Saturday, August 1, 2009

How to host a RP Social!

Larry and I spoke today. And I promised to send this note upon reflection.
Nine months in advance of the social, I began to look at hotels in the area. Some were treacherous. Some were spacious and accommodating. Others had no facilities to speak of.
The hotel may require a personal credit card number on file to hold the block of rooms
2. Reserve a block of rooms. This year we needed twenty. You will have until a week or so before the event to 'return' the unbooked rooms. With host's room will need hospitality suite.
Work with the hotel on a menu for the dinner dance to determine cost for registration
3. Set up a website for disseminating information.
4. Publish your invitation to any personal friends with RP, the RP Friends and the RPListerve.
5. Determine a 'soft' schedule of events and publish it to increase interest, and ask for ideas.
6. Make a registration form and post it to the website.
7. Begin working on a logo for T shirts and bandanas. ..or allocate.
8. Make a list of attendees to increase interest and support.
9. Keep active weekly to stimulate enthusiasm for the event.
10. A month before the social make a list of groceries and other things needed to stock hospitality suite.
11. Enlist local support if necessary to help with transportation.
12. Send out activities schedule to determine number of volunteers needed to assist.
13. A week before, confirm volunteers, make budget and be creative in getting food donated if necessary. People love to help one another. Don't be afraid to ask. . .they can always say 'no'...
14. Get your rest and know that there are powers greater than your own at work to bring the Social to fruition.
15. 'It's All Good'...the right people will attend and have a ball, no worries. You are just the facilitator :-)
16. Plan to relax enough to spend time interacting with your guests so you don't feel you missed the party. It is a lot of planning, but do have FUN!