2019-07-22 Salon

This page is for planning the 2019 Elderberries Salon during Pride Week

• Date: Monday, 22 July, 2019, 3-7pm
• Location: Unitarian Universalist Church, 5500 Inglis St
• Attendance: about thirty people
• The introduction we read at the beginning of each session

Feedback From The Survey

Respondents: 2 speaker/moderator; 2 member of the audience; 2 volunteer/team member.

What worked well?

• Location, knowledge of speakers
• The location. An intimate setting is great for something like this.
• The space that it was offered
• The format was satisfactory for the time I was able to hear the presenters.

What could be improved, and how?

• Venue. IE air conditioning
• Nothing to note. AV was great.
• No hot food, just sweets etc., tea, coffee and cold drinks
• my suggestions:
  • 1. have a clear Moderator
  • 2. consider seating so 'Speakers/Panel' can be easily seen by all
  • 3. have someone responsible for passing microphone around, especially when audience members are speaking. [hard to hear; probably won't get on the audio; etc etc]
  • 4. be clear about what will happen with audio files [eg I was not comfortable speaking as I didn't know what would be happening with the audio]
  • 5. make it shorter - eg 1.5 hours talk with 10 min break mid-way; 30 min social after - then clean up; maybe 15 mins social before
  • 6. have specific questions or topics which could be timely every year and 20 +/- mins on each topic - or, at least, 15 mins of speaking by panel [4 speakers - 3 mins each with intro and sum up by moderator]. then 5 mins for comments/ questions from the 'audience'.
  • 7. plan for a variety of panel members
  • 8. call it something 'then and now' so it encourages interaction among generations.
  • 9. clear intro for each topic, with possibly some context/set-up for new arrivals or people not familiar with the scene.
  • 10. another option - 2-1 hr sessions on specific topics and call it a workshop.
• Perhaps either change the name of the activity or somehow promoting the event so that more will attend, both elders in the community and young people. I am no public relations expert, but I believe the information about the event needs to WOW people so that more will attend.
• Include youth at the table to compare then vs now.

And the food and drink in particular?

• Great.
• Refreshments were great.
• fine
• The variety and amount of good was just great; however, it could have arrived earlier so that what needed to be cooked was not done at the last moment. This prevented me from being able to hear more of the presenters.
• Awesome!

Any other thoughts?

• Let other speakers know who the speakers are. There was conflict
• None that I can think of. Elder awareness should become a focus of regional, and national Pride platforms.
• Less work in the kitchen means everyone can attend at least some of the event.
• not at the moment
• An air conditioned venue would have been so welcome. I was impressed with the number of young people in attendance, and I hope we can improve upon that for next year. All in all, I was impressed and I thank you and Pride for ensuring the event was held this year.

To Do List

(most of these refer to sections below)

• Form the production team
• Find a venue, set a date
• Invite Storytellers
• Reprint brochures
• Print more mugs?
• Listen to last year and make up intro to session notes "It's traditional to start any LGBT gathering with coming out stories". Thank you to UU Church & mini history. Mention the Archives Project.
• ANITA will make up 5x5 card bundles for sale for $8 each
• That morning: Buy Ice
• Wireless mic

Setup On The Day

(roughly in order)

• Dan: Bank: get honoraria $$
• Dan: Pick up Chris history display
• Get tables in place:
  • table for history display
  • greeting table for Trish. Ask Me Anything Cards + Brochures + Mugs
  • big table for the speakers
  • Small tables to sit around in the front Parlour
  • One table for food in the back Parlour
• Tablecloths on tables
• Check audio system and set up mics
• Assign available volunteers to the "Techs" section, below.
• Fold brochures

Planning

• Feedback on the last year's event and changes for the next one can be found here: 2018-07-22 Salon Feedback
• Here are several variants of the original proposal
• Record the stories for posterity? Yes. Audio only.
• Do we need bridge funding? Probably not but if so, Dan can do it.
• Get a sample Safe Spaces document from Adam? Would rather do "Brave Spaces"
• Ditto Active Listener training powerpoint

People

• find and invite 4-6 Elders, culturally diverse
• Maybe start with people who were active at the beginning of GAE

Room Layout

• Room layout: big table with extra seats around it.
• Welcoming desk in the Front Parlour + Mug Sales
• Food Table in the Back Parlour
• Big long table for Chris' History display

