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Post by polgera on Aug 20, 2013 5:39:57 GMT -9
Looking for a volunteer coordinator for Geo-fest this year. The event is scheduled for Friday, December 13th at the BP Energy Center.
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Post by fuzzybelly on Aug 20, 2013 8:07:45 GMT -9
I'm not sure what to say quite yet. Frankly I've got some serious questions about whats going on around here.
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Mac5115
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 76
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
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Post by Mac5115 on Aug 20, 2013 8:32:50 GMT -9
I can definitely help out with this event. I am a newbie cacher and newbie member of GeocacheAlaska! but definitely want to be involved in the organization. I am willing to dedicate time whenever I'm not at work.
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Mac5115
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 76
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
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Post by Mac5115 on Aug 20, 2013 8:35:08 GMT -9
Also, I live in the area so it would make it a bit easier for me to help coordinate.
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Post by NorthWes on Sept 11, 2013 11:51:14 GMT -9
Mac5115, thanks for stepping up with an offer to help. We'll keep you informed as we get more organization going with this event.
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Post by NeverSummer on Sept 11, 2013 13:41:57 GMT -9
I'm hopeful that I can attend. Making it to Anchorage on a Friday night from Homer in the winter can sometimes make for some trouble. That said, I wish I could help! If I were in Anchorage, I'd be all over this opportunity.
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Post by TheFirefly on Sept 11, 2013 14:15:56 GMT -9
Friday the 13th, in Anchorage, in December. Hhmm, could be an epic adventure! (That's my daughter's 5th birthday, too!) I'll mark my calendar, but can't promise to be there. If there is anything that can be done remotely, keep me in mind.
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Post by ladybugkids on Sept 18, 2013 13:20:41 GMT -9
Roberta/polgera has check lists for the event that provide an excellent road map for how to host it. You can also look at previous event pages for ideas: 2013 Geofest.Additional Geofests may be viewed by looking at GeocacheAlaska!'s profile.
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Post by NeverSummer on Sept 18, 2013 13:22:31 GMT -9
I'm more than happy to help in whatever way that I can remotely. My free time schedule will open up considerably once my thesis is complete and defended at the end of this month/early October.
PLEASE let me know what I can do to make sure this event can happen, even if I can't attend.
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Post by akgh519 on Sept 18, 2013 14:31:08 GMT -9
I will be happy if I can make it to the event. If there is anything I can do from afar let me know.
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Post by SSO JOAT on Sept 18, 2013 14:39:46 GMT -9
Hmmm, anyone else find the irony in having 4 people who are not in Anchorage (currently) being the ones who are volunteering to help plan it? Where are all the Anchorage folks on this one?
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Post by NorthWes on Sept 18, 2013 15:57:32 GMT -9
I'm feeling the irony of no one from Anchorage volunteering to host the event!
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Post by ladybugkids on Sept 18, 2013 16:22:29 GMT -9
I requested the topic to be on the Agenda for tomorrow night's Board of Directors meeting. We should have more clarity on the situation after that. If the event is going to happen, the event page can be published as we're inside the ninety-day window.
It's not a matter of the word not being on the street. Roberta opened this thread a month ago and the need for an event coordinator was published in the September newsletter that went to all GeocacheAlaska! members.
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Post by akgh519 on Sept 18, 2013 16:33:09 GMT -9
Is the venue and menu the same? Or has that been determined? If it is, it should not be to hard to organize and put together. Should be quite easy
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Post by ladybugkids on Sept 18, 2013 16:51:00 GMT -9
Is the venue and menu the same? Or has that been determined? If it is, it should not be to hard to organize and put together. Should be quite easy The BP Energy Center is reserved for December 13. As far as I know, no other details have been landed.
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Mac5115
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 76
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
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Post by Mac5115 on Sept 18, 2013 21:27:46 GMT -9
I stand alone here in Anchorage! Can we do a vote on what we want for the menu? From what I have heard, the menu was pizza, does anyone think we can do catering? For a cost efficient option, we can do some sort of "Master Chef" cook off. How was the turnout last year?
