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Updated: August 15th, 2021
Registration for LOAS II 2021 is now closed!
Conference Boat Times:
Departing Portsmouth on Sunday 8/22 at 2:25pm - Check in begins at 11am and all checked luggage must be received by 1pm. Please plan to arrive early to deal with parking, unloading, vaccine/negative PCR test confirmation, collecting your nametags, and any other unforseen odds and ends before boarding at 2:00pm
Departing Star Island on Saturday 8/28 at 8:20 am - All checked luggage for the freight boat must be in the hallway outside your room by 6:30am. You can put them out the night before. Keep carry-ons with you and bring them to breakfast, which begins at 7:15am.
The theme for LOAS II
20202021 continues to be...Tools for our Collective Survival
Conference Chairs:
Anna Henschel & Chris Vann

Tools for our Collective Survival
When we began planning for LOAS II 2020 back in 2018, we never could have predicted the tumult the subsequent three years would bring. Tools for Our Collective Survival felt proactive, a way to bring everyone to the table to think about the future and how inextricably we were all bound to the same fortunes, a platform to imagine ways of supporting ourselves and one another.
The landscape of the summer of 2021 feels entirely unrecognizable from where we began this process. But our theme has never been more relevant.
As time marches forward, we're asking the very same questions we started this enterprise with, yet asking them with more fervor, greater weariness, and somehow more tangible hope than before: "How can we best ensure our communities are supported long term?" "What are survival skills in the year 2020 [and beyond]?" "How can I contribute to fixing broken systems and long-term community survival?"
From theme talk to worship to front porch chatter, we're making space for tough discussions and self-care, optimism and exhaustion, relaxation and celebration, and yes, lime rickies. On Star Island, we create an intentional space for one week each year -- but we've proven that we support each other the other 51 weeks as well. What does each of us bring to our shared space that supports our community year-round? Beyond that, how can those of us privileged enough to return to Star Island each year bring skills home with us that lift those around us to greater opportunity and visibility?
With an incredible group of shoalers speaking to their lens on "tools for survival", Rev. Amy Strano guiding our spirits, and Susan Haase and her team corralling our youth, at LOAS II 2020 2021 we encourage "Tools for our Collective Survival" to permeate every level of our conference and send each of us home refreshed and strengthened with new tools and tactics to support our communities and our world.
Theme Talk: The StarLab
For this year's theme talk, we're bringing in a host of perspectives on what "collective survival" means across our community and around our world. Each day a different shoaler will take the podium to share their lens on this topic in their life and work. From caring for aging loved ones to public art, from our legal system to the role of business in society as well as considering our environmental impact -- we'll explore this year's theme inside and out. Each day the theme talk will feature a talk from one of our local leaders, followed by discussion and Q&A facilitated by our StarLab Emcee Topher Soltys. With Topher's help, we'll explore recurring themes through various perspectives and challenge our assumptions -- all before lunch!

Keynote: Kat Aaron

Minister Of The Week:
Rev. Amy Strano
Rev. Amy Strano first came to Star Island when she was nine years old, and it has been her spirit’s home ever since. A long-time attendee of LOAS II, she is delighted to serve as the minister of the week for our beloved conference.
Rev. Amy’s ministry is embedded within communities, responding to the health crises that arise in the life of individuals and their families. Serving as Director of Spiritual Care and Education at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, Rev. Amy leads a team of multi-faith chaplains in providing emotional, spiritual, and religious support to patients, their loved ones, and hospital staff.
Before joining Mount Sinai, Rev. Amy served as Vice President of Programs and Services at HealthCare Chaplaincy Network, a nonprofit organization that partners with health care institutions to provide spiritual care resources and professional chaplaincy services.
Rev. Amy is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister and a board-certified chaplain. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College and holds a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. She lives in Queens, NYC, with her husband and daughter.
This summer at our conference, Rev. Amy will focus on the ways compassion, hope, gratitude, and self-care inform and inspire our ability to support one another in the pain, joy, messes, and beauty of our days.
Name: Malaga Group
Leaders: Rachael Blaydon and Jeanie Lindquist
Ages: Pre-K (0 to 4)
Meet at Louisa's Barn


Name: Lunging Group
Leaders: Nancy Dorrans and April Weintraub
Grades: K to 1st Grade
Meet at Kiddie Barn


Name: Cedar Group
Leaders: Dana Shoults and Austino Blaydon
Grades: 2nd to 4th Grade
Meet at Kiddie Barn


Name: Duck Group
Leaders: Jess Robidoux-Leger and Mike Leger
Grades: 5th & 6th Grade
Meet at Lawrence


Name: Smuttynose Group
Leaders: Victor Finizio and Kelly O'Donnell
Grades: 7th to 9th Grade
Meet at Parker


Name: Appledore Group
Leaders: Linnea Huston and Bill LeBaire
Grades: 10th to 12th Grade
Meet at Marshman


Floater: Toby Dills!


