This page documents how to run a regular Elderberries Salon.
You can copy this into the planning document for a specific meeting and fill it out, or print it out.
Northwood phone numbers:
- if someone has collapsed or something is on fire, grab a local phone in the building and dial ext 3191.
- otherwise, call the main switchboard, 902-454-8311
Volunteer Roles
Planning the event: Who...
- is Event Producer (the overall boss): ____________
- brings coffee, milk & sugar: ____________
- replenishes the stash of cutlery, plates, bowls, napkins: ____________
- brings tablecloths: ____________
- brings donation box: ____________
During the event:
- Room Setup: ____________
- Greeter for new members: ____________
- Emcee: ____________
- Shusher for Overtalkative Members: ____________
- Photographer: ____________
Attendee Count
Running The Salon
Opening Up
- Double check the start time. Plan to be there at least 15 minutes before.
When you get to Northwood:
- Take some notice of how the tables and chairs are set up or take a picture, so you can put them back. It doesn't have to be perfect.
- Consider what we're doing that day: Speaker? Round table? Discussion at separate tables?
- Plan a place for the food table; it will have a food end and a drinks end.
- Reset the room to fit this event
- Set a little table and chair by the door for the greeter
- Find our dinnerware & cutlery box in the closet and set those out
- Find a water jug in the "Adult Day Program" fridge
- Heat kettle for coffee/tea
- Help with sound/video equipment as requested.
Ask the first regular / board member who arrives if they'll be the greeter. The greeter says hi to people, may introduce them if they're new, and gets them to sign the guest book or write their name on something.
Running The Meeting
- Check if the guest speaker has any special needs.
- Ask them if they want questions during or after.
- Get their bio so you can introduce them, or delegate. Hint: LYNN is really good at introductions. Another hint : Whoever invited the speaker should get the bio ahead of time and share it with whoever is going to do the introduction.
- Most people will be there by 1:15
- Get people's attention, introduce yourself, and announce the order of the meeting
- Get some food and drink
- Announce the donations and put out a container for them
- Put out the guest sign-in book
- Introduce the speaker
- Speaker
- Thank the Speaker
- More refreshments
- Social time
- During the speaker's presentation, someone has to control the extremely talkative members. Use a firm hand.
- During the event, keep an eye on the refreshments table : discard empty boxes or wrappers, replenish supply of cups, napkins, water, etc as needed.
Closing up
- Distribute leftovers
- Wash any cutlery we're keeping
- Sort the garbage
- Put the tables back the way we found them
- Water jug back in the fridge
- Look around the room for stuff people left behind
- Make a note of what's getting low for cutlery, plates, bowls, napkins, and later email it to the team
- Put our stuff back in the box in the closet
Congratulations, you did it.
This page is in the HowtoCategory