After the Banquet and the clapping of appreciation for the Dining Room and Kitchen staff, the younger children are usually ready for a change of scene. Traditionally, the children go next door into the lobby or pink parlor for an activity that lasts 30-45 minutes while the adults finish the testimonials at the Banquet. After the Banquet, the adults will pass through the lobby to either include their children in the Grand March.

Preparation:

Bring several, to offer a choice, half-hour videos that are suitable for ages two through 10. If you decide to show a video, arrange with Conference Services, the day before the Banquet, to provide a TV and VCR by 7:00 P.M.

Ask the Banquet hosts if they have planned musical accompaniment for the children’s recession into the lobby. Light fanfare for the kids can be fun.

Procedure:

The Master of Ceremonies will announce the time, between 7:15-7:30, for the children to go to the lobby. The emcee will then introduce you as the leaders of the after-banquet children’s activity.

Stand in a prominent place for the children to see, and lead them from the Dining Room. Explain to the children that they will spend some time with you until the Grand March passes through. At that time, a guardian will either take them on the March, or put them to bed. Entertain the children until the Grand March occurs. Then help each child find his or her parent.

Bingo is a popular and fun event that benefits the island, full of cheering and good humor. Expect a turnout of 50 to 60 people of all ages for this very multigenerational activity. The game pieces are usually stored with the youth supplies, so the Youth Coordinator can get them for you on island.

The game runs on StarBucks, $1 coupons redeemable only at the snack bar. (They need to be guarded, as they serve as currency, so don't leave them strewn about your room.) You can get last year's design from the people who did it last year, or you can have fun creating your own. (They fit three on a page If sized similar to a dollar bill.) Before the event, the Bingo Coordinator discusses the StarBucks with the
Snackies (the Pels who run the Snack Bar) and arranges to give them real cash immediately following the game in proportion to the StarBucks awarded as prizes.

The Coordinator needs to recruit several volunteers to run the event. Several of these tasks could be combined and done by one person, or you can create a large team of helpers.

1. A couple of people to sell bingo cards, at $1.00 per card, shortly before the event begins. Be sure the cost is on the chalkboard and is mentioned in any announcements, so no one will be surprised that there is a charge to play. Emphasize that this is an event that offers financial support to the island.
2. Helpers to set out bingo chips on each table.
3. Someone to "call" the numbers and someone to read back the winning card before awarding the prize.
4. A banker to announce what the winner gets for each game. The prize usually starts at a couple of dollars and creeps up to a whopping $10.00 at the end of the evening.

To make the evening more exciting, someone (it could be the banker, or another volunteer) can award random prizes between games. For example, s/he might ask who has a birthday in June, or on the 15th of any month, or who celebrated a double-digit birthday this year, etc. Anyone who answers correctly gets a StarBuck. This spreads out the winnings and makes the event more fun, as it keeps one or two people from raking in lots of StarBucks while others get none. This is a critical role because the prize awarder needs to set a pace of giving out StarBucks so that we do not exceed the dollars taken in from selling cards, and so that the event lasts about an hour without running out of StarBucks.

The children in the Lunging, Cedar and Duck Youth Groups are treated to a Carnival and Field Day on the front lawn of Star. The coordinators are typically young adults who have the energy, imagination and charisma to run such an activity. The Junior High Youth Group (Smuttynose) traditionally staffs the activities under the coordinators’ guidance.

Preparation:

• Confirm the Carnival’s time and date with the Chairs.
• Before arriving on Star, ask the Chairs for the names of the Youth Coordinator and the Leaders of the Junior High Youth Group. Contact the Youth Coordinator to plan the logistics of timing, activities, materials and oversight. Share your conclusions with the Junior High Leaders.
  • Ask the Youth Coordinator for the amount of the budget for the Carnival.
  • Aim for simple, safe activities that involve crafts, feats of skill and entertainment.
• Consider “spin art,” face painting, soap bubbles, ring tossing, sponge tossing, relay racing, a “fish pond,” fortune telling, and hide-and-seek (and dunk) the Senior Highs.
• Avoid eating, avoid materials, such as latex balloons, that will endanger or clutter Star’s ecology.
• If providing “spin art,” determine if you must bring batteries, paint and paper for the two machines that reside on Star.

Procedure on Star:

• Inform the leaders of the Lower, Middle and Upper Elementary Youth Groups of the Carnival’s date and time.
• Arrange a time with the Smuttynose Group to explain the event, to recruit and train activity leaders, and to possibly brainstorm ideas.
  • While training, emphasize that the Smutties should act respectfully and encouragingly with the younger kids and among themselves.
  • Explain that Smutties also help with the set-up and clean-up of the Carnival.
  • Foster safe practices.
• On the second day of the conference, contact Star’s liaison for Conference Services to determine the equipment; tables, chairs, etc. that Star can provide. The Desk Clerk can guide you to the liaison.
  • Publicize the Carnival.
• The Carnival’s traditional closing activity is to “hide and seek (and dunk) the Senior Highs” who come at the end. When a kid finds a Senior, the kid leads the Senior to the ocean for a dunk. Consider substituting or including the Jr. Highs if that works better.
• Have fun!
• After the Carnival, praise the Smutties in a public forum for their service.

For Next Year:

• Immediately after the Carnival, note the successful and unsuccessful procedures.
• Augment this job description with corrections and with a list of this year’s successful activities and their required materials.
• Give guidelines about procedures that do or do not work well.
• Email your notes to next year's chairs.

1. Chalk and erasers are supposedly available from the Lobby Desk, put bring your favorite set of colors!
2. Arrive on the early ferry, if possible, to post the first day's schedule for conferee arrival. (Notify the LOAS Registrar in order to be on the boat list)
3. Complete the schedule for the next day before evening chapel. (The Conference Chairs will give you the next day's information the day before) The back side of the chalkboard can be used to start the next day's schedule and kept turned to the wall until the start of evening chapel.
4. You and the Conference Chairs have sole power over what is written on the board.  A second board will be available for miscellaneous announcements and postings by others.  Erase any unauthorized entries from the main schedule board.
5. Stay in contact with the Conference Chairs to note any changes in the schedule that may need to be altered on the board.
6. Neatness and clarity count.  Artistry is always appreciated.  Timeliness is a must.

