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Meet the Crew

 The Missouri River Relief Crew

The growth and continued success of Missouri River Relief relies heavily on our dedicated crew members who travel all along the Lower Missouri River with us to flawlessly plan and execute our programs year-round. This group of devoted volunteers share their expertise, detail to safety and unmatched dedication throughout our programs as we educate and connect thousands of passionate community members all along the river we love and care for each year. 

Photo by Jenny Kettler

During our large-scale clean-ups, it is impossible to experience everything that happens amongst this well-oiled machine. One of Missouri River Relief’s greatest traditions is our “Star Circle” following our large events. This tradition allows each crew member to have everyone’s undivided attention as they share their favorite river stories from the day. Laughs, tears, praises and thanks are shared in one of the most welcoming and inclusive atmospheres along the river valley. 

Photo by Dave Marner

What is the MRR Crew?

Our Crew is the backbone of the organization and is truly the secret to our success. This group of volunteers helps us pull off a large number of programs all along the Missouri River by providing their expertise, skills, or simply an extra set of hands. We have crew members all along the Missouri River, some that can only help when we are in their neck of the woods, while other crew members travel with us across the state. Some of our crew members may only be interested in helping with education programs, while other crew members live for the clean-ups. Regardless, something that we all have in common is our passion for the river which we serve.

Are there any requirements to be on the MRR Crew?

There are many different kinds of people on the crew, but two things that they all have in common is that they look for what needs to be done then do it, and they like working together with other people to solve problems and make the world better. All that we ask is that you keep an open mind, an interest in trying new things, and share our desire to create a culture of safety around our programs. 

How do I become part of the MRR Crew?

The easy answer is...you just have to make the decision! The “MRR Crew News” newsletter is the best way to find out where you can help out and what’s going on behind the scenes. Included in those newsletters are two sign-up forms we use throughout the year for our programs. The first is our crew sign-up form which lists all the programs we could use a hand with. The second is our crew training opportunities form. MRR offers various training opportunities throughout the year to our crew including first-aid, deckhand training and boat operator trainings. These links can be found in our MRR Crew News Newsletters. 

Missouri River Relief program coordinators plot our events and meals based on our sign-up forms. We ask that if you sign up to help us, make sure that you show up that day and arrive on time. We know that life happens and that is okay, but please make sure to let us know as soon as you can. 

Do I have to attend the MRR Crew Meetings?

Not everyone can make the meetings and we get it! Our meetings happen in Columbia, MO and we have crew from up and down the river. While the crew meetings are a really great way to be informed of upcoming programs and past successes, we try to communicate all of this through the newsletter as well. Our crew meetings are also a great way to meet fellow crew members and catch up with friends.

Okay, I'm in. What do I need to do now?

Contact our Operations Manager, Kevin Tosie, at kevin@riverrelief.org and let him know you would like to sign up for the MRR Crew News Newsletter