Volunteers are Lifesavers! Event Planning Guide
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Volunteers are Lifesavers! Event Planning Guide
- 1. Volunteers are Lifesavers! How to Plan a Successful Volunteer Appreciation Event (on a Shoestring Budget!)
- 2. The Planning Process • Determine type and size of event • Determine date of event • Book appropriate size venue
- 3. The Planning Process • Solicit door prize donations • Record detailed contact information for who made the donations
- 4. The Planning Process • Pick a theme or slogan •“Volunteers are Lifesavers!”
- 5. The Planning Process • Brain storm possibilities • Keep notes of all ideas • What is the goal of the event?
- 6. The Planning Process • Nautical applications • Colour scheme • General room décor
- 9. The Planning Process I found some good jobs in St. Albert Volunteering time every night and day • What to have for And I always kept one minute for sleeping While doin’ all the jobs that came my way entertainment? Big wheel keep on turning Volunteers keep on burning And we’re rolling, rolling • Humour usually Rolling down the Sturgeon Cleaned a lot of plates at functions appreciated Pumped lots of balloons down at Children’s Fest And I always saw the good side of the city When I volunteered with St. Albert’s best • Nice to have Big wheel keep on turning Volunteers keep on burning guests leave And we’re rolling, rolling Rolling down the Sturgeon smiling! If you come down to St. Albert I bet you gonna find some people who live You don’t have to worry when you need some helpin’ People in St. Albert are happy to give Big wheel keep on turning Volunteers keep on burning And we’re rolling, rolling Rolling down the Sturgeon
- 10. The Event • Staff and our centre’s volunteers assisted guests in finding their tables • Lunch was served as buffet set up in foyer of hall • Door Prizes drawn near end of meal
- 11. The Event
- 12. The Financials Expenses: Item Amount Location (St. Albert Alliance Church) $250.00 *includes equipment and technician Entertainment (Matt Alden) $300.00 Catering (Dandy’s Catering) $2,303.49 *includes buffet, linens, set up and clean up, gratuity, and GST Centerpieces, fabric for centres, vases, favours, $200.00 napkins Total Expenses $3,053.49
- 13. The Financials Revenues: Item Amount Volunteer Alberta Enhancement funding $1,125.00 Ticket revenue (205 people attending) @$12.00 $2,460.00 *33 complementary tickets issued ($247.50) Total Revenues $3,337.50 Revenues - Expenses $284.01
- 14. Conclusions
- 15. Questions? Thank you Any Questions?
Editor's Notes
- (click to advance to next screen)
- (Click for item 1)The type of event you are hosting determines what you will need and when you must start in order to have a successful event. (Click for item 2. )(Click for item 3.)In our case, immediately following Volunteer Week 2007, we had chosen to host a Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon during Volunteer Week 2008, estimated the expected number of attendees based on past experience and booked an appropriate size venue. With the venue booked, we could then wait until approximately 4-5 months before the event to get into full swing for the rest of the planning.(Click to advance to next screen)
- (Click for item 1)Obtaining donations from sponsors whether as cash or goods, is a great way to keep costs down but still be able to provide those extra touches that make an event memorable.Volunteers who attend our appreciation luncheon are always thrilled to also be able to “win” a gift of some sort, whether it be a large item or something as simple as a gift certificate towards a meal at a local restaurant. We have found that a hand delivered letter requesting sponsorship or donations is the most effective way of garnering participation from local businesses. (Click for item 2)When you do receive donations of any kind, it is of utmost importance to keep a record showing the name of the business, a contact name, phone number, and mailing address. Acknowledgement of the support received from sponsors and donors both at the event and after the event is important and goes a long way to having them make annual contributions. Acknowledgement can be made by including the business/donor names in the program or on any advertising that you publish; announcing who donated the “prize” being drawn for; and sending thank you letters after the event.(Click to advance to next screen)
- (Click for item 1)This is the fun part. Decide on a theme or slogan for your event. This makes planning the rest of it easier as everything else can revolve around that. We were lucky to have a graphic artist as a volunteer with our centre. We tossed several ideas back and forth, then settled on the concept that “Volunteers are Lifesavers!” (Click for item 2)This was done about 3-4 months before the actual date of the event which may be too tight in a larger community but works for us.With the theme based around the slogan “Volunteers are Lifesavers!”, our volunteer graphic artist designed a poster we could use to advertise the event and to collect ticket orders. (Click for flyer to appear)(Click to advance to next slide)
- (Click for item 1)After choosing our slogan, we had a “meeting of the minds” or think tank with all five of our staff members and three volunteers to work together as a team to brain storm possibilities. (Click for item 2)During this brain storming phase, it was important to have one person keeping notes of all of the ideas that were bantered around. The notes allowed us to pick and choose those ideas that best fit together while discarding any that might be too difficult or costly to achieve. (Click for item 3)We wanted the volunteers who were to attend the event to feel that their volunteer contributions were appreciated and acknowledged by providing an atmosphere that was truly enjoyable for all. We wanted to provide a good meal, pleasant d