Recently, a new, neon, removable chalkboard system was used so that the board could be created separately and then hung on the chalkboard. Consider this option as well.

Ask for bell-ringing lessons from an Island Staff member/experienced bell ringer. Your ring should be slow and measured, once every 6-10 seconds.

Bell-tolling times are:

• the beginning of Morning Chapel at 8:45 on Sunday through Saturday;
• the beginning of the Inter-generational Chapel at 7:10 pm on that evening;
• the beginning of Evening Chapel. The time is variable from 9:30 to 10:00 on Saturday through Friday, depending on the evening’s activity. Check with the Chairs for the schedule.

To ring the chapel bell:

1. Enter the chapel bell tower through the door on the north side of the tower.
2. Grasp the bell rope and pull down with a firm, but slow, motion until the bell rings once. Release the rope slowly.
3. Count to 8 and repeat.
4. Do not ring the bell any faster than at six-second intervals, so the ringing bell will not be confused with a fire alarm.

Ask for bell-ringing lessons from an Island Staff member/experienced bell ringer. Your ring should be slow and measured, once every 6-10 seconds.

Bell-tolling times are:

• the beginning of Morning Chapel at 8:45 on Sunday through Saturday;
• the beginning of the Inter-generational Chapel at 7:10 pm on that evening;
• the beginning of Evening Chapel. The time is variable from 9:30 to 10:00 on Saturday through Friday, depending on the evening’s activity. Check with the Chairs for the schedule.

To ring the chapel bell:

1. Enter the chapel bell tower through the door on the north side of the tower.
2. Grasp the bell rope and pull down with a firm, but slow, motion until the bell rings once. Release the rope slowly.
3. Count to 8 and repeat.
4. Do not ring the bell any faster than at six-second intervals, so the ringing bell will not be confused with a fire alarm.

Ask at the Front Desk in Oceanic for a list of acceptable flowers and areas where you may pick flowers and greenery for chapel arrangements.

Locate a vase. Vases may be in the chapel under the podium, in the "rope pull room" in back of the chapel, or in the a cabinet by the snack bar. Ask for help at the front desk if you can't find a vase.

Arrange flowers for the first evening's Service.

Flowers may not require changing daily. Since we shouldn’t "over pick" the island, simply freshen the arrangement so that an attractive bouquet is present for each Morning and Evening Service. (Consider that an arrangement doesn’t always have to be flowers.)

The Chief Polar Bear encourages Shoalers to partake of a daily early-morning dip in the ocean. Often, the Chief Polar Bear employs a theme for the week, plus ridiculous costuming, special recognition and prizes for those who participate. For some reason, the Chief’s goal is to spur every Shoaler to participate.

Preparation:

Consider a theme for the week, plus costuming that draws attention to your mission.

Design a badge to award each Polar Bear. Number each badge in ascending numerical order, since Polar Bearing is an evangelical activity that seeks daily converts.

o For those who repeatedly take the polar fling, devise a method - e.g., numerical stickers, color-coded marking - to distinguish their daily progress.

· Since you can award a daily prize for outstanding valor in the category of your choice, or can award several prizes at the week’s end, consider bringing some gag gifts to Star.

Procedure:

Upon your arrival at Star, ask the Front Desk Clerk to direct you to Star’s liaison for Conference Services.

o Introduce yourself as the Chief Polar Bear and explain that you will be leading the Polar-Bearing at the dock from 7:00-7:45 each morning. You must arrange for a lifeguard to be present at the dock for this activity.

Ask the Chairs for a moment at the Conference Orientation to explain Polar Bearing.

o Explain that the sport is for thermally-hearty swimmers and that people should bring a towel and something warm to wear after the dunk.

o Explain the qualifications for becoming a Polar Bear. Traditionally, a child has been required to enter the water to the neck, whereas an adult has been required to submerge. As Chief, you’re the arbiter of the requirements, depending on weather & temperature, that a person must satisfy.

Prepare a chart for names, in ascending numerical order, of participating Polar Bears.

Arrive at the dock each morning of the conference, weather permitting, just before 7:00. Greet each Polar Bear, record his or her name, and give a badge when he or she comes out of the water.

o You could ask the Chalkboard Scheduler to update the tally of Polar Bears.

Remind the Polar Bears that warm drinks are available from 7:00-7:45 on the porch or in the lobby each morning and that breakfast starts at 8:00.

Last, but not least, a Chief Polar Bear leads by example.

Families with children aged eight years and younger are housed in the Oceanic Hotel. Each room with a child aged eight or younger requires a name plate for that child on the door. This is for safety and convenience.

Rationale:

By grouping children in an accessible place, staff (Pelicans) can search more easily for children in an emergency, such as a fire or a storm, that requires evacuation.

Also, the name plates help a Pelican learn the locations of children when he or she provides “group child-monitoring” at a hallway station each night from 8:00-11:00.

Procedure:

Obtain a list from the LOAS registrar of the names of all children under eight years of age who will be staying in the Oceanic Hotel.

Make a name plate (measuring approximately 11” x 4”) with the first name of each child in a particular room.

- If a child is two years of age or younger, include the child’s age on the name plate.

Also, bring blank sign plates to Star in case you must change or add a new sign.

Arrange with the LOAS Registrar for a list of room assignments at Oceanic when you arrive on Star. Check your stock of name plates with the guest list to make sure that your signage is accurate.

Attach the name plates to the appropriate doors.

The Final Banquet is a celebration of our week together. The atmosphere is more formal to befit the occasion; decorations in the Dining Room and on the tables, a printed Program (printing a program is optional), a celebratory menu, and the opportunity to dress with more formality.