Yoga: Vinyasa Flow
with Ally Miner
Ally is a registered 200-hour yoga instructor trained in vinyasa flow. She will be offering a gentle vinyasa flow class for all levels focusing on syncing movement with the breath and deepening the mind-body connection. Themes will include balance, strength, letting go, reflection, and gratitude. When she’s not doing yoga, you can find Ally working around the island as SIC’s Community Relations Manager. She also loves to take perimeter road walks with her rescue dog, Isla.
Creating with What We Have with Liz Wilson
We will work primarily with found materials, reorganizing what is around us to create pattern, interest and flow. The week will consist of a series of invitations to create using certain sets of constraints and materials. There will be the opportunity to create both individual and group work, as well as work to be left to return to nature and work to take home.


Keep the Channel Open - A Writing Workshop
with Emily Boyd Dahab
Writing as a tool for survival? Writing *is* a tool for survival. Yes. But how do you keep the channel open? This workshop is meant to serve as midwifery for your brain. Each day we'll write. Each day we'll read. Each day we'll listen. Each day we'll respond. Each day we'll wrestle with what Martha Graham called "the queer divine dissatisfaction" of bringing work into the world. Bring a notebook and a pen!
Food Preservation Techniques
with Ken Swanson
In this workshop Ken will walk the group through the different methods of food preservation along with some of the advantages and disadvantages of each. Throughout the week he will let you see how he has utilized these methods in his home. This will be followed up by giving you some practical experience making things such as kimchi, water kefir, dairy kefir, and whatever else you might want to try.
Most of Ken’s experience has grown from starting a garden and having too much produce. His first idea of food preservation was what his mother did every year with canning food such as peaches, tomatoes, apples sauce. Most of that effort was to save money and keep some of the summer foods for the winter. In order to do this, many of these items required lots of sugar and high doses of heat and pressure. The nutritional content was most likely compromised in the process.
Today he utilizes canning for applesauce and jams, but primarily uses other preservation methods such as fermentation, pickling, freezing, and dehydration. Most of the focus is on nutrition and flavor. Keeping or enhancing the natural good bacteria in foods can create probiotic foods that are great for your gut while enhancing flavors beyond what you get otherwise. One of his favorite annual creations are hot sauces that start by smoking peppers and then fermenting them for over a month. A good portion of the workshop will therefore focus on methods that keep or enhance nutritional value as well as flavor.


Resiliency
with Kristin Keefe
Over the past two years as constant -- often drastic -- change has become the norm, we have also shifted our social outlets to virtual spaces (SHOUTY THURSDAY!, Zoom Happy Hours, Virtual Conferences, etc.). This week we'll come together in person to talk through what we've experienced and ground the wisdom we've gained about our relationship with ourselves, families, pods, and communities. I'll bring the trauma theory, useful daily interventions (ex: how to help recurring nightmares), and provide the safe space for conversation. You bring yourself and we'll carry it lighter, together.
Attendance will be limited to keep the conversation inclusive; sign-up information will be available on island.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction
with Jessica Hessel
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center (UMassMC).
MBSR offers an invitation to move toward greater balance, control and participation in life. It introduces participants to practices for cultivating ease, resilience and uprightness in the midst of difficult life circumstances. This may involve relating to and working with stress, pain, illness and the many challenges and demands of day-to-day life.
Jessica completed the full training through the Center for Mindfulness at the UMassMC.
As part of her doctoral thesis, she adapted the open-source MBSR training to accommodate introducing small groups to a modified MBSR training in fewer sessions.
Please join me on Star to grow your existing practice, meditate in the fellowship of peers, or perhaps learn new techniques and skills.

S T A R B U R S T S
Single, 1 hour-ish Mini-Workshops to fill in your days
Check The Chalkboard for days and times. Locations may vary.