2018 Facts

• 2018 Storytellers: Barend, Lynn, Eric Smith, Mike Sangster, JJ Lyon, Robin Metcalfe, Laura Shepherd.
• 2018 Storytellers invited: Carol Millett (invited by Lynn, didn't hear from). Carolyn Gesner: stuck in NB. Bernadine: Medical issues.
• 2018 Storytellers, regrets: Chris Aucoin (inv. by Dan) No, working that afternoon. Gloria Borden (inv. by Barend) Can't make it. Clove Haviva (email below.) "I grew up and came out in the USA, I have positive stories about high school, wall street anti-nuclear action spontaneous orgy, rural new york lesbian community, michigan women's music festival, open lesbian lands in 1979..." Clove showed up and did participate. Deb Mathers -- room was too crowded. Kath Cure: didn't show up.
• 2018 Volunteers: Clove Haviva <Clove.Haviva@umanitoba.ca> avail 3-6, suggested 4-6. Can pick people up. Laura Shepherd: can pick people up. Mike Sangster I'd prefer to volunteer closer to the afternoon, between 1-4 instead of 4-8, but I can make myself available at any point. 902-818-3896. Richard Crooks: I am good all day after 12. Colleen d'Orsay cdorsay@hotmail.com. I have that whole day blocked, so anytime. Seth Wahlin-Stern <seth.wahlin.stern@gmail.com> I'm good from 1-3:45. I can come back at 7 to help with clean up as well.
• Costs: (planned/actual) Catering: 300 / 472.14. Space: 400 / 300. Honoraria: 200 / 140. Tech: 200 / 55.37. Promotions: 0 / 30.00. Display 0 / 30.00. Total: 1100 / 1027.51

Storytellers, Confirmed

(+ requests)

• Lorne Izzard -- DAN (Rum & Coke)
• Bob Frederickson -- DAN
• Jane Kansas (FB) -- DAN
• Ramona Westgate (FB) -- DAN
• Chris Frazer — ANITA
• nuri (trans person who spoke at the last one) nomazerun@gmail.com -- DAN
• Carolyn Gesner - LYNN

Storytellers Invited

• People who were invited but we haven't confirmed, listed here
• Miss Vicky — DAN (has asked Cecil) 902-405-1283
• Mike Davies-Cole -- DAN <michahalifax@yahoo.ca> bad email
• Andrea Currie
• Tom Burns
• John Marr
• Nancy Brister - lives in the valley
• Diann Graham
• Dan will ask Rebecca Rose for suggestions
• Chris Aucoin -- not feeling well enough to come
• Glenn Walton -- ANITA (just didn't show up)

Storytellers, Regrets

• People who couldn't come get listed here
• John Smith — DAN. He is leaving on a road trip to Quebec that morning
• Gloria Borden -- BAREND " busy with visitors, AND not a "gay woman."
• Kim Vance -- DAN - out of town
• Meredith Bell no, has to work - ANITA
• Jane Morrigan — no, sick -- ANITA
• Sue Burns - no — ANITA
• Anita Martinez -- no, can't talk about herself
• Maureen Shebib -- DAN -- not this year, mshebib@eastlink.ca
• Donna Ross (FB) has to work -- DAN
• Reg Giles -- has to work — DAN

Techs

• Moderator: Pauline! Yay!
• Host 1: Trish
• Host 2: Norval
• Food Manager: Richard
  • Food prep / server 1: Seamus
  • Food prep / server 2
• Active Listener 1: someone to talk to people if they get overwhelmed.
• Active Listener 2
• Recording Tech
• Set Dresser 1
• Set Dresser 2
• Set Dresser 3

Volunteers

& when available

• Doug Fevens: co producer
• Richard Crooks: Food
• Pauline: Moderator
• Barend Kamperman
• Darlene Webber darlenewebber@hotmail.com noon -- 5pm
• Linda Furlought <linda.furlought@gmail.com> Noon - 4pm I can be a greeter, food host and help set up.
• Trish Spark - welcome desk out front
• Clove Haviva <clove@eastlink.ca> 3pm - 6pm
• Seamus
• Norval
• Warren (was paid)

Equipment Etc

• Signage
• Computer & projector for slideshow from Dan & Allison
• Chris Aucoin's History Display
• 6' table for the catering
• Clean bathroom
• $30 Donation to ACNS to cover costs of the display.
• $20 bills + mugs + cards for honoraria

Costs

Sources: $230 from Elderberries, $550 from Pride

• honoraria = $20 each + a mug, about a $15 cost.

Music

• Maybe something tuned to Radio Dismuke or a similar playlist - BEFORE the event and after.

Dan Packing List

• Laptop, power supply etc.
• A few copies of this document
• Bluetooth receiver + cables
• Mugs
• Brochures
• Rainbow Beanie
• Cash Box
• Duct Tape
• Several extension cords
• Voice recorder and a tripod for it
• Sticky Labels for Speakers
• Recipe cards for "Ask Me Anything"
• Honoraria

Others

• Guest Book

Expenses

List expenses by person here

Donations

• List donations, value and who provided them, here