The Banquet Hosts are the masters of ceremony for the array of events in the Program. These events are a microcosm of the week, invoking the spirit, showing our appreciation for those who work so that we can play, eating with delight, praising athletic accomplishment, honoring our children, thanking the volunteers who give energy and creativity to the week’s success, looking ahead to next year by naming new Chairs, and dancing a march of amazing energy and joy as a testimonial to shared community.

Budget:

Funds are quite limited for this event, so please be frugal unless you plan to donate material.

Preparation:

Consider forming a small group of helpers.

Plan to provide simple decorations in the Dining Room.

- Avoid helium balloons since helium is illegal to transport on the ferry.

- Avoid small items that will fall on the floor and make it difficult for the staff to sweep up

- If decorating with vinyl balloons take care to keep them from leaving the dining room. To prevent the balloons’ damaging wildlife, deflate all balloons after the banquet and dispose of the pieces off Island.

- If a volunteer has not stepped forward to create the Table Decorations, find someone to do so and coordinate the room & table decor.

Produce a Program (again, optional) that is formatted as an 8.5" X 11" folded sheet of paper. Make 150 copies. Place Programs at the tables at every other place setting.

Suitable text for the Cover tells the location, Conference Name, date, Theme, Chairs, and Banquet Hosts.

Also consider putting a graphic on the Cover.

The second page is available for quotations of Star Island wisdom.

The third page lists the order of the Program’s events: Invocation; Clap out the Waitrae; Meal; Clap out the Waitrae, Bakers, Dishwashers, Snackies, the Butter-Cutter, Cooks, Hostess; Children’s Recession to Elliott Hall; Athletic Awards; Acknowledgments by the Conference Chairs; Announcement of next year’s LOAS 1 Chairs; Grand March.

It’s helpful to put the lyrics to the "Star Island Song" on the back page, plus the "Star Island Cheer."*

Produce the Programs off Island. Send a copy to the Chairs, the manager of Conference Services, and to the Head of Food Services.

Once on Island: Contact the Head of Food Services to estimate when the meal will end.

Contact the coordinator of Post-Banquet Child Care to determine how the younger children will recess from the Dining Room. Decide whether or not to accompany their recession with celebratory music.

Contact the leader of the Grand March to discuss the music for the Grand March, and to coordinate the end of the Banquet and beginning of the March.

Contact the Island Music Director to confirm music for the Grand March.

Invite the Minister of the Week to make the Invocation.

Procedure:

On the morning of the Banquet, ask the Dining Room staff when (after lunch) you and your helpers may begin decorating the room.

Review with the Chairs the timing of their portion of the testimonials.

At 6:35 P.M. begin the Invocation with the Minister of the Week, followed by the Clapping of the waitrae into the kitchen and the Meal

By 7:15 proceed with the rest of the program so that the Grand March can begin at 8:00.

Remove decorations after the Banquet and dispose of any waste-paper products off-island.

The Final Party takes place in both rooms of Newton Center after Evening Chapel. The time period is usually from 10:00 P.M. until midnight. Since alcohol will be served at the party, New Hampshire’s liquor law prohibits people under the age of 21.

Contact the LOAS Provisioner, to arrange beverages and food for refreshments. You should also learn the amount of your food budget

Provide a non-alcoholic punch. You can also provide soda, plus some wine and beer from the Social Hour’s stocks.
Provide munchies like mini-pretzels and chips.
Depending on your budget, you can order prepared food from Star’s kitchen. Usually, this food consists of a platter of crackers and cheese, a platter of vegetables and dip, and a couple of platters of nachos.
Bring great music, tapes or CDs, for dancing at the party. Dancing takes place in the front room.
Talk with Conference Services the day before the party to:

Arrange the set-up of refreshment tables;
Arrange the set-up of sound equipment;
Determine the extent of the cleaning up that Conference Services expects.
Ask the leaders of the Scholarship Auction to remove the auction items before the party.
Recruit helpers.

Decorate the back room. (Check with the leaders of the Starlight Café to learn if their decorations will remain festooned in the back room of Newton throughout LOAS 2. If so, for LOAS 1, you may decide to use fewer decorations of your own.) Simplicity is the guideline. No helium balloons are allowed since helium is prohibited on the ferry, and the balloons impact the island and ocean environment adversely.

Arrange the food in the back room near the kitchen.

Stock the tables of refreshments so long as the food and drinks last.

Assign a DJ for the evening.

Tell any remaining revelers just before midnight that boarding for the ferry starts at 8:00 A.M.

Arrange a clean-up crew. For any people who don’t want to leave at midnight, recruit them to help as well.

Enjoy!

Final Party Facilitator for Senior High Youth Group

Traditionally, the Appledores have a farewell party on the final evening of LOAS. The party starts at 10:00 P.M. and continues until midnight.

The party serves three purposes: it’s an enjoyable closure to the week’s activities; if offers a chance for important farewells for those entering their final year of junior/high school (or going off to college); it gives the youth another opportunity to behave responsibly.

Preparation:

The Chairs recruit the Facilitator to help the Youth Coordinator with food, decorations, oversight and clean-up.

o The Youth Coordinator supplies food and beverages.
o The Facilitator brings low-budget decorations to Star.

The Facilitator, the Youth Coordinator, the Appledore youth group leaders, and the Appledores will meet mid-week to plan the party. They will discuss behavioral expectations, food, music, activities, clean-up and curfew.

Location:

The party now takes place in the Snack Bar area.

Procedure:

Two days before the party, the Youth Coordinator speaks with the liaison to Conference Services (ask at Front Desk of Oceanic) about the party.

o They make sure the area is available and ready
o They agree on the level of clean-up that is requested from the Appledores and the Facilitator after the party.

On the day before the party, the Facilitator attends a meeting with the Youth Coordinator and the Appledores’ parents to discuss a level of discreet oversight at 45-minute intervals.

o One way to drop in is to ask if the kids have enough food and drink.
o Another way to drop in is to use the snack bar if it's opened.

