WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — When SunFest comes around, the Nobili family is refreshed and ready to volunteer.
"Basically, our committee is responsible for making sure that the barge has water, and soda and juice and things of that nature,” Cyndi Nobili, soft drink committee chair volunteer, said. “Making sure that all of the non-profit vendors have water and juice and what not."
The family of five has been volunteering for six years and they said they can't imagine not volunteering.
"Volunteering for me started as a child,” Cyndi Nobili said. “I watched my parents volunteer at our home church.”
They take their job responsibilities seriously, making sure SunFest visitors have a good experience, just as they did when they were visitors.
"We are passionate about it,” Cyndi Nobili said. “We all started off attending SunFest and then we were general volunteers, which is when you help out wherever they assign you to help out."
"It's a great time, it really is,” Dan Nobili, member of the soft drink committee, said. “We are here all day and we wouldn't change it."
"I love it. I grew up coming here to SunFest with my mom and dad, grew up running around listening to music on the waterfront looking at art,” Derek Nobili said. “I enjoy it."
The Nobili family said they put in long hours from sunrise to sunset during the 3-day music festival.
"We do bring extra clothing with us, extra pair of shoes in case the weather turns bad,” Dan Nobili said. “We will blame Steve Weagle for that and when it is good he will get the praise."
The family is even making new friends while volunteering.
"The fact that we get to volunteer here brings a whole new experience to going to a music festival,” Andrew Nobili said. “It's something that I tell everybody to come and see how a music festival is actually run or what goes on behind the scenes. It's really enjoyable. You make friends that last a lifetime."
The family is among 2,000 SunFest volunteers.
"Being with family, hearing all of the music and going around and seeing all of the art, it's kind of a family experience," Nathan Nobili said.
The family said being among two thousand SunFest volunteers is rewarding and is like work-family.
"Day one of SunFest, being here the first hour, it's giving hugs, talking, catching up with everyone, seeing how everyone is doing that you don't see every day."