Slow Stitching
with Bethany Swanson
⌛ Tuesday, 4:00
Reflections in the Parlor Mirror
with Diane Taraz
The mirror in our Pink Parlor has seen 145 years of Shoalers dressed in the fashions of their time — vacation wear used to be quite formal! We visit the fishing village of Gosport and its often eccentric residents, trace the unconventional life of Celia Thaxter, and hear how the Star Island conferences began and developed. There’s lots of music from various eras, right up to today.
⌛ Monday, 8:00pm


Songwriting
with Mark Gibson
Songwriting is fun! And writing songs together is even funner. So we're gonna have fun!
Bring your voices, your instruments, your poetry, your thoughts...
The key is to just let the song flow out of you
⌛ Thursday, 4:00pm
Tie Dye
with Toby Dills
One of our favorite annual traditions, Toby Dills, Master Tie Dyer, will return with all his wares for you to tie dye to your colorful heart's content. Bring something to dye (cottons work best) or t-shirts and other items will be available for sale for $5 a pop.
⌛ Tuesday and Wednesday, 3:30pm


Book Talk
with Liz Ames
Join our own Liz Ames as she talks about and reads excerpts from her book Sweet, Savory, & Salty: Writing from Star Island, developed from writings she did in LOAS II's writing circle workshop.
⌛ Tuesday, 4pm
Porch Jams
with The Mötley Shoalers
Keep an eye on the chalkboard -- jam sessions and sing-a-longs will be popping up on the front porch all week long. Come hang for a song or enjoy the whole set!
⌛ Tuesday, 11:30am
⌛ Friday, 2:30pm


First Aid
with Mike Leger
Practical, common sense first aid skills based on American Red Cross standards. Come spend an hour with Mike, our favorite Firefighter / EMT and Paramedic in training, and learn some simple but invaluable skills that could help get you, a loved one, or a perfect stranger out of a sticky situation! This will be a fun and safe space to ask questions and get hands on with what can feel like an overwhelming subject. Fundamental tool for collective survival!
⌛ Wednesday, 3:30pm
Winning the Vote
with Diane Taraz
Diane Taraz traces the pathway to the 1919 passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, which finally allowed women in the United States to vote. Enjoy songs from supporters and those resisting change, and hear compelling stories of the interactions of abolitionists striving to abolish slavery and suffragettes seeking the vote. Both of these long fights for reform demanded courage and ingenuity, and the struggle for voting rights for all continues today.
⌛ Wednesday, 4pm


Photo Walk
with Sarah Jensen
Get off the front porch and join Sarah on a photo walk around the island on Thursday afternoon. This is a smart phone-friendly activity, or bring a camera that's not connected to a phone if you have one. Together, we'll find places on island that are new and interesting to photograph, and, even better, find fresh and new ways to photograph the places we have already photographed hundreds of times before. Discover new angles for the old places we know and love. Walking shoes recommended, good for all ages.
⌛ Thursday, 4:00pm
Chair / LOAS Leadership Transparency
with Alison Green + David House
Ever wondered how LOAS II's leadership structure works? How are the conference chairs selected and what's involved in chairing a conference? What's the relationship between our conference and the Star Island Conference Center? Who are the pelicans? How does all this fit together? Join our Registrar, Alison Green, and Treasurer, David House, (both former conference chairs) as they share how LOAS II operates behind the scenes, and answer any questions you have about our conference structure.
⌛ Thursday, 4:00pm

