Committed volunteers help make Yountville welcoming
Yountville Welcome Center Volunteer Angelika Wieling, right, talks with two visitors on the sidewalk in front of the facility. In the background, volunteer Suzanne Lescure welcomes a four-legged visitor and its human companion. The Welcome Center, open seven days a week, is staffed by a crew of 34 volunteers who interact with about 1,000 visitors a month – some 50 to 100 a day on the weekends. Myrna David Photo.
“Would you like to take a cheesy photo?”
This question is not part of the usual script, but it is a question that volunteer Angelika Wieling often asks visitors to the Yountville Chamber of Commerce’s Welcome Center.
If they want a picture next to the “Slice of Life” Swiss cheese sculpture outside the center’s front door, Wieling happily obliges, giving them a memento of their trip while opening a conversation about the Yountville Art Walk – one of the many activities to enjoy in the bustling town, a hotspot for visitors from all over the world.
Wieling is one of 34 area residents who volunteer to staff the Welcome Center, open seven days a week – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, closing at 3 p.m. on weekends.
“Our Welcome Center is often the first stop for tourists in the valley because it is so conveniently located off the freeway,” said Chamber president and CEO Whitney Diver-McEvoy. “It’s a perfect opportunity to talk to visitors about our town and the Napa Valley in general. We are also a hub for locals who frequently stop by to say ‘hello’ to our volunteers and staff.”
The Yountville Welcome Center has been operating out of its current location at 6484 Washington St. for about 15 years.
Lee Milovich, who has volunteered off and on for 20 years, remembers when the office was housed in the Community Hall building in what is now the Steve Rogers Gallery. He once partnered at the Yountville Welcome Center with the late Jack Riker, who frequently brought his dog to the office.
Now visitors and guests are encouraged to stop by with their “fur babies” for dog treats. There is even a “Dog Log” in addition to the visitor log.
Wieling has been volunteering at the Welcome Center for 12 years. Her tenure dates to when the late Cindy Saucerman ran the Chamber, and she happily stayed on when Diver-McEvoy came on board in 2016.
Wieling works a five-hour shift every Sunday, usually partnered with Suzanne Lescure. Sometimes standing at the doorfront, the two women encourage visitors to step inside and share information about what they’re hoping to see or do while in town and in the Napa Valley.
Working on Sundays, the duo often meets families with children who are looking for kid-friendly activities. They share information about the town parks, and if the visitors want a picnic, volunteers encourage them to stop by Ranch Market Too.
Wieling said she always asks visitors where they are from and has met people from many parts of the world. If she learns a visitor is from Canada, she always asks if they’re from Saskatchewan, where some of her family lives.
“They usually say they’re from Toronto or Quebec,” Wieling said. “But one tourist actually told me he was from Saskatchewan and knew my mother!”
Volunteers commit to serving at the Welcome Center once a week. While they aren’t paid for their service, they do receive “perks,” including FAM (familiarity) tours at some of the local wineries and hotels.
Volunteer Chris McAuliffe organizes FAM hiking tours for volunteers. He has also created a hiking binder for visitors who want to get out in nature, be active, and see the valley from a different perspective.
Andrea Scarpa-May, Yountville Chamber of Commerce Program and Events Manager, has oversight of the Welcome Center volunteers. She created a volunteer desk binder that contains the most up-to-date information about local businesses and events in and around town.
Asked what it is the Chamber is looking for in a Welcome Center volunteer, Scarpa-May replied, “We want someone who is a good listener, has a strong knowledge of the valley, and can match visitor interests with local businesses and activities.”
Volunteers are knowledgeable of all the Chamber’s business members, including wineries, tasting rooms, hotels, and shops.
Scarpa-May said more than 1,000 people stop in the Welcome Center each month. Not surprisingly, most come on weekends when volunteers may see anywhere from 50 to 100 guests per day.
Funding for the Welcome Center comes from the Chamber’s nearly $1 million annual operating budget, which is partially funded through a contract with the Town of Yountville.
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