Event Logistics Guide Appendix

Appendix A: WEEKLY PLANNING

Week One

• Meet and decide the primary coordinator of the event.
• Research local clubs, teams, and organizations.
• Plan an informational meeting for potential exhibitors.
• Research venues with capacity to house the number of anticipated youth, parents, and activity stations. See the Venue Selection section for suggestions. Schedule site visits as needed.
• Develop a list of potential sponsors to defray costs of advertising, staffing, equipment rental, prizes, water, etc. Contact them throughout the planning process.
• Decide from where you will draw your tween audience. Who will you invite? See Planning a Community–Wide Event section for ideas.

Week Two

• Send invitation letters to potential exhibitors. The invitation invites them to exhibit and also invites them to attend the informational meeting. Follow up with telephone calls.
• Meet with the necessary parties to secure the venue.
• File any necessary permits or notices. See Safety Precautions and Legalities section.
• Arrange for medical presence.

Week Three

• Contact leadership at schools and organizations who will be invited to the VERB Activity Zone event. Provide them with early notice of the date and location of the event.
• If needed, rent equipment such as perimeter fence, chairs, tables, etc. See Logistics section.

Week Four

• Hold informational meeting for potential exhibitors.
• Develop advertising and promotional materials. See Advertising and Promotion section. Allow 2–3 weeks for design and printing.

Week Five

• If needed, hire staff for security and/or traffic control. See Logistics section.
• Plan and coordinate student transportation to the event if necessary.

Week Six

• Determine how many stations there will be and the amount of space that will be needed.
• Solicit commitment from invited exhibitors. Assure variety. Don't confirm with more exhibitors than your space will allow. 15

Week Seven

• Continue to confirm exhibitors.
• Work with confirmed exhibitors to determine their needs; e.g. equipment they plan to bring or will need.
• Continue promotion and advertising efforts.
• Confirm with donors about the availability of all contributions like water, prizes, tents, etc.
• Develop a media list. See Advertising and Promotion section.

Week Eight

• Continue promotion and advertising efforts, with emphasis on newsletter placement and advance media coverage.
• Solicit volunteer staff to greet attendees, help with set–up, hand out prizes, do crowd control, etc.

Week Nine

• Develop a map of the facility, assigning each exhibitor a space. Include areas for registration, prizes, water, medical care, etc.
• Confirm medical and security staff, as needed.
• Send letters to confirmed exhibitors with details about the event and inviting them to a meeting to be held during Week 11 to discuss last minute logistics.

Week Ten

• Ask schools to promote the VERB Activity Zone event during daily announcements during the next two to three weeks.
• Ask PTAs to distribute flyers to parents.
• Fax or e–mail a "hold the date" media advisory notifying local media. See template in Appendix E.
• Contact volunteers to request that they attend a briefing session prior to the event. You can choose to hold the briefing the morning of the event or the day before.

Week Eleven

• Hold a meeting with confirmed exhibitors to discuss event–day logistics. Call exhibitors who don't attend to answer last–minute questions.
• Meet with the venue manager to confirm logistics such as sufficient electricity, air conditioning or heat, clean–up, set–up and break–down hours, etc.
• Confirm volunteer staff.
• Print participation release forms.

Week Twelve

• Produce exhibitor roster. See Logistics section.
• Repeat the media advisory with updated information and follow–up with phone calls to local news desks to invite media to the VERB Activity Zone event.
• Prepare emergency contact list. See Safety Precautions and Legalities section.
• Hold briefing session for volunteers – either the morning of the event or the day before.
• Handle the last–minute details!

Week Thirteen

• Send thank you notes.
• Send pictures and evaluation forms to schools and volunteers. See Follow–Up section for details.
• Send press release and pictures to local newspapers.

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Appendix B: VERB Activity Zone Scorecard

Front and Back

Click Image for Full Size

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Appendix C: Release Form

View PDF (4743K)

Click Image for Full Size

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Appendix D: Announcement

[Insert sponsoring school/organization name] is holding a VERB Activity Zone event for middle–school–aged children (Children ages 9-13). Explore activities, clubs, and teams offered in the area. There will be [insert sample of activities like soccer, dance, martial arts, etc] and more. Students can try their skills at a range of activities; and parents can learn about local options for after–school, weekend, and summer programs. Come on out [insert date, time, and location]. See you there.

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Appendix E: Media Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [TODAY'S DATE]

CONTACTS: [Event spokesperson or organizer(s)] [phone number]

(Your Organization) Hosts VERB™ Activity Zone

WHAT: To get kids excited about and more involved in physical activity, (your organization) is bringing a VERB Activity Zone to (your community). Kids ages 9–13 will have an opportunity to try fun physical activities and even earn prizes just for trying. They'll run, jump, skip, and toss and are likely to find something that will keep their interest for a lifetime.

WHO: Organizations from throughout the community will be on hand providing demonstrations and opportunities to participate. This is one way that our community is addressing the concern of obesity in our youth. There to greet the kids will be [name of local high school, college or pro athletes, their titles, and their interest in participating], [head of your organization …], [TV or radio personalities…, etc].

WHEN: [Day of the week, date]

WHERE: [Location] [Street Address] [cross streets if appropriate] All special guests [or name of designated spokesperson] will be available for interviews following the event.

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Appendix F: Exhibitor Survey

VERB Activity Zone Exhibitor Survey

How many people do you estimate participated at your station or watched your demonstrations?____ Don't know____
Comments:

If you stamped scorecards, how many did you stamp?____ Don't Know____
Comments:

Has your business/organization received any inquiries as a result of your participation in the event?

Have you registered any new members or seen participation among current members improve/increase?

What did you like most about the event?

What did you dislike most about the event?

Did you experience any difficulties on the day of the event?

Do you have any suggestions for making the next event better?

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Appendix G: Press Release

[Current Date]

VERB Activity Zone Event The [your organization name here] and [number of exhibitors or partners] community partners hosted over [number of tweens who attended] 9 to 13 year olds for a day of fun, physical activity in the VERB Activity Zone. Kids were able to [insert activities here] from [start time] to [end time] at [location here].

[Sentence about any notable exhibitors, contributors, or appearances.]
[Quote from a youth.]
[Quote from an exhibitor.]
[Note plans for any future events.]

For more information on the fun physical activity offerings in the community and to find out how you can be a part of this event next time, contact [contact name or location where list of exhibitors and other information can be obtained].