Volunteers share stories of what makes working First Night Monterey so special.

Ellen Martin is the executive director of the family-friendly, alcohol-free, creativity-championing New Year’s Eve party known as First Night Monterey. But the party, now in its 26th year, wouldn’t happen without an army of 100-125 volunteers. Here, in their words, are why and how volunteers work the biggest end-of-the-year party in town.

Ron and Carol Beck have for two years worked the City Council chambers, which has hosted folk music.

“It’s a historic room, with nice artwork,” Carol says. “Ellen is careful about who she puts in there.”

The bands and the crowds are nice, says Ron, and it’s been a mellow assignment. They’ve made friends with other volunteers and joined a ski and social club through their association. After the events, the Monterey couple drive home.

“If it wasn’t for the damn hill, we’d walk,” Ron says.

Michael Goldberg’s most resonant recollection is that of another volunteer.

“Ralph Neal. A 97-year-old man, well known around town,” Goldberg says. “It was fun. He was very active, very sharp.”

They worked at the temporary office next to Golden State Theatre, where they issued two-way radios to volunteers and workers: “Nothing spectacular,” Goldberg says. “It had to be done.”

A Carmel Valley volunteer who wants to be anonymous – nothing too intriguing, just private – has volunteered since 1998, and has a story from 10 years ago.

“We had the front of the Conference Center,” he says. “I was site manager; my 8-year-old son was assistant. At the height of people coming in, a guy came walking by reeking of booze. My son said, ‘Don’t worry dad, I’ll take care of it.’ Oh shit. [I can just imagine what could go wrong.] He and a very chagrined 50-ish guy, drink in hand, come back, and he was escorted out. [My son] was proud, ready to pop buttons. I was proud.”

Hal Laughlin says First Night used to be even bigger, encompassing Fisherman’s Wharf and Custom House Plaza. He was a site manager and played in the Hootenanny Band, but mostly sets up and strikes down stuff with his own cordless drill and a bunch of drill bits.

“One time it went real late, too long of a night,” he says. “3pm to 3am, driving a truck around.”

Sunny McCauley and her husband Paul, in their 80s, have volunteered since First Night Monterey founder Paulette Lynch was directing it (she handed over the reigns to Ellen Martin 13 years ago). At the first one, they sold buttons.

“My husband and I set up a table with three to four of our children,” she says. “There was no cash register. [We used] a big box that sweat shirts had come in. When it was full [of cash], we sent it with the kids and said, ‘Put it in the bank.’ Then we sold out of buttons, so we started printing out stickers. We ran out of that. We told people, ‘Tell them Sunny and Paulette said it was OK [to go in the venue].’”

Jerry Azevedo and Rebecca Perry are married, run Monterey’s Tuba Christmas, and work First Night together.

“We are a team,” he says. “Our tradition is to listen to the free street music, [watch] face painting on Colton Hall lawn, then we’ll wander farther downtown, pick up our assignments, go to our venue and start working at 5pm.”

They usually work at live music venues, checking credentials and serving as ushers, then they leave the party early.

“We walk home under the stars. It’s usually nice and cold and crisp. We think of the music, the people, the stellar tradition, as we walk home.”

Camille Seville of Salinas does the announcing during the parade of performance and civic groups, children’s schools and bands. She’s worked at radio and television stations, and was announcing at the Harvest Fair in Greenfield when Ellen Martin asked if she would like to work First Night.

“I have to be an announcer,” Seville joked. But it turned out that one of the longtime parade announcers got sick three years ago, so Seville stepped in.

One time, over the P.A., she praised the free hot cocoa Monterey firefighters hand out, and saw the crowd rush their station.

Anthony Pineda is 19, lives in San Jose and volunteered at First Night for the first time last year: “My grandpa always used to volunteer. Last year I decided to do it with him. I just wanted to check it out. I thought it was cool.”

His grandfather is Ralph Neal, the same 97-year-old who inspired Michael Goldberg.

Pineda worked the hospitality chow hall at the Japanese American Citizens League building, serving food to volunteers, informing the cooks if they were low on anything.

“I thought it was cool,” he says.

Susan Ricketson of Monterey began volunteering about seven years ago. She likes the camaraderie, saying they may not see each other all year, but they resume friendships quickly at First Night.

She started out as a door monitor, then button sales, and is now an artist.

“I’m painting backdrops,” she says. “I worked as a clinical lab scientist and it’s given me an opportunity to get in touch with my artistic side.”

She doesn’t know what her assignment will be yet this year, but expresses a good volunteer ethic about it: “I’m pretty flexible. You go where you’re needed.”

FIRST NIGHT MONTEREY is 3-11:59pm Monday, Dec. 31, at various venues in downtown Monterey. $15-$25/admission button; $70-$86/family pack of two adults and two youth; free/kids 5 and under. To volunteer, 373-4778, firstnightmonterey.org