Volunteer
AnthrOhio has grown and flourished thanks to our most important resource—you!
Every year, dozens of volunteers, or Gophers, step up to make our con a success. From badge checking at doors to setup and teardown, the Gopher team supports our staff through every step of the convention to ensure that your con experience is as enjoyable as possible.
Being a Gopher is a great way to dip your toes into running a convention for those who are considering staffing in the future. There’s no set requirement on hours—join in when you want, and step out if you need to. Every bit of help is much appreciated!
How to Become a Gopher
Becoming a Gopher is easy! Just go to Con Ops/Safety during the convention and request a sign-up sheet from the Gopher stationed there. Follow the Gopher’s instructions, and just like that, you’re one of us!
For more information about being a Gopher, please email us at [email protected].
Gopher Hour Rewards
As a Gopher, you’ll embody the spirit of service and volunteerism that permeates the furry fandom. Of course, there’s plenty in it for you, too—you’ll earn rewards based on the number of hours you work—including previous years’ con merch:
Gopher Rewards Table
| Hours | Gopher Reward |
|---|---|
|
1 |
Inclusion on our Volunteer Appreciation page |
|
6 |
2025 Lanyard |
|
8 |
2025 Day Pass |
|
12 |
2025 Shirt |
|
16 |
Upgrade 2025 Day Pass to Basic Membership |
|
18 |
Past Year Shirt** |
You can earn twice as many Gopher hours by:
- Hosting a panel
- Setting up on Thursday
- Tearing down after close on Sunday
We’re more than happy to have gophers volunteer for more than 18 hours, but the benefits cap at 18 hours. We also want you to take part and enjoy the convention while you are with us!
*Discounts cannot be transferred or deferred.
**Past Year shirts are subject to available stock.
Running a Panel
Panelists run events, or panels, for AnthrOhio. They volunteer their time during the convention to create programming for other attendees to enjoy. This also entails significant work outside of the convention prepping for the panel.
We recognize this hard work by rewarding each panelist with double the amount of time spent running panels at the convention in Gopher hours. Panelists accrue Gopher hours from all their time spent running panels and do not need to do all their panels consecutively to earn Gopher hours.
For example, if a panelists runs a 1 hour panel or event, they are entitled to 2 gopher hours. They could then work 4 more hours as a gopher keeping hospitality running, to earn 6 gopher hours and the rewards shown above.
Another example, if a panelists were to run 3 hours of programming (it doesn’t have to be all at once) during the convention, they would be entitled to 6 gophering hours.
If you’re interested in running a panel/event at the convention, contact our programming team at [email protected].
