Note to all volunteers: When you sign up to volunteer, please realize that you're signing up to do work.
Sure, you get some benefits like a snazzy t-shirt, dibs at the free food, or a better chance to meet B-list celebrities. Personally, I like to know I'm making a difference; even as I'm walking into restricted areas with my 'special clearance' status, munching on free snacks in my fancy 'Volunteer' t-shirt (which I didn't get this year because they ran out. Yes, I'm still bitter).
Not to mention the 'official volunteer' power-trip. "Ha ha! I'm a volunteeeeer, nyah nyah nyah!" Not that I do that.
But hey, if I want to, I can; because I earn it. You should have seen the snack table at the AIDS Dance-a-thon this past Saturday. With me on display duty, I switched on my anal-self and got to work. The supervisor commented that he'd never seen a more beautiful spread. (Did I just.. never mind.)
To the volunteer couple who just stood behind the tables eating their burrito: take a hint from the woman with the broken foot sitting who still stood up from her chair to replenish snacks - do something!
To the volunteer brats who took a break to dance every five minutes (for half an hour!) to come back and sit behind the table to rest and snack on food: I'm glad the supervisor kicked your asses out. If you want to dance, go dance, just don't come back and block our way.
It's all about selflessness and slyly taking advantage of your volunteer status to reap benefits... slyly! If you can't play by the rules, don't play at all!