Get Involved: Become a Community Volunteer
Société des Courses Hippiques is fueled by the passion, energy, and civic devotion of everyday local citizens. Whether you are interested in ecological turf management, welcoming visiting families, assisting with veterinary logistics, or preserving historic artisanal crafts, your contribution makes a direct difference in Verneuil d'Avre et d'Iton.
Volunteer Non-Monetized Framework
Volunteering with our association is an entirely civic, non-commercial endeavor. We provide all safety equipment, insurance coverage, and training.
"All membership fees and dues are fully reinvested in the association's public interest missions."
Why Volunteer with Société des Courses Hippiques?
For over a century, our racecourse has been cared for by community members who recognize the irreplaceable value of communal spaces. Volunteering with us is not merely about performing tasks; it is about building meaningful human connections across generations, learning time-honored rural skills, and standing as a custodian of Normandy's cultural landscape.
Our volunteers range from young agricultural apprentices and university students to active working parents and retired craftsmen. Together, we share the satisfaction of seeing thousands of local families gather safely on green turf that we prepared with our own hands.
Civic volunteering provides tangible mental and physical benefits. Spending active weekends outdoors in fresh rural air, collaborating on concrete conservation projects, and seeing immediate smiles on the faces of neighborhood children creates deep personal fulfillment and counteracts modern feelings of isolation.
Core Volunteer Roles & Working Committees
Depending on your personal interests, physical availability, and skills, you can join one or more of our four dedicated operational commissions:
Turf Stewardship & Grounds Care
Assist with seasonal grass track rolling, soil aeration, barrier safety checks, hedgerow trimming, and maintenance of rainwater retention ponds. Perfect for those who love working outdoors with nature.
Visitor Welcome & Family Clinics
Greet visitors at venue gates, distribute free educational guides to children, guide elderly visitors along paved walkways, and assist with family animation games during public race days.
Paddock Stewards & Veterinary Aid
Coordinate horse arrival lanes, ensure stall cleanliness, manage fresh water troughs, and assist licensed veterinary teams with identity microchip verifications and sanitary inspections.
School Field Days & Cultural Tours
Accompany elementary school classes during educational morning visits, introduce students to master blacksmiths and farriers, and explain rural biodiversity.
Step-by-Step Volunteer Onboarding Guide
We make joining our association straightforward, transparent, and respectful of your personal schedule:
- Step 1: Submit Application: Complete our short online volunteer expression form below, indicating your areas of interest and seasonal availability.
- Step 2: Introductory Welcome Conversation: A member of our volunteer coordination committee will contact you by telephone or email to answer your questions and arrange an informal tour of our grounds.
- Step 3: Orientation & Safety Briefing: You will attend a 90-minute orientation session covering venue safety regulations, volunteer insurance protections, and our non-profit ethical charter.
- Step 4: Paired Mentorship: For your first two public events or volunteer work sessions, you will be paired with an experienced veteran volunteer who will guide you step-by-step.
- Step 5: Full Member Rights: After completing orientation, you become an active voting member of the association, eligible to vote at the Annual General Assembly and help shape our future.
Voices of Our Volunteers in Verneuil d'Avre et d'Iton
Nothing captures the spirit of our association better than the words of the citizens who dedicate their free time to our communal grounds:
"After retiring from teaching in Verneuil, I wanted to stay physically active and connected to my town. Joining the grounds team gave me a wonderful group of friends. Rolling the turf in the early morning mist while listening to the birds in the hedgerows is peaceful and deeply satisfying."
Michel Lefebvre, 68 Volunteer Grounds Steward since 2018"As an apprentice veterinary technician, assisting Dr. Mercier during race day paddock inspections provided invaluable practical experience with equine care and bio-security protocols. It helped me pass my national vocational exams with honors."
Sarah Moreau, 21 Paddock & Veterinary Volunteer since 2023Annual Volunteer Conviviality Banquet & Civic Medals
At the conclusion of each sporting season in late October, Société des Courses Hippiques organizes an informal volunteer appreciation luncheon. Held in the historic clubhouse pavilion, this gathering is financed entirely through allocated volunteer welfare funds and municipal in-kind support.
During this celebratory meal, the Mayor of Verneuil d'Avre et d'Iton and the Association President present commemorative certificates and honorary civic pins to volunteers who have marked milestone anniversaries of service (5, 10, 20, and 30 years). It is a warm, unpretentious occasion that cements lifelong friendships and celebrates the proud non-profit traditions of Normandy.
Volunteer Rights & Commitment Charter
In accordance with national non-profit volunteer charters, Société des Courses Hippiques guarantees:
- Comprehensive Insurance Coverage: Full civil liability and bodily injury insurance provided by the association during all sanctioned workdays and fixtures.
- Protective Gear: High-visibility vests, safety gloves, communication radios, and necessary gear supplied without cost.
- Respect for Personal Availability: No minimum hourly requirement; participate as much or as little as your personal and family life permits.
- Warm Conviviality: Shared volunteer lunches prepared on-site, celebrating camaraderie and shared accomplishment after every major fixture.
- Volunteer Certification: Formal volunteer certificates and letters of civic recommendation provided for students, apprentices, and job seekers documenting their community service.
Inclusive Engagement & Non-Discrimination Policy
Société des Courses Hippiques welcomes volunteers without distinction of origin, age, gender, belief, or physical disability. We believe that an inclusive association is a resilient association. Reasonable adaptations are arranged for volunteers with physical limitations, ensuring that everyone can participate meaningfully in our collective civic mission.
Volunteers are expected to embody the core values of republican fraternity, mutual kindness, animal welfare ethics, and political neutrality while wearing association identification badges or representing our institution at public events.
For secondary school and university students, volunteer service completed with our association can be formally accredited toward mandatory civic engagement credits (Engagement Citoyen / Service Civique / Bénévolat Étudiant) recognized by regional academic academies. Our secretariat provides signed documentation validating the competencies acquired in project coordination, grounds ecology, and public communications.
In addition, each registered volunteer receives an individual membership card granting free civic entry for immediate family members during public fixtures, honoring their indispensable contribution to the living heritage of Verneuil d'Avre et d'Iton.
"All membership fees and dues are fully reinvested in the association's public interest missions."
Volunteer Application Form
Fill out this application to express your interest in joining the volunteer team. Submissions are processed via secure AJAX without page reload, and our secretariat will respond within 48 business hours.