Post Prom General Kick-Off Meeting Minutes – Oct. 19, 2011
Attendees– Kim Beam, Karen Kilgour, Meg Martin, Sandy Leistensnider, Nancy Turner, Kathi Rees, Linda Kapralick, Michelle Gerdes, Patti Campbell, Gene Goff, Linda Fisher, Jenny Anderson, Marci Wickham, Carla Tuhacek, Manisha Baman, Barb Tyson, Jane Konkoly, Linda Kazel, Phillip and Donna Greenburg, Peggy Melachrinos, Linda Tyson,
Kathleen Schlenker, Tom Tillfan, Denise Smith, Sharon Welsh, Janet Balendz, Robin Faulkner, Aimee Ruhl, Kari Groff, Chris Redington, Marc Stapleton, Miriam Frederic, Linda Titanich
Introduction/Welcome – Kim Beam
Kim used a Power Point presentation to explain the PP to the newcomers in attendance.
-briefly discussed the decorating, that the “cash cab” idea will be a tram car this year.
there will be a photo booth and karaoke. Still need Chairperson for Set Up.
Adult Fundraiser – Linda Fisher (read the email the Kim Woodring sent earlier in week …)
Five of us share the responsibility to co-chair this committee. The financial goal is $9K, per thelast meeting's budgetreport. The formatis a dinner / dance complete with entertainment, raffles, and a silent auction of a variety of items / baskets contributed by our own community businesses and organizations (including those associated with the school). The event will be held on Feb. 11, 2012(SAT), at the Empress Room (of St. Helena's Catholic Church), Rt. 202, Blue Bell. The cost is $40 per person. We will meet with the caterer the last week in Octoberto develop the menu and discuss other details. This will bea BYOB event. We are previewing entertainment options at this time, considering both live bands andDJs, with cost a major factor in our decision-making. We are still looking for someone to help with the significant task of soliciting and managing donated items for a raffle and the silent auction. We have a letter drafted torequest donations and must begin the campaign very soon. The fact that the prom date has been moved up this year presents a bit of a challenge because we will be soliciting items (potentially) during the holiday season when everyone is looking for good-will donations.Our committee will reconvene near the end ofOctober or beginning of November to review our progress and reset our work plan.
Athletic Events – Nancy Turner
Discussed location of events. Might do volleyball outside as “beach v-ball”. Laser tag in the wrestling gym, move dodge ball to boy’s gym?, need 4-6 volunteers per activity.
Baskets / Silent Auction – NEED CHAIRPERSON!!!
Business/Parents Letters- Jacqui S not at meeting. Kim read us the info….
600 letters sent, none to food vendors or those who donated to golf outing already.
Planning to send parent letters in January high school mailing. This is Jacqui’s last year doing this job.
Will need help putting together the mailing for 1700.
Casino/Game Room – Gene Goff.
Gene explained the set up in the girls gym. Dan does the ordering. The inflatables are in main gym.
Set Up still needs Chairperson. Gene explained what is entailed and that the lists are handed down year to year so it is very organized. One month before is busy, and very busy the week before. Set up is done the day before as much as possible and the day of the PP. This committee has largest budget.
Gene added that Dan won’t be at the PP so he will need help monitoring and running the inflatables.
Gene explained that the Clean-Up is not about cleaning but rather getting everything broken down and put away. Most goes in shed.
Coat room – Jenny Anderson. Not much to report, it will be the same as last year. No swimming this year!
Coffee House – Kathi Rees and Linda Kapralick.
Held in the faculty dining room. It’s a place for the kids to “chill”. There are musical instruments provided. Kids can sign up to perform. Could use help with set up the night before. Also need help with clean up in the morning.
Decorating – Marci Wickham and Carla T.
Responsible for “transforming” school. Work has already started. Need help with murals. Open invitation every Tues for any and all help they can get. Some work can be done from home as it gets closer.
Lots of great ideas ie, waves, sharks, sand etc. Want to hang more things from ceilings. Will accept props on loan from people. Decorations start going up on the walls on Thurs 4/26 and all day Friday 4/27. Bring the kids, get involved! Kim asked if anyone might have a “Tyvek” connection for a discount because we use a lot of it and it is expensive.