- (Click for item 1)Using the lifesaver idea, we started thinking of nautical applications and eventually came up with the idea of turning the luncheon into something like a “riverboat cruise”. From there, it evolved into a riverboat cruise down the “Mighty Sturgeon”. (Click for item 2)(Click for item 3)The colour scheme was easy to choose as we just kept with the red and white of the life preserver. In keeping with a cruise down the “Mighty Sturgeon”, we wanted the general décor of the room to include things you might see along the banks of the river or on the boat itself. (Click to advance to next slide)
- (Click to show first picture)Life jackets, paddles, life preservers, bull rushes, fishing nets and pussy willows were listed and staff members agreed to lend what they could from items that they owned. (Click to show second picture)Artificial bull rushes were purchased from the dollar store along with river rocks to place in the vases to hold them. The vases were purchased from a local second hand store and were actually old wine carafes.(Click to show third picture)For the tables, we wanted white table cloths with a red centre cloth. Red napkins were purchased at a dollar store. The centre pieces were reused vases from a previous event and also reflect the nautical theme by using stones and seashells. The seashells were purchased from a dollar store. The stones used were red and white fish tank gravel that was donated by a local pet store. Each table was to have a “nautical” name displayed on a pennant on the table. These names could be used to call each table “crew” up for their turn at the buffet. To aid in seating, each table was pre-assigned by group and a sign with the organization’s name was displayed on each table. A program was also placed for each place setting as well as group “party favours”.(Click to advance to next slide)
- The program itself continued to use the “Volunteers are Livesavers!” theme both inside and out. It listed information about our keynote speaker and Cruise Director, (thank you Karen Lynch!), a schedule of the day’s planned format and an opportunity to further publicly thank all of the contributors to the event.(Click to advance to next screen)
- As part of our brainstorming session, we had decided that we wanted to provide additional entertainment. (Click for item 1)(Click for item 2)(Click for item 3)In keeping with the cruise down the “Mighty Sturgeon”, we thought it would be appropriate if we could do a “volunteer” version of “Proud Mary”, but we wanted to have someone perform it as well. One of the staff suggested we try to hire Matt Alden, whom we have had help us out at a past event. An alumni of St. Albert Children’s Theatre, he does improv performances and might be convinced to take on the task for us. We also thought it would be a good opportunity to involve the guests and get some volunteers up to help perform as part of “the band” providing props to add to the fun. At the same time, we also wanted those left at the tables to participate as well, so the “party favours” were purchased from dollar stores with this in mind.(Click for words to song)After meeting with Matt, he suggested some “warm-up” improv games before we got to the song. Upon hearing that the mayor would be in attendance and willing to participate as we need him, Matt suggested “A Day in the Life…” after the warm-up game to be followed by the song as a grand finale.(Click to advance to next screen)
- (Click for item 1)At the event, we had staff and our committee volunteers ready to help guests find the tables to which they had been assigned. Once everyone had arrived, they were welcomed and thanked for coming, given a quick overview of the planned schedule and other pertinent information, such as how lunch was to be served.(Click for item 2)One staff member drew table names from a basket and called each table up to the buffet by “crew”.(Click for item 3)To ensure the event was over in a timely manner, we drew for the door prizes during lunch.(Click for next screen)
- After lunch, we had a short speech from our mayor, followed by our keynote speaker and then the planned entertainment. Here are some pictures from our event.(Click to show 1st picture) venue showing everyone listening to mayor’s speech(Click to show 2nd picture) improv warmup game with our FCSS Director(Click to show 3rd picture) Day in the life of the mayor(Click to show 4th picture) volunteers on stage as back up bandAudience members were encouraged to sing along with the song and use the party favours on the tables to participate.(Click to advance to next screen)
- We called this presentation “How to Plan a Successful Volunteer Appreciation Event (on a Shoestring Budget!)”, (our Executive Director instructed us “Don’t Sink the Boat”) so I am sure you would like to know how much it cost to put this event on.(Click to show table)Read through table quickly or just highlight total!(Click to advance to next slide)
- (Click to show table)The goal of this event was to break even, so we came pretty close to that. We don’t solicit sponsors for this event as we feel with ticket prices at $12, it is quite reasonably priced. We do solicit for the door prizes as an added value to those who attend.We also hosted a second major event during Volunteer Week to honour the Volunteer Citizen of the Year and Leaders of Tomorrow in our community. For that event, we follow pretty much the same procedure but also solicit sponsors as we use it as a fund raising event.(Click to go to next screen))
- Important to the planning of any event is the inclusion of the entire team. The more ideas brought forward in the planning stages, the better. Once everything is decided each member of the team takes a piece of the workload and as a result has ownership for the success of the event.We are fortunate in our offices to have a unique diversity of skills with each staff member taking the piece that they most enjoy and do best.
- Thank you Volunteer Alberta, for inviting us to give this presentation today.