Sasha Cohen won’t be there, but Sir Elton John might. It’s not the Olympic Games; rather, it’s another quadrennial celebration – the Gay Games.

Bringing athletes from all over the world, the event will be held in Chicago for the first time this summer, with several competitions taking place on Northwestern’s Evanston campus.

Rainbow Alliance invited event organizers to recruit volunteers on campus Saturday morning. About 30 people showed up at University Hall to learn how to get involved.

Recruiters said they were pleased with the number of people who expressed interest.

“The turnout today was great,” said Russell Walker, a volunteer with the games. “I’m surprised to see the number of non-students, or non-traditional students.”

Gay Games Volunteer Director Ann Simonson said although the games’ headquarters are in downtown Chicago, sports are divided between five villages. Northwestern is one of the villages and is hosting six sports, including tennis and synchronized swimming.

“Because (the Gay Games) has grown out of a grassroots organization, we’re working with people who want to make a difference in communities, such as universities,” Simonson said. “NU has been nothing but supportive. We haven’t had any problems.”

The games began in 1982. This year’s event will comprise 12,000 participants from 70 countries. The seventh occasion of the Games begins July 15 and runs until July 22. Everyone is welcome to participate, regardless of sexual orientation.

Weinberg junior Bethany Minor called the games “the cultural gay event of our lifetime.”

“It’s the ultimate pride,” Minor said. “If I wasn’t here over the summer, I would still come back.”

Non-students interested in volunteering at the games agreed that it is a great way for the LGBT community to take pride in itself.

“It shows the size and dedication of the gay and lesbian community to pull this off,” said Barry Aldridge, 47, Weinberg ’80. Another good thing about the games is meeting people from around the country and around the world, he said.

Simonson said some volunteering areas have restrictions. Only sworn or licensed officers can volunteer for security, and medical volunteers must also be licensed. Simonson said there are plenty of options for everyone else, such as helping out with different sports, providing technological assistance or handing water to athletes.

Volunteers can also sign up for cultural events to help musicians and other performers. She said there is a place for just about everyone.

“If all you want is to look pretty, I can put you as a meeter-and-greeter, and you meet everyone who comes through and everyone coming out,” Simonson said. “You can even ask them if they are single.”

Volunteers can sign up for four-, six- or eight-hour shifts. Walker emphasized that volunteers need to take their positions seriously but also can meet people and have fun.

“We respect that people want to have a good time too,” Walker said. “We expect that you show up and not be trashed.”

Simonson said she hopes to recruit 6,000 volunteers for the Games. Right now, about 4,000 people have signed up.

Simonson said about 30 percent of volunteers don’t show up during the week-long event. She said she hopes to come back to NU for more training sessions and to enlist the help of Rainbow Alliance.

People who want to volunteer can sign up at the event’s Web site, www.gaygameschicago.org. Simonson said it is not too early for people to start helping with the Games.

“When can you start? You can start now,” she said.

Reach Suzanne Wardle at [email protected].