VOLUNTEER POSITIONS
Register first, then find an open position below!
The following is a list of the volunteer positions for LOAS II. We are currently in the process of including a description of each volunteer position. Confirmed volunteers will be updated once the volunteer formally registers. Interested in volunteering? Tell us!
Volunteer Position
Volunteers
During the week, make announcements that art produced by conferees during the week can be displayed on the last day of the conference.
Work with art workshop leaders to encourage participants in workshops to display their creations.
On the last day of the conference, set up the art show in Newton to run from 3:30 to 6:15.
Take down display and ask artists to pick up their work to take home with them from the island.
Judy Samuelson
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 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.
position available
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.
- 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.
- Helpers to set out bingo chips on each table.
- Someone to "call" the numbers and someone to read back the winning card before awarding the prize.
- 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.
Cece Braun
- Chalk and erasers are supposedly available from the Lobby Desk, put bring your favorite set of colors!
- 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)
- 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.
- 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.
- Stay in contact with the Conference Chairs to note any changes in the schedule that may need to be altered on the board.
- 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.
Joanna Henderson
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:
- Enter the chapel bell tower through the door on the north side of the tower.
- Grasp the bell rope and pull down with a firm, but slow, motion until the bell rings once. Release the rope slowly.
- Count to 8 and repeat.
- Do not ring the bell any faster than at six-second intervals, so the ringing bell will not be confused with a fire alarm.
Kim Tyner
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:
- Enter the chapel bell tower through the door on the north side of the tower.
- Grasp the bell rope and pull down with a firm, but slow, motion until the bell rings once. Release the rope slowly.
- Count to 8 and repeat.
- Do not ring the bell any faster than at six-second intervals, so the ringing bell will not be confused with a fire alarm.
Myra and Arthur
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.)
June House
This Service helps teach the tradition of Evening Chapel Services on Star Island, so that the youth will grow to appreciate this wonderful ritual.
1) Plan a short evening Service, of 15 to 20 minutes, that would be appealing to all ages. You may include stories, songs, live music and a message.
A well-planned interactive component, such as a conversation, an invitation to contribute, movement, song, or simple crafting of a communal symbol can be very engaging.
2) Arrange at the beginning of the week to have Star’s Music Director play the Chapel’s organ, if desired. You may also invite volunteer musicians to participate.
3) Let Conference Services know that you want the chapel lanterns lit and ready for a 7:15 P.M. Chapel Service.
4) If you would like to have flowers, contact our volunteer Chapel Flower Arranger.
5) The bell’s ringing helps to make the silent procession special for the youth.
6) Meet the families at the east end of the porch at 7:10 P.M. to explain the tradition of carrying lanterns silently to and from the Chapel while the bell rings. Set a tone of reverence at this point. Remind the participants that each of them and each lantern brings light to the Chapel.
7) On the afternoon of your Service remind the various helpers; Pels with lanterns, the Bell Ringer, the musician(s) that the Intergenerational Chapel Service will occur at 7:15 P.M.
Gemma Scott & Family
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.
Maggie Braun
Star Island will *not* be providing babysitters in 2021. The Children's Babysitter Coordinator will work with adults who are staying with children to take turns signing up for evening babysitting shifts, allowing everyone the opportunity to go "out" and enjoy the evening programs. As this is a new position, the chairs will work with this person to try to develop a plan for how best to approach babysitting this year.
position available
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.
position available
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.
Alanna Robidoux-Couto
LOAS has an option to serve clams and mussels during one of the adult Social Hours. Usually, the Chairs, the Provisioner, and the Social Hour hosts concur to offer this event. The Chairs will then recruit a Coordinator to announce, tally participants, and collect the cost of participation.
1) Identify yourself to the Provisioner as the Coordinator of Clams & Mussels.
2) Your job begins on Star once the Provisioner tells you the day that the clams and mussels will be provided.
3) Determine from the Provisioner the cost per person for the clams and mussels.
4) Prepare a sign-up sheet to record a participating person’s name and payment. Place the sheet on the “Sign-up Desk” in the lobby.
5) Announce at Saturday evening's orientation the scheduled day and the price of the clams and mussels, plus the location of the sign-up sheet.
6) You may find it convenient to bring the sign-up sheet to Social Hour for a couple of days and collect payments there.
5) Make a simple accounting of your sales and give the collected money to the Treasurer.
Gary Kunz
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.
Scott Will & Linnea Huston
Coordinate with the Banquet Hosts to create a table design that harmonizes with the room decorations. Depending on the Hosts' desires, you may design the entire table or just a centerpiece. There will be flowers on each table, so do not add flowers or make flowers the focal point.
Understand that the budget for this is essentially $0, unless you decide to donate any materials being used.
A popular technique is to coordinate with one of the youth group leaders to have a youth group create some parts (paper tablecloths for drawing/painting, found objects for centerpieces, etc.).
