Jill Volkert of Hammond says her Winter Carnival involvement is more about volunteerism, and less about partying, although they have some fun while doing some good.
They’ll leave the partying to the Vulcans of St. Paul, the ones who run around the city in an old fire engine and stopping here and there for some ritualized cheer, being generally silly and living out the part of the mythological coming of spring.
Volkert was one of 16 women, all over age 21, who vied for the crown of Aurora, queen of the snows, and afterward was named one of her court’s princesses — which means nonstop volunteer appearences as an ambassador for the city of St. Paul. Her duty is to extend the reign of winter, and have some fun while fending off and dodging those nasty Vulcans.
In recent years, there have been a host of Winter Carnival representives from western Wisconsin, including at least one queen from Hudson and a woman who stepped into the coveted Klondike Kate role, noted for bowdiness, revelry and song. One reason so many western Wisconsin women are involved is the close connection with the royalty from the Twin Cities and the North Hudson Pepperfest, she said.
There is a three-month candidacy period for queen of the snows, where the women attend numerous volunteer events and are evaluated on poise, speaking ability, personality and how well they mingle with others, said Volkert, who is 31.
These events included those involving the St. Paul Jaycees, the Feed My Starving Children organization, a fashion show and many others. “We become good will ambassadors,” Volkert said.
For a ten-day period, the representatives made 70 appearences at places such as nursing homes and schools by day, and stayed at a hotel in St. Paul by night, Volkert said. They roamed St. Paul in style to conduct the volunteerism, and get in some revelry, from early in the morning to 11 p.m. without significant breaks. They queen and princesses need their beauty sleep, so they don’t linger at places doing various forms of volunteerism until its bar time. (The Vulcans might be different).
One of their most noteworth treks, Volkert said, was to visit a sick child at a cancer center and perform a knighting ceremony.
In the coming year, Volkert and others will make 300 such visits. “This is a reason why I became involved,” Volkert said.
They will attend a queens weekend, with participants from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Dakotas, and it is great to see the camaraderie, she said.
Soon there is a festival in Winnepeg, since that group traveled down here to support the Winter Carnival, and a Cherry Blossum Festival in Macon, Georgia. There will be dozens of other events to follow.
Volkert was named the princess of the north wind at a recent ceremony. (You would think that since she hails from western Wisconsin, she would be princess of the EAST wind).
There were 16 women running for queen of snows, and it was fun with friends and those who would become friends, Volkert said. She enjoyed putting smiles on the faces of all involved, whether they be other candidates, or those being served — all the time getting out the word as an ambassador.
In connection with the revelry that goes on, she will always have a prince or other bodyguard with her to “protect” her from the Vulcans. Volkert bristled a bit when asked if she’d ever been “smudged” on the cheek by one of the Vulcans, something they were notorious for doing at the Pepperfest before a lid was put on it. (Her answer was no).
The Winter Carnival is based on a scenario where the queen and her family favor the winter season, and the Vulcans champion the merits of fire and want to bring on spring. Hence the two sides spar for dramatic effect.
Volkert grew up in White Bear Lake and has lived in Hammond for a-year-and-a-half with her husband Bill and dog Oliver.