On the day of the party, the Facilitator works with the Appledores to offer help decorating the area.

Also, on the afternoon of the party, the Youth Coordinator gives the facilitator the refreshments to set up after the Grand March.

The Facilitator greets the Appledores at 10:00 p.m. and turns over the space to them.

The Facilitator, or an adult designee, will help end the party at midnight and will work with the Appledores to put the area in suitable order.

Final Party Facilitator for Junior High Youth Group

See job description for senior high and just substitute "junior high". Recently, a cost saving measure is to combine both the senior and junior high parties, as the individual parties tend to be lightly attended.

The chief purpose of the Grand March is to say good-by to everyone in the
conference. We do this by passing everyone individually as we spiral in and spiral
out. We also have a lot of fun.
There are two versions of the Grand March:
Version I is for the Hotel Lobby. It’s more intimate and has better singing.
Version II is for the front lawn. It can handle a large crowd – children, adults, entire
conference. Don’t use this version unless there’s enough outdoor light. It’s
important that you see faces as the line passes you. For LOAS, at the end of the
banquet, it is usually dusk and beyond – hard to make out faces.
Version I
1) Arrange music and timing with Music Director.
2) Have lobby cleared of furniture.
3) Make sure porch speaker system in on and active (so music can be heard when
outside.
4) Form pairs (by two’s) led by March leader, this year’s conference chairs and
then next year’s chairs.
5) March around dining hall, thru Elliot (pick-up children), onto porch, down east
porch onto lawn and up the front stairs to enter lobby.
6) Go to the right when entering lobby.
7) Immediately switch to single file. Station someone at the door to make sure
everyone is single file.
8) Spiral in and then out. Use entire lobby space from the piano to writing desk
and front door to snack bar door to make spiral as large as possible.
9) Form single or double line to make a big circle and hold hands.
10) Sing Auld Lang Syne, then a Star cheer for next year’s conference.
Version II
1) Follow steps 1 – 5 in Version I, but omit going up the front steps. Stay on the
front lawn.
2) When everyone is on the lawn, switch to a single file, holding hands and begin
the large spiral.
3) Follow steps 8 – 10 in Version I to finish the Grand March.
4) Have someone on the front porch, watching the Grand March, who will cue the
Music Director when to play the music, when to play Auld Lang Syne, and when to
stop for the final cheer.

The Ice Breaker historically occurs after dinner and before the Conference Orientation (note: timing may be different if Conference Orientation is on Sunday). Its goal is to encourage many people to meet and interact in an engaging way. Its real goal is to get people laughing so hard that their endorphins allow them to enjoy making contact with people who stepped on their feet on the ferry without saying, “Excuse me.” Actually, simply getting people to greet each other and engage in a jovial way will be a job well done.

Time: First evening of LOAS from 8:00 to 8:20 P.M. or at social hour - check with the chairs to see what their preference is.

Location: Oceanic’s Lobby or social hour

Preparation

Choose an activity that causes two distinguishable groups of people to interact with each other.

- Prepare enough material for about 100 people.

- For example, give a member of one group a riddle for which a member of the other group has the solution. The humor comes from the solution’s being incontrovertible but unexpected.

- Or, try a game that has a pair of people finding a solution to a puzzle by question-and- answer. E.g., a player has an historical person’s name on his or her back and must ask another player questions to determine the identity.

Design the props so that people will know whom to approach.

Keep the cost of materials below $10 unless you wish to donate materials.

Write clear directions and test them on a few people off island. This experimentation will help you determine timing, since it’s important during an ice breaker to keep a dynamic pace.

Presentation

Welcome the participants promptly and explain that the game will last for about 10 minutes.

Read the instructions and start the game.

At the appointed time, stop the interaction.

• Make an announcement on game day at lunchtime that there will be a Parent/Child Kickball Game. (You can decide the teams in whatever way suits you: parents vs. children; moms & sons vs. dads & daughters; sorted shoes on sight= mix of adults and kids.)
• Emphasize that this is a PARENT-child game, and parents must participate if their child or children plays.
• If you would like to reward all your players with cookies and juice, make arrangements with Conference Services (ask at the Front Desk for the Conference Services person).
• Gather your crowd at 4:00pm at the ball field. (Sort out the teams based on who shows up!)
• Have clear rules and go over them with all players! (The "three out" traditional way of play can be ditched for "everybody kicks and then the next team is up" form of play.)
• If you are going to keep score, make it clear from the beginning and keep to the rules set out at the beginning. If this is a "just for fun" game, make that clear too.
• Enjoy!

The Youth Groups and locations (subject to changes) for Children's Social Hour are:

Malaga (Baby, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten) in Louise’s Barn

Lunging (Grades 1, 2 & 3) in the Children’s Barn

Parents of younger children can place their children in this supervised Social Hour before attending the Adults’ Social Hour.

The Younger Children’s Social Hour runs from 5:30 - 6:15 P.M.

Before your arrival at LOAS recruit three adults to supervise both Malaga and Lunging each day. Parents can be recruited in the spirit of "cooperative babysitting." Often, conferees without children are happy to volunteer.

- Post a copy of the Sign-Up Sheet at the Oceanic Lobby’s "Sign-Up Desk" as a reference for parents and volunteers.

- Remind the volunteers of their schedules on the evening before their assignments.

Volunteers should arrive at 5:25 P.M., and expect to leave at 6:20 P.M.

- Parents must sign a Drop-off and Pick-up Sheet for a child.

- Stress to the parent that the pick-up time is 6:15, allowing the volunteers time to gather their own families for supper at 6:30.

A snack of juice and crackers supplied by the Youth Coordinator and set out by a Pel from Conference Services will be provided for the children.

- Contact Conference Services at the Lobby Desk to insure that a snack will be provided daily.

- A volunteer should supervise the snack table so that each child has enough, but not too much, snack before supper.