Education – Manisha Banam.
In the past had first responders, district attorney’s office doing DUI presentation etc. Wants to educate the kids.
Entertainment – NEED CHAIRPERSON!!! Mostly need someone for that night to greet/coordinate the entertainers. Sent out an email explaining duties to try and get someone to fill this position.
Food – Barb Tyson
Explained food/beverages that are offered, community is supportive. Will need about 14 volunteers on 1st shift and about 6-7 for 2nd shift. Don’t have cafeteria employees in budget.
Golf – Manisha (spoke for her hubby who wasn’t at meeting)
2012 will be back at Shannondell on Sat 7/12/12, 1pm shot gun start
Prizes – Jane K.
Needs cool ideas for prizes. Does not need volunteers.
Props Manager – Scott Sherman not at meeting, Kim explained the job. Mostly inventories and labels the props and decorations. Sometimes lend them to other schools.
Publicity – Linda Fisher (probably last year doing this)
Currently promoting the logo contest at school. Also promotes the adult fundraiser. Promotes the community walk thru which they try to improve each year. Collects donations at walk thru. Puts together sponsor booklets to hand out at walk thru. Made about 2500.00 last year.
Registration – Michelle Gerdes.
Sends out forms. Keeps track of the kids who are registered. Lets parents know if their child is not registered for PP but is for the prom. Needs volunteers the Tue, Wed and Thurs before to make calls.
Will need many volunteers night of PP. Calls need to be made to parents if kids are leaving early.
Security – No one at meeting so Kim B read email sent by Kim W. earlier in week as follows….
The Security Committee, led by three,worked closely with the schooladministrators and the Decorating Committee last year to arrive at a general safety plan for the event. Local first responders supplemented our volunteer staff and will be solicited again this year for a repeat performance in 2012. We had help from LP Police Dept., Worcester VFD, our school district Resource Officer, and the Mont. Co. Correctional Facility,in addition to a team ofparent and other localvolunteers who workedin various positions across three school zones over two shifts. They provided escort services for students authorized to leave the event to ensure they went from the school to their cars without diversion. Letters soliciting outside helpare targeted for distribution in November and an e-mail to last year'svolunteers should be routed about the same time so everyone is aware of the prom and Adult Fundraiserdate changes this year.
From Jeff Reiche:
Only adderfor Security . . .
Wehad a few"lessons learned" from last year andour Security team will put those in place as we do each year. But the one I do want to get out front to each committee chairs is that we do need to maintain the "single point of entry" for all adult volunteers. Havingsome volunteers come in the front door was this past year was disruptive; if a group wants to be signed in separate as a team that is fine, justso all volunteers must still enter at the same door (historically at the backarch/driveway) and get signed in there - you can set up a separate table or use one of the rooms right there. Please have all groups abide by this. This helps keep the perimeter controlled, and all adult volunteer cars should all be parked in the lower lot near the buses/football stadium (or as close as there as possible)
Thanks, Jeff r. (previous chair)
Barb added –
The one exception if you will is that we really need to let people come in with food at that door right outside the cafeteria. Food gets delivered/dropped off any time between 7 p.m. up to about 11 p.m. I think we worked that out last year by having a security person at that door for first shift, didn’t we?
For our volunteers coming in second shift, we can have them come in the regular volunteer entrance – it is just the food coming in that needs to be near the kitchen.
Jeff replied - Barb,
Understood, and we had an "early post" there this past year and plan to continue that.
Thanks for that clarification/reminder.
Volunteers – Sandy – coordinates ALL volunteers for the night.
Sandy will send out email to past volunteers and e-alerts. She will pass along specific requests to committee members. Karen K said that Sandy does a great job with this. Knows where all the volunteers are located with her detailed spreadsheets.
Webmaster – Rose Cook – not at meeting. Rose is working on the site. Currently can get on to it through the high school home page. Only 1 page now.
Next meeting – Wednesday November 16th at 7pm MHS Library!