Ski for Light Event Planning Manual

February 2013

6. Banquet Seating Coordinator

From Hotel Functions Coordinator, determine approximate number of attendees and size and number of tables in dining room.
On 3 by 5 cards, create banquet seating tickets reading "table 1, seat 1" through "Table x, seat y" in print and braille. Even though people will not be assigned specific seats at their table, seat numbers are helpful to keep track of how many people are assigned to each table.
If Banquet Seating Coordinator does not have the capacity to create braille, assistance should be sought from the Special Formats Coordinator.

Request an alphabetized list of all attendees from the Information Room Coordinator.
Request Hotel Function Coordinator to obtain a map of table numbers in the dining room and that he/she request the hotel to place numbers on the tables for the banquet on Saturday.

Request volunteers to assist with banquet seating from the information room coordinator. Volunteers will be needed to assist with assigning seats on Thursday and Friday evenings.
Ask Announcer to make a banquet seating announcement at dinner.
Sample announcement: It is Ski for light tradition that skiers and guides sit together on banquet night. If you wish to sit with your guide and others of your choosing, you may obtain assigned seats for up to (insert number of seats at each table) individuals at one table. Please designate one spokesperson for your group and bring a list of names to (name of banquet seating coordinator) who will be seated outside this room at 6:15 on Thursday and on Friday evening. You may designate from 4 to x people in your group. The banquet seating coordinator will take your names and give you the designated number of index cards with a table number. Give each person in your group one of these cards and tell them to bring the card to the banquet. Volunteers will be available to assist you in finding your seat, if you need assistance. You need not enter the banquet room as a group. We recommend that you get your table organized as soon as possible, as designated space will be limited. We will also have open spaces for people who do not want this designated seating.
Ask Hotel Function Coordinator to arrange for a table outside dining room Thursday and Friday evenings before dinner for the distribution of banquet seating tickets.

Staff banquet seating table and distribute tickets, as requested. Be sure to touch base with SFL president and banquet MC to make sure they are assigned to a table near the podium.
Recruit individuals to be present at dining room doors just prior to banquet to assist those needing to find a specific table and those who do not have table reservations.

Request Hotel Function Coordinator to have "unreserved" signs placed on any tables where the entire table has not been reserved.
Provide seating assistants with the cards for available seats.