In the event of rain, use the Children’s Barn for quiet activities and games. You can borrow board games from the Oceanic’s Lobby Desk.

The following Youth Groups will gather on the Front Lawn (subject to changes from the youth coordinator):

Cedar’s Grades 4 & 5

Duck’s Grades 6 & 7

Parents of the older children can place their kids in this supervised Social Hour before attending the Adults’ Social Hour.

The Older Children’s Social Hour runs from 5:30 - 6:15 P.M.

Before your arrival, recruit two adult volunteers to supervise these children each day. Parents can be recruited in the spirit of "cooperative babysitting." Often, conferees without children are happy to volunteer.

- Use the attached "Sign-Up Sheet" to list the volunteers. Give each volunteer a copy.

- Post a copy of the Sign-Up Sheet at the Oceanic Lobby’s "Sign-Up Desk" as a reference for parents and volunteers.

- Remind the volunteers of their schedules on the evening before their assignments.

Volunteers should arrive at 5:25 P.M., and expect to leave at 6:20 P.M.

- Parents must sign a Drop-off and Pick-up Sheet for a child.

- Stress to the parent that the pick-up time is 6:15 allowing the volunteers time to gather their own families for supper at 6:30.

A snack of water/juice and crackers supplied by the Youth Coordinator and set out by a Pel from Conference Services will be provided for the children on the East Porch.

- Contact Conference Services at the Lobby Desk to insure that the snack will be provided daily.

In the event of rain, use Brookfield for quiet activities and games.

You can borrow board games from the Oceanic’s Lobby Desk.

During fair weather, members of Duck may congregate in Brookfield at this time only with adult supervision.

Early morning beverages are for early risers: birdwatchers, polar bears, wake-up singers, etc. The station is located on the front porch of the Oceanic Hotel.

Conference services provides Pelicans for preparing the station, replenishing coffee and hot water and removing the station later. Supervise the serving of hot beverages: coffee, tea and cocoa each morning from 7 - 8.

Make sure you have baskets and signs for dirty and clean spoons as well as signs for the different types of milk products. (Note that it is really better to have labels on the containers as the containers get shuffled around.) Check for trash cans and point people to the recycling bins.

Let the Pel know if you are running low on anything - let them know that we go through a lot of cocoa packages! If you are running low, go to the front desk and have them alert the Pel. (some early morning Pels are more on the ball than others.)

Try to keep the station as neat as possible by cleaning up and wiping up spills. The Pel can provide you with rags for this purpose. Supervise youngsters who need help. The hot water is very hot! Watch where they put the dirty spoons. Advise them how to clean up after themselves.

A separate small table for the cocoa will help things move along more smoothly.

When the breakfast bell rings, it is time to close up shop for the morning. The Pels will clean the station up.

The Musicale is the presentation of a musical evening on Star, reminiscent of Victorian times. It occurs in the Lobby of the Oceanic Hotel, itself of Victorian vintage. The tone is refined, usually featuring trained musicians.

Time

Check with the chairs to find out which day the Musicale will be held.

Preparation

When you arrive on island (or before), contact Star’s Music Director to discuss auditions and plans for the Musicale.

Post an Audition Sheet on the Lobby’s “Sign-up Table.”

- List the time of the Musicale.

- List the time of the Auditions.

- Number the sheet with 15 blank slots.

On Saturday evening at the Conference Orientation make an announcement regarding the Musicale.
Describe the Musicale as an opportunity for musicians to share their talents with us.

Tell interested people to sign the Audition Sheet and attend the audition, bringing any necessary sheet music.

On the day of the musicale, discuss with Star’s Conference Services representative, available on the bench near the Front Desk for fifteen minutes before each meal, preparations for the Musicale.

You may need one or two microphones with the sound system, music stands, and a couple of stools.

Chairs must be arranged for the audience.

Find someone to lower and raise the lights at the performance on your signal

Audition

The Musicale presents a range of abilities from enjoyable parlor music to polished performances.

Offer positive evaluations.

For a New Shoaler whose presentation is not suitable for the Musicale, having a different tone, you can suggest that the Talent Show or the Starlight Cafe may be a better venue.

Take care not to duplicate presentations that would be in the Talent Show.

Measure the duration of each presentation so that you can predict the length of the program. The program is about an hour in length.

Develop the program with balance and variety from one presentation to the next.

Present any children at the beginning of the program.
Performance

Ask the performers to gather in the Pink Parlor at 7:45 P.M.

At 8:15, lower the lights and wait briefly for the audience to become silent.

Welcome the audience.

Introduce each performer with enthusiasm, telling the person’s name and the musical selection.

Close the performance by thanking the audience and the performers.

- Ask members of the audience to help return the chairs to their appropriate places.

A name tag contains information to help fellow conferees connect with each other. New Shoalers appreciate all the help they can get–and give–with a name tag. Old Shoalers can put a name to a face from the past and continue to grow in relationship.

Using a Computer for Data Input, Formatting and Printing

o Ask the Registrar for a sorted List of Conferees that contains the following fields:

First Name, Last Name, New Shoaler, City, State.

Use a software program to translate the information for each conferee to a name tag format. E.g.,
• The first name is most prominent, at the top.

• The last name is less prominent, in the middle.

• The city and state are the least prominent, at the bottom.

• The designation as a New Shoaler is at the lower-right corner. It’s helpful to make this designation a noticeable graphic, e.g. a colorful star.

· Finally, you can add LOAS 1 or 2, the current year, and a discrete design at the upper-left of the tag.

It’s important to choose a legible type font. People like to read a name tag quickly.
For accuracy, check your formatted data against your original list.
After evaluating the formatted text for a proper fit, print the data on perforated name tag stock.
Assembling the Name Tags

Purchase plastic name tag covers.
- Covers with pins work well.

- Place a small piece of adhesive tape on the back of the cover, preventing the tag from falling out.

