships. This is something she looks forward to when she volunteers for the NFAA again. 

“My favorite part is meeting the people that are in the tournament. They're coming from all over the world. To listen to them and meet with them and hear some of their language and some of their little cultural things or they're sharing, more importantly, why they're interested in archery,” said Hunhoff. “I'm learning all about how you do the tournament, how you do the scoring, and what you have to do when you're pulling that bow back so you make sure the arrow hits where it needs to.” 

We Need Volunteers Like You

Large tournaments at the NFAA Easton Yankton Archery Center would not be possible without the help of our volunteers. Volunteers may be local or come from states all over America to assist the NFAA with national and world archery tournament efforts. Want to experience this fulfilling opportunity for yourself and meet people from all over the world? Sign up to volunteer today for the World Archery Championships on the tournament’s website. The NFAA can not wait to meet the next vital members of our World Archery Championships team.