Ski for Light Event Planning Manual

June 2011

15. Information Room Coordinator

The Information Room is the SFL nerve center throughout the week. It is the one location where all participants can go with any problems or to obtain information or directions. It is particularly important to have a well-organized space and knowledgeable, resourceful staff, complete records and up-to-date information regarding all aspects of program operation. To effectively do this job, the Information Room Coordinator should attend the morning "sunrise" meetings where the day's schedule is reviewed and revised as necessary. Coordination of the Information Room involves working with the Registration and Housing Coordinator and with the Hotel Function Coordinator.

Pre-Event

Planning Meeting

• Depending on travel distance, time and budget constraints, you may be asked to attend the planning meeting. If you do not attend, please ensure your responsibilities are carried out by someone who does.
• Decide on a large, centrally-located room (near the Sales Room if possible) to be used for the Information Room.
• Arrange for staffing of Information Room with knowledgeable SFL alumni. SFL Board members are particularly well-suited for this job. It is necessary to have sighted assistance available, especially at those times when people are adding their names to sign-up sheets or verifying their bus departure times from printed lists.
• Location: The Information Room should be centrally located near the main lobby of the hotel or near the dining room for easy access.
• With Event Chair, arrange for a computer and printer will be needed and, if so, what type, how it will be obtained, and who will operate it.

One Month Prior to Event

• Arrange for the Information Room to be stocked with SFL paper, envelopes, general information pamphlets, etc.

International Week

Saturday/Sunday

• Attend all morning "sunrise" meetings so that information remains updated.
• Set up the Information Room.
• With First Aid Coordinator, determine procedure for emergency response.
• From First Aid Coordinator, obtain first aid kit and information on local medical resources for placement in the Information Room.
• From Other Attendee Coordinator, obtain list of persons who would like to help out during the week.
• From Event Chair, determine procedure for the sale of meal tickets to extras.
• Help registration people by stuffing and distributing materials as necessary.
• Collect list of mobile numbers from the database coordinator.
• Post hours that the room will be open.
• Hours of Operation: If skiing is on the premises of the hotel, operating hours should be maintained throughout each day. If participants are bussed off-site to ski, it may be appropriate to reduce operating hours or establish operating hours that target the participants' return to the hotel and during times when our numbers will be most significant at the hotel.
• Recommended Operating Hours:
  · Specific hours vary a great deal according to the variations in site and event needs.
  · Begin Sunday night with late arrivals.
  · Monday through Saturday 8:30 - 10:00am 3:30 - 6:30pm 7:30 - 8:00pm (Special hours may have to be added for sign-ups for special events (sleigh rides, etc.), tickets for guests for meals, etc.)
• Inform SFL Announcer of room schedule and apprise Announcer of schedule changes as they occur.

Throughout the Week

• Be sure that the most recent information is communicated to each staff person as he/she begins shift.
• Handle late registrations.
• Set up schedule for staffing of Information Room to ensure adequate coverage.
• Assist with coordinating activities of other attendees. If they are not needed for staffing the Information Room, help find other activities (such as Sales Room, race/rally, etc.) where they can be of assistance.
• Serve as a clearinghouse for lost and found items, messages, room assignment information/room changes, special-interest sessions information, daily schedules and related changes, transportation information (departures), and emergency procedures and contacts.
• At the end of each day, all cash collected for things such as meal tickets, sleigh rides, etc. should be turned over to the SFL Treasurer with an indication of the total amount present and the amount collected for each type of activity.
• Be acquainted with all SFL International committee operations during SFL week (especially Race/Rally, Publicity, and other activities that directly affect the community at large).
• Close down Information Room at the end of SFL week by boxing materials for shipment. Be sure to label them "Information Room materials" for ease of identification for the next year.
• Security:
  · Only those individuals responsible for operating the Information Room should have a key to the room.
• Kinds of Activity:
  · Sign-ups for special events (like dog sled or sleigh rides), etc.
  · Verify flight departure times and bus departure times; and
• Contacts:
  · The Information Room must maintain a complete and accurate record of who the people are in the following categories and where they are rooming:
  · Board of Directors and Executive committee
  · Committee Coordinators
  · Instructor/guide Coordinators and Guide Trainers
  · All other vip's, mip's, and instructor/guides
• Space and Supplies:
• Make sure there is an abundance of:
  · SFL Stationery and envelopes
  · Journals from previous years and current year as available
  · Brochures
  · Extra laminated sheets for name badge repair/replacement
  · Tape dispensers and tape
  · Push pins
  · Stapler/staples
  · 3-hole punch
  · Pencils/pens
  · Lined and plain paper
  · Poster board
  · Magic markers (both wide and narrow)
  · Scissors (more than one pair)
  · Ruler
  · Large trash can (from hotel)
  
• Room must be equipped with:
  · Telephone with access to an outside line
  · Maps of hotel
  · Maps of ski trails (where possible)
  · Several bulletin boards and/or wall space adequate for posting information (one of which must be outside the room with an updated daily schedule in large print (18 point) and braille).
• Avoid the placement of bulletin boards and flip charts on easels as easels are a mobility hazard. Notices and other written information should always be secured to a wall or door.
• Staffing: It is advised that a minimum of two people work this space at any given time (if one must run errands, the other can maintain open hours). Get SFL veterans and other non-skiing attendees to sign up for room staffing. It is necessary to have sighted assistance available, especially at those times when people are adding their names to sign-up sheets or verifying their bus departure times from printed lists.