Distributing the Name Tags
o If possible, arrive at the dock by noon or 12:30. You may be sharing a table with whomever is distributing luggage tags for the room assignments at Star.
o Package all unclaimed name tags and–once on Star–place them on Oceanic’s Lobby Desk. Write on the Message Board, “Pick up unclaimed name tags here.”

Note: Bring extra stock to make replacements for people with new information or who have lost their name tags.

The goal of this half-hour tour is to introduce the New Shoalers to the major buildings and landmarks that they will need to know at the beginning of their stay on Star.

· Before arriving on Star, ask the Chairs or Registrar for a list of New Shoalers.

· Ask the Desk Clerk at Front Desk in Oceanic Lobby for copies of the Star Island map for each New Shoaler.

· The New Shoalers will have been instructed in the Chairs’ Letter to New Shoalers to meet at the “Island Tours” sign on the East Porch at 4:00 P.M. (or whatever is the assigned time).

· Introduce yourselves as the Tour Leaders. Ask the New Shoalers to introduce themselves to the group.

· Distribute the maps and begin your tour of the nearby buildings, meeting places, and landmarks. Explain that the far-flung points of interest await their exploration—with a companion—on another day, if they choose.

· Explain basic traditions—like the silent walk to and from Evening Chapel, customs of the week like Social Hour, the Musicale, the Pel Show and the Talent Show—that aren’t discussed at the upcoming meeting with the Star Island Manager.

· Ask if each New Shoaler has found his or her Old Shoaler contact. Help those who have not yet met their Old Sholaers to find them.

1) Try to pair New Shoalers with Old Shoalers who have loads of experience and many friends at Star. Choosing Old Shoaler contacts who are, for example, past Chairs, would be very effective in getting newcomers connected socially. Whereas New Shoalers will naturally gravitate to other conferees having common interests (e.g., kids), having an Old Shoaler contact who is steeped in the society and traditions of Star will broaden the New Shoaler’s experience.

2) Ask the Registrar or Chair for a list of the LOAS conferees who are (1) New Shoalers attending without Old Shoaler family members, and for (2) Old Shoalers who indicated on their registration forms that they’d be happy to contact New Shoalers.

3) Phone or email the Old Shoalers and ask if they are still willing to befriend a new person or family. The tasks of the Old Shoaler contacts are:

- to answer questions that the New Shoaler(s) may have;

- to meet the New Shoaler(s) at the dock in Portsmouth—helping compensate for the overwhelming atmosphere of “someone else’s family reunion” that the New Shoaler(s) may feel;

- to dine with the New Shoaler(s) on Saturday evening, meeting outside the dining hall at 6:25 P.M. to enter on the first bell, and to find seating before the others rush in.

4) Give the name, phone number and email address of the New Shoaler(s) to a participating Old Shoaler contact, asking him or her to get in touch soon after you send a letter of introduction to the New Shoaler(s).

- As the coordinator, it could be helpful to review the dates of birth and connect people whose ages are within a decade of each other.

5) When you have assigned a New Shoaler to an Old Shoaler contact, quickly send a letter of introduction to the New Shoaler to:

-introduce yourself as the Coordinator of New Shoaler—Old Shoaler Contacts;

-introduce the Old Shoaler contact by giving the name, phone number and email address—explaining that the Old Shoaler should be in contact soon.

The position of Porch Bell Ringer is one of delegation. You could literally go though the entire week without ringing the bell yourself as a flock of kids will be asking you if they could ring the bell!

Coordinate with the Chairpeople and the Conference Services Coordinator to determine the schedule of events that will require ringing the bell.

You can create a sign-up sheet if you choose, but remember that you will be working with small children, so planning anything can be a challenge. It might be easiest to choose your "ringer" at that moment.

     - Bell strikes will be single, sharp, clear strikes.
- Mealtime bell strikes will be instigated by the Island's Hostess. Only she determines that it's time.
- Mealtime bell strikes HAVE to have a warning called out, loud and clear, to warn of the loud noise. A simple "BELL!" will suffice.

Check with chairs as to when they would like the road race to be held.
Announce the race at Orientation on the first day.
A good form of competition is, not the fastest, but the runner who most accurately predicts his/her time. Two laps seems like a good distance.
Can give awards for youngest and most senior runners, etc. You may want to prepare certificates or ribbons to award.
Have participants sign up at writing desk in lobby.
Print numbers on 8-1/2 by 11 sheets that say "LOAS ROAD RACE" and attach to runners’ jerseys with safety pins.
Request one or two pitchers of water, with paper cups, from Conference Services.
Record runners’ predicted finishing times.
You will need two people at the finish line to identify runners, read the stopwatch, and record times. Consider whether you will need help to hand out cups of water.
Announce the winners at the Final Banquet and bestow certificates/ribbons.

You will be responsible for organizing and running the silent auction, the proceeds of which go into our Lee Reid Scholarship Fund. The first thing you will need to do is contact all of the conferees. This can be done in a number of ways. You may mail a letter to everyone, you may send a group e-mail to all of the conferees, you can ask the chairs to include your information in the letter they mail to the conferees in July, or you can do any combination. It is critical to have the conferees think about what they want to donate or make for the silent auction before they leave for Star, otherwise, they will not be able to participate.

Before you arrive on Star, you will need to make copies of a bidding sheet. The bidding sheet should contain the following information at the top of each sheet:

Name of item, donor of item, starting bid, and the minimum increment for bids.

Then make four columns down the length of the sheet: bidder name, amount of bid, bidder name and amount of bid.

You will need to bring the following items with you to the island:

Bidder sheets, pencils, tape, push pins and any material you wish to use to decorate the tables which will contain the auction items.

The auction is usually set-up in Newton front, however, check with the chairs to see if they have a different location in mind.

At the orientation on the first night, introduce yourself, tell people how to get their items to you, when the auction will begin and when it will close. In the past few years, the auction has been closing at the end of social hour on Thursday night. The auction used to close at the end of social hour on Banquet night, however, people found it was difficult to get everyone to pay and hand out their items, get to the banquet on time and then they were spending Friday evening tracking people down to pay and give them their items.

If you have one really nice item, you could consider holding a separate raffle for that item. If so, plan on bringing raffle tickets with you and also check with the donor to see if they are agreeable with the idea.

On Thursday night, have the social hour hosts announce when the auction will be ending. At the appointed time, go around and circle the highest bid on each sheet. Have a table set-up where the highest bidders may pay you. You an accept either cash or checks made payable to "LOAS". Turn the money over to the treasurer.

Keep track of who owes you money and who has not picked up their items. Sometimes people will pay during social hour and forget to pick up their items before they go to dinner. All auction items need to be out of Newton by the end of the banquet so people can begin to set-up for the final party.

The Adults’ Social Hour occurs each afternoon of the conference. It’s a time for mixing, munching and enjoying a glass of wine or beer. (For conferees who prefer non-alcoholic beverages, an alternative venue is usually offered in the Pink Parlor.)

Preparation:

· Consult with the LOAS Provisioner to learn the scope of the snacks and alcohol that the budget affords, and to learn what the Provisioner will order and what you must order. The provision provides wine, beer & sherry. No liquor is allowed to be served at social hour.

- In some past years, people have purchased tickets for “Clams & Mussels." (This is a separate volunteer job.) Also, conferees have offered a wine-tasting. The budget may allow you to order hors d’oeuvres from Star’s kitchen on one day.

· Consult with last year’s hosts to learn how they managed the set-up and the clean-up of glasses, snacks, and beverages each day.

- The kitchen in Newton Center is your preparation area.

- A Pelican from Star’s Conference Services may help with set-up and clean-up.

· Consult the Chairs to decide the location of Social Hour.

- In good weather, Social Hour can take place on the lawn of the Stone Village or on the Lindquist Deck. In windy or rainy weather, Social Hour occurs in Newton Center.

* A Pel delivers and puts away the sound system each day.

* Electrical outlets are in Parker (near lawn of Stone Village) and on the Lindquist Deck.

· You may choose a theme for the Social Hour, and assign daily sub-themes to enhance humor and sociability. A balance that honors introverts and extroverts is wise.

- Inform the Chairs if you plan themes; they’ll be listed in the Chairs’ Letter to Conferees so that people can plan in advance.

- Consider bringing prizes—gag gifts—for winners of the daily theme contest.

· Consider arranging with the LOAS Registrar to arrive on the conference’s first day on an early boat so that you can begin preparations for Social Hour.

Procedure:

· On your arrival at Star, ask the Front Desk Clerk to help you contact Star’s liaison for Conference Services. Arrange for daily set-up and removal of tables, glasses, etc. Also confirm that you and the Music Appreciation Host have a spot for the sound system.

· Prepare your snacks in the kitchen and set up tables and glasses at 5:15.

· The Social Hour runs from 5:30 to 6:15. At 6:10, inform parents that they must leave to pick up their children from their Social Hour(s) at 6:15.

· Welcome the participants; at about 5:45 present a competition around the theme; award a prize for the person who best represents the theme.

· Verbally solicit contributions to help pay for refreshments. (No signs with written amounts may be posted at Social Hour.)

- You may set a “Contribution Basket” on a table with snacks, but not with liquor.

· LOAS’s liability insurance does not cover damage to persons and property that results from intoxication.

· People under the age of 21 may not be present where alcohol is being served.

· Clean up the area at the end of the Social Hour.

The Adults’ Social Hour utilizes LOAS's Mobile Stereo System (which will be delivered to the designated area and should already be there) to flood the Social Hour area with background music (and to occasionally make announcements). A Maestro's job is to prepare music for each of the social hours. Expect to supply music for 7 sessions, each approximately 1 hour.

- The preferred source for music would be an MP3 player, such as an iPod, iPhone, iPad or SmartPhone. There is a headphone plug to insert into the headphone jack of your device.

- You can either plan a "theme" of music for each night, or shuffle the playlist or you can take requests. It's entirely up to you.

- Don't be surprised or insulted when someone makes a comment on the music. Remember: you WILL NOT please all of the people, ANY time. So the shoot for the music you think will enhance the gathering.

- Also remember that this is background music. Sing-a-longs don't generally go over well at social hour, unless it ties in with the theme.

Pel/Conferee Annual Game

Near the end of the week, there is a softball game played on the infamous Star Island Softball Field between the Conferees (who choose to play) and the Pelicans (who are young, cut and play together all summer). The Softball Coach is to field a team and to try to win.
Decide if you would like to hand out a Trophy for MVP and if so, bring it with you (past awards have included the Game Ball, singed by all players, Golden Gloves, Silver (mini) Bats, Certificates and Starbucks.
Announce at the Conference Orientation that we will need conferees to field a team to play softball against the Pels. Putting a signup sheet on the writing desk allows players to sign up. Here is a downloadable PDF file for the sign up sheet: Softball Sign Up Sheet
Suggest players be at least age 16 (because of past injuries).
Set up practice days (usually 2 to 3) in between other afternoon events. Do it early and make sure it shows up on the chalk board. Check with the Chairs to make sure there are no conflicts. (One suggestion is to have practices at 4pm on Monday & Wednesday and have the game on Thursday or Friday).
Play softball against the Pels and win or lose with dignity, grace and good humor.
Report the score or major accomplishments at the Final Banquet. Present the MVP award and if desired, congratulate/console the Pels (especially if there is a large LOAS component).
The setup of the team is your decision and who you pl;ay and when is all up to you. here are some of the structures that have been used in the past:
Limit the amount of players to 20 to field two 10-person teams. They can alternate innings in the field or you can mix and match. With this, you then can bat all 20 in one batting order. PRO: very easy to manage, everyone gets lots of playing time. equitable. CON: Hard to win. Some may be upset they cannot play.

Allow for any amount of players and you can either set up one batting order, or if ambitous, you can bat 10 people and substitute as desired. PRO: Easiest way to get the best players on the field and in the batting order. Best chance to win. All can play. CON: Can certainly be unequal, as better players will play more. May get hurt feeling if someone does not play, or play enough. Much harder to manage.