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Post by ladybugkids on Sept 18, 2013 21:48:52 GMT -9
I stand alone here in Anchorage! Can we do a vote on what we want for the menu? From what I have heard, the menu was pizza, does anyone think we can do catering? For a cost efficient option, we can do some sort of "Master Chef" cook off. How was the turnout last year? Catering must be provided by Nana Mariott, the entity that runs the cafeteria in the BP building. They have menu choices that get as swanky as swordfish. Pizza (by Nana) has been done the past couple of years to hold the price down. Potlucks are not allowed in the facility. Baked goods for the dessert contest are. All BP Energy Center information including the catering menu may be found here.We use the Energy Center because we get it for $100 for the evening, complete with sound and video systems.
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Post by SSO JOAT on Sept 19, 2013 0:35:08 GMT -9
And to be quite frank, a Christmas party (call it geofest, but it's a Christmas party none the less) is less about food and more about socialization. Based on what I remember of last year's event...
People who want to participate in the modified Chinese Auction gift exchange are requested to bring a wrapped gift (IIRC, value of about $20 was recommended).
Sign in the logbook on arrival and pick up door prize ticket, bingo card, and baby photo quiz.
Back of the room has the store laid out on a couple long tables for buying bling. Those who brought a gift place it on a separate table and get a gift ticket.
A number of people were asked in advance to provide their baby pictures. These were placed on a large board to one side of the room.
During the first hour, people mingled, completed bingo cards, and tried to figure out who's baby pictures were on the board. Completed bingo cards and baby quizzes were turned in.
During all of this, a photo slide show is playing on the big screen. This is compiled with all the photo entries for the photo contest as well as additional photos submitted for the slide show.
The pizza arrives and is setup on a table outside the room. People wander out to grab paper plates of pizza and return to their tables to eat.
Some presentations are made at the mic every once in awhile. There is an MC to make a few annoucements along the way. A couple short talks by the prez and a few others (like a Board member from Soldotna jumping in there to thank all the folks who contributed to the Education Committee over the year). We had the blue goose folks show up for a little bit. Had to kick the goose out when he started getting too frisky with some of the guests.
The gift exchange occurs and those who donated a gift go pick up a gift with a number that corresponds to the ticket they were given when the gift was dropped off.
Bingo card drawing (random from all those who completed a card and turned it in). Baby pictures are revealed. Door prize drawings occur.
More socializing.
People are told that there is a special prize hidden up under some of the chairs. The whole room drops to the floor and there is much shuffling about.
Eventually, Mike fires up a computing device and publishes a cache at the end of the property just outside. The room clears out.
Cleanup.
I'm leaving out a lot of detail, but that is the general outline of the course of events last year.
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Mac5115
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 76
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
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Post by Mac5115 on Sept 19, 2013 1:06:58 GMT -9
Question for the members that attended last year's event: So what did everyone like and dislike about this event?
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Post by ladybugkids on Sept 19, 2013 6:17:20 GMT -9
Question for the members that attended last year's event: So what did everyone like and dislike about this event? This looks like another potential question for the annual survey if it's run this year. General membership doesn't frequent the forums, so we won't get much feedback in here. Best opportunity for feedback is to read the logs on the event page. Wes and Roberta can help fill in details because they had specific conversations with attendees, but I think the only "controversial" issue is how the gift exchange is run. Up until 2013, the gift exchange was run traditionally with a person choosing a gift or stealing an already open gift. Gift steals were limited to two per item if I remember correctly. With 70-80 participants, the exchange took a fair amount of time to complete and a few people commented about that. So, in 2013, the gift exchange was radically shorted by having people choose a gift off the table, open it, and that was it. That also resulted in some negative comments from a few people because they enjoy the drama of the gift stealing. So, can't please everyone. Another area of choice is the food. We held the 'fest at the Sourdough Mining Company until we outgrew their room and got frustrated with the sound system that wasn't. They also don't have video capability. Per head cost for dinner is about $16-$20 for so-so food (except the corn fritters are scrumptious), ordered off the menu. FrostG1anT an Eagle618 hosted an event at Aladdin's ( GC1J4DM) for $26 per person and they said they lost money out of pocket (this was before GeocacheAlaska! incorporated). The food was excellent, we filled the room, but it was dark, no sound system, and no video system. Then we got a line on the BP Energy Center and hosted the 2009 Geofest there. The menu featured a buffet of shitake beef stroganoff, teriyaki chicken, grilled swordfish, salad, and rolls, with several choices of pizza for the junior cachers, catered by Doyon. Price was $26. Some people liked the food, some didn't. The event has been at the Energy Center ever since except for one year when we were moved over into the main building due to a conflect with another user group. Pizza, salad, and beverages catered by Doyon has been the meal since then with a much reduced price and no one has complained about it.
