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 Elliot or the pink parlor for an activity that lasts 30-45 minutes while the adults finish the testimonials at the Banquet. After the Banquet, the adults pass through the lobby to include their children in the Grand March.

Preparation:

To offer a choice, bring several half-hour videos 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 Elliot. 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 Conference Services so that the front desk can get them for you on the island.

The game runs on StarBucks, $1 coupons redeemable only at the snack bar. (They must 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 similarly to a dollar bill.) Before the event, the Bingo Coordinator discusses the StarBucks with the Snackies (the Pels who run the Snack Bar) and arrange 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.

Schedule chapel service leaders for evening services.

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:

5 minutes before the beginning of Morning Chapel 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.

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:

5 minutes before the beginning of the Inter-generational Chapel. Check with the Chairs for the schedule.; 5 minutes before 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.

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.)

This Service helps teach the tradition of Evening Chapel Services on Star Island, so that the youth will grow to appreciate this wonderful ritual.

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. Arrange at the beginning of the week to have Star’s Music Director provide music if desired. You may also invite volunteer musicians to participate. Let Conference Services know that you want the chapel lanterns lit and ready for at an appropriate time for Chapel Service. Contact the evening bell ringer to confirm bell ringing time. Meet the families at the east end of the porch at the appropriate time 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. On the afternoon of your Service remind the various helpers; Pels with lanterns, the Bell Ringer, the musician(s) of the time and location of the service.

The Chief Polar Bear encourages Shoalers to partake in 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. A lifeguard must be present and will be provided by Conference Services.

You might be asked to explain Polar Bearing at Conference Orientation.

Explain that the sport is for thermally-hearty swimmers and that people should bring a towel and something warm to wear after the dunk. 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 the names of participating Polar Bears in ascending numerical order.

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.

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:

Money is included for decorations in the line item on the budget for Final Parties, ask Chairs or Treasurer how much is available. It’s typically around $50. You can get a reimbursement form on Island from the Treasurer.

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.

Check with conference services to see that flowers will be on the tables. If you would like, you can add additional table decorations.

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.

Discuss location/rain location with the Chairs. The party starts after evening chapel and winds down around 11:30.. Since alcohol will be served at the party, New Hampshire’s liquor law prohibits people under the age of 21.

The Provisioner orders the food and drink. The party includes alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages and typically the food includes platters of cheese and crackers, vegetables and dip as well as  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.

Money is included for decorations in the line item on the budget for Final Parties, ask Chairs or Treasurer how much is available. It’s typically around $50. You can get a reimbursement form on Island from the Treasurer.

(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 Provisioner orders 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:

Usually Brookfield but check with Appledore Youth Leaders

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.

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

Confirm with Conference Services the day before the party where refreshments for the final party should be delivered

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.
Due to COVID the Grand March now takes place on the porch.

Decide with the Chairs how the march will be configured. Ask to have a couple of minutes at the end of the Final Banquet to explain of the Grand March: The line forms behind the Grand Marshall with Current Chairs followed by the next two years of Chairs. The march proceeds through Elliot to pick up the kids, out through Gosport, and onto the porch. Once everyone is on the porch, switch to Auld Lang Syne with arms crossed and holding hands, then a Star Cheer for next year’s conