Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Many Hands = Light Work


When things look tangly, before order is established***


It may seem like I'm doing the conference all by myself, but that's because I'm constantly talking about it!

In reality, an event like a conference of this magnitude cannot be done by one person, and I have a great committee working alongside of me, every step of the way.

Birthe Miller is co-chair.  She has been sounding board, facilitator, facility negotiator.  She arranged for the discount codes on the two airlines, and block booked the hotel rooms.  She has helped form policy and also developed and maintained the official conference website.  She is the person who receives all the info emails sent through the website and distributes them to the appropriate person, or answers the questions herself.  I'm probably forgetting a bunch of stuff.

Wendy Knudson is the treasurer.  She has developed the budget and keeps track of all the expenses.  She advises on financial matters, has charge of the bank accounts for the conference and oversees payment of the bills.  She also is a great sounding board and give feedback on policy.

Serena Black worked tirelessly last summer/autumn getting the details for the instructors information confirmed so that she could then set up the registration at Eventbrite.  She has crunched numbers and provided the information I need to keep track of numbers in workshops/seminars.  Provided feedback on policy. 

Grace Morris is dealing with the vendor and guild booths.  She has been negotiating with the display company for the booth dividers and other amenities the vendors will require.  Sounding board and policy feedback.

Elizabeth Gibbs is covering a number of different fronts - liaise with the art gallery, marketing locally and generally filling in holes that she sees that are needing to be dealt with.

Two guilds offered to help and Sheila Carey provided assistance with her guild who assembled the name tags while Alison Irwin volunteered her guild to weave the award ribbons while contacting people to see if they were wanting to sponsor a cash award.  She did a spectacular job as we have received nearly $5000 to reward the people who (are registered for the conference and) submit an entry.  Some of the awards will be used for the guild booths and fashion show.

Now that the clock is ticking down, I have begun requesting volunteers for various things that need doing.  This morning I sent a newsletter request for people to assist with providing items for our guild display to be mounted in the stair well of the public library for the month of June, and people willing to pick up and/or return instructors to the airport.

Other tasks will soon be coming up as the days whip off the calendar.

So no, I'm not by any means doing this by myself.  I just talk about it more.  A lot more, apparently!


***to finished!

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