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Mac5115
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 76
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
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Post by Mac5115 on Sept 19, 2013 21:59:43 GMT -9
LBK- You stated that the general membership does not like to frequent the forums. What about social media? Twitter and Facebook are hot right now and one of the things that a lot of people check on a daily basis. I believe that our link to the general membership could be through these social media sources.
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Post by ladybugkids on Sept 19, 2013 22:25:29 GMT -9
LBK- You stated that the general membership does not like to frequent the forums. What about social media? Twitter and Facebook are hot right now and one of the things that a lot of people check on a daily basis. I believe that our link to the general membership could be through these social media sources. Per the 2012 Member Survey, 50% of members use Facebook once or more a week and 42% Almost never use Facebook or don't have an account (I'm one of the latter). GeocacheAlaska! has a Facebook page, but it's pretty "dead" as far as I know, with no regular content updates. Also, as it's been explained to me, once a topic or announcement rolls off the bottom of the screen, it's not retrievable via a search function, but admittedly, that's hearsay. As with Facebook, Twitter requires someone to actually provide content. We asked our membership: 42. What is your preferred method of receiving GeocacheAlaska! news and information? (You may choose more than one answer) Response Percent Response Count Direct e-mail 92.5% 37 Forums 10.0% 4 Website 22.5% 9 Facebook 12.5% 5 Newsletter 37.5% 15
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Mac5115
Bronze Cacher
Posts: 76
GeocacheAlaska! Membership Level: Sourdough
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Post by Mac5115 on Sept 20, 2013 1:04:01 GMT -9
Hmmm...ok, good information. I saw that the Facebook had 277 likes so that survey was surprising to me.
Just trying to brainstorm for more involvement epically from Anchorage folks.
I know that every post that the GeocacheAlaska! profile makes on Facebook goes into those individual user's feeds which could be useful for event notices. Twitter would be good to give motivational posts to come check out the forums and attend events and give links to the forums and the event pages.
If it is a problem with someone keeping up with these accounts, then I would volunteer for this duty of managing the accounts. I check Facebook and Twitter along with this forum daily and probably more than I should but it keeps me going. If the members and the Board of Directors think it is a good move then we could also do a 30 day trial run of the two accounts running active. After the the 30 days, the Board of Directors and members can look the activity levels and if we should continue to purse being active on the accounts. It is a free service so what do we have to lose.
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Post by SSO JOAT on Sept 20, 2013 1:35:52 GMT -9
Just FYI... the webmaster already has the FB group issue on the docket. The current FB 'face' is a "page", which is not the format we want on FB. That was setup before my time and I do not have the credentials for the page owner to go in and change anything.
Fairbanks proved the functionaility of the FB Groups format and we need to copy that.
As to the Twitter issue, I have personally found Twitter to be a quagmire of worthless information overload. However, we do not have a twit account, so it would be simple enough to make one and start posting news feeds to it. The only way a nitwit account is going to benefit us will be to first advertise it and get the local cachers to "follow" us with their own accounts. Without followers, you might as well lock yourself in a closet and mumble.
I think the exact application of social media should be explored. Ought to make good campfire topic at the Hobo Event and then again at the GCAK EduVent on Oct 24 during the Open Mic Night.
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Post by NeverSummer on Sept 20, 2013 9:47:45 GMT -9
To that end, Mike and Scott, has a direct email request gone out about helping with Geofest? I know it was in the newsletter, but this might need its own specific request email.
..If one was already sent about Geofest, I didn't get it in my inbox.
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Post by ladybugkids on Sept 20, 2013 9:57:33 GMT -9
To that end, Mike and Scott, has a direct email request gone out about helping with Geofest? No.
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Post by NeverSummer on Sept 23, 2013 9:36:05 GMT -9
Any updates on Geofest that can be shared after the BoD meeting?
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Post by SSO JOAT on Sept 23, 2013 18:04:41 GMT -9
There was a little talk and there will be an effort to include the GeoFest on the comming membership survey and additional efforts to secure event hosting staff.
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Post by freeweez on Nov 8, 2013 14:06:44 GMT -9
I love the December Geofest---and am very willing to help coordinate things this year (2013). Dec 13th is open and I have the event on my calendar! If Polgera (Roberta) is looking for another active organizer---I can be that person! Please contact me via e-mail though....as that will receive a quicker reply.
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