When the program is over, you would be responsible (with the Hosts) to clean up and remove the table decorations. If kids' projects were involved, make sure the kids know to pick them up after the banquet.
Diane Taraz, Jane King, Cherie Henderson
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!
Mark Gibson and John Keefe
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.
position available
Margaret Ladner
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.
position available
Elizabeth Hutchinson and Cathy O'Neil
Upon arrival on the island, check with Conference Services Coordinator to let him/her know the date and time of the bonfire. The Conference Services person usually sits on the bench by the Front Desk for 15 minutes before every meal.
Request marshmallows and sticks.
Arrange for someone to lead songs (playing a guitar?). The island Music Director may be able to help you identify someone to lead the singing.
Make announcements. Remind people that children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
The Island staff will let you know if the location of the bonfire will have to be moved at the last minute, due to wind conditions of if it will need to cancelled. If the bonfire does have to be cancelled due to weather conditions, plan to have a sing-a-long on the front porch.
At the bonfire, welcome people, supervise the distribution of sticks, introduce the singer, and, at the end of the festivities, announce that it is time to go (the bonfire usually lasts about an hour).
Although Conference Services will be there to set up and light the fire, please tell him/her that you will be the designated person to put out the fire. You must be present until the end. After the fire is put out, let the Front Desk know. The night crew will double-check the fire pit later that evening.
Mallory Peters
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.
Bethany Swanson
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.
Jeanna Steele + Sara Kornbluh
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.
John Keefe
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.
Judy Samuelson
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.
Wendy Wilson
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.
Diane Taraz + John Shriver
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.
Teri Behm
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.
Rob Lietar
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.
N / A
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.
Arthur Eves + Jeff Emmons + Justin Haase
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.
Mark Gibson
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
The following Youth Groups will gather on the Front Lawn (subject to changes from the youth coordinator):
Cedar Grades 4 & 5
Duck Grades 6 & 7
Parents of children can place their children in these supervised Social Hours 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 and two to supervise the older children on the Front Lawn. 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 and 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.
position available
Emily Jones, LOAS I Annual Fund coordinator has written up a full description of the Coordinator’s duties along with some suggestions. You can see the GoogleDoc here!
The Annual Fund Conference Volunteer serves a one season term that begins with appointment by the conference chairs in early spring. The Volunteer is asked to attend an orientation and training conference call in April/May. Following the group call, the Star Island Director of Development will coordinate with Annual Fund Coordinator to schedule a one-on-one call to strategize the LOAS I conference. When on island, the volunteers tailor a basic set of requirements to the needs and culture of the conference. Following the conference volunteers are asked to send a follow-up reminder communication. In the final two months of the year the volunteers may be asked to personally contact anyone in the conference who has given in the past but not yet in the current year. All materials needed will be provided by Star Island Corporation (SIC). Below are the responsibilities for each time of the year.
Before The Conference
· Sign a confidentiality agreement (provided by SIC).
· Schedule an initial orientation/training call with Peter Squires, Star Island Director of Development at least 6 weeks prior to the conference (30 minutes). The purpose of the call will be to review results from the prior years, set goals, discuss plans and to answer any questions. If only the lead annual fund volunteers can attend this initial call, that is fine!
· Identify and confirm additional annual fund team members as appropriate with assistance from conference leadership. Note that each conference is different – some have a large team, and others have only a few volunteers. For a large conference, it is best to have a minimum of eight people to split up tasks during the week.
· Send pre-conference email(s) to shoalers based on discussion with Peter to encourage making your gift before arriving on-island, plus informational reminder about what Annual Fund is.
On Star Island
· Meet with Peter early in the conference week (Saturday or Sunday). You and your team will be given all necessary materials (annual fund buttons, gift reply slips, reports as needed and any other collateral materials) (30 minutes).
· During the week, volunteers will hand out annual fund buttons to those who have donated, make announcements about the annual fund as appropriate, make specific asks if that is the determined strategy for the conference, and potentially staff a table in the lobby to promote the annual fund and answer questions. Different volunteers can staff a table at different times/days, and it typically only takes about 30 minutes before or after lunch or dinner.
· Track total % participation or % of on-island goal on the Tucke-o-meter with assistance of SIC staff.
· Note that SIC staff is available throughout the week to assist and answer any questions or help with tasks!
After The Conference
· Post-conference – if time and willingness, send thank you emails or notes to donors with assistance from SIC staff.
· November/December – if possible, send follow up emails to conferees (administrative duties will be managed by SIC staff including drafting the emails and sending them out).
Jamie Jensen
Jamie & Paul Jensen
position available
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.
Jessica Hessel
Elizabeth McDowell