Parent/Child Softball Game

The Coach is also responsible for a Parent/Child Softball game mid-week. This game does not always happen, depending on the schedule, but the kids LOVE it! Here are some specifics to help make the kids' game energetic, safe and fun.

For the Parent/Child Softball games, choose one of the non-practice/play days (i.e. Friday if the adult game is Thursday).
Make an announcement a few days before and make sure it show up on the chalkboard!
On the day of the game, the coordinator will decide (depending on who shows up) on team compliments and rules (children vs. adults, but the adults swing opposite, varied mix of both, adults can't play with gloves, etc. use your imagination).
It is recommended that the coordinator not play on either team, but be a constant pitcher or umpire. Disputes WILL occur and there needs to be one adult as the final word.
You may, at your discretion, offer some sort of prize to the winning KIDS, like Star Bucks or such. Check with the Chairs for options.

The Talent Show is an opportunity for Shoalers—both youth and adult—to entertain us. The Show is traditionally a high point of the week.

Notification:

· Announce early in the week that there will be a Talent Show on a given night, starting at 8:00 P.M. Describe the range of entertainment that is customary.

· Remind people that there are several venues for performance at LOAS 1. Suggest that—to prevent the Show from being too long—if people choose to entertain at the Musicale or at the Coffee House, they could consider giving others the first chance to entertain at the Talent Show.

Auditions:

· Announce the “try out” times a couple of days before the Show.

o Place a sign-up sheet for “try outs” on the Writing Table in the Lobby.

· When reviewing potential acts:
o Encourage brevity.
o Try to use everyone who wishes to perform.
o Stress appropriateness.
§ If a youth hopes to perform something that’s questionable, ask him or her, “Would you want your parent to see this?” or “Would your parent want to see this?”
§ Tell adults that 10-year-olds will probably remain after the “intermission” that allows younger kids to be put to bed.
§ Although props are the performers responsibility, make helpful suggestions.
§ Coach a performer if guidance will help.

Help from Star’s Conference Services:

· Meet with the staffer from Conference Services to discuss how Star’s resources can support the Show.
o You may require help with the sound system, with stage lights, and with props.
o You may need Star’s Music Director as an accompanist.
o Ask for drinking water and cups back-stage for the performers.

Help from Volunteers:

· Ask someone to work the curtain. Usually a teen does the job.

· Ask someone to work back-stage to cue the sound system so that any intended recorded music plays soon after an act is announced. Have the Sound Person MAKE SURE the music is cued up on whatever device they have.

Arranging the Show:

· Limit solo acts to three minutes. Allow a bit more time for group acts.

· Tell the performers to prepare and to await their turns in the Sandpiper Room, across from the Press Room.

· Arrange for younger children to perform first, while sequencing the types of their performances for enjoyable pacing and variety.

· Tell the first few performers to arrive early and be in place for a prompt curtain time.

· Post an Order of Performance in the stage’s anteroom (Press Room) so that participants will know when to perform. This will limit unnecessary conversation.

· When time, announce a 10-minute break for parents to put young children to bed.

· Have an Interlocutor entertain the audience between acts that require a longer time to set up.

· End the Show at 9:45 at the latest. Evening Chapel is at 10:00 P.M.

Star Island has the custom of waking the conferees each morning with a roving band of singers.

On your arrival at Star, see the hotel’s Desk Clerk.

Ask for the cache of wake-up songs. Choose six songs - one for each morning on Star.
Also ask the Desk Clerk to mark a map of the Island with your "wake-up route." Take particular care to note the areas to avoid. For example, do not go to areas where Pels are sleeping.
Make a short announcement at dinner on day of arrival.

Explain that you are recruiting a chorus to sing the conferees awake each morning.

Tell recruits to meet you in the hotel lobby each morning to learn the day’s song.

Meet for the next five days at 7:00 A.M.
Meet at 6:40 on the final morning, since breakfast is at 7:15 and boarding the ferry starts at 8:00 A.M.
Before teaching the song in the morning, gather the following information:

the breakfast menu from the Dining Hall’s Menu Board;
the water temperature from the Chief Polar Bear;
the weather report from the Desk Clerk.
Once your group is in tune each morning, make the rounds of the two hotels, the cottages, and the motel units. At each destination, sing your song. Follow it by barking the time, water and air temperatures, weather report, and breakfast menu.

Take care at Oceanic to avoid the Pelican’s quarters. Traditionally, you would sing on the second and third floors, but not on the stairway.
Sing on the second and third floors of Gosport Hotel.
Like the Pied Piper, you may draw followers. Some will be small, so walk at a comfortable pace for your group.

Star’s Conference Services prepares a Welcome Wagon on the Front Porch for conferees who have just arrived from Portsmouth on the afternoon boat. The Wagon offers lemonade and water, plus drinking cups and napkins. It’s the Cookie Coordinator’s job to ask some conferees to bring cookies to stock the Wagon.

1) Ask the Registrar or the Chairs for a list of conferees that contains the following fields: Last Name, Name Tag, Phone Number, and Email Address.

2) Sixty dozen cookies is the recommended amount to stock the Wagon for 260 conferees.

3) Phone or email about 30 selected conferees and ask them to bring two-dozen cookies to Star for the Welcome Wagon.

4) You should consider taking the morning ferry from Portsmouth—enabling you to arrive on Star early. You’ll be able to supervise the Welcome Wagon’s set-up and will be ready to receive donations of cookies when the afternoon boat arrives.

· If choosing the morning boat, ask the Registrar to list you as a passenger.

·To learn the ferry’s schedule, phone the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company at 1-800-441-4620.

5) After the conferees have refreshments at the Welcome Wagon, direct them to the Hotel Lobby and to the Schedule Board. They will pick up their registration packets in the lobby, and will see the schedule for their first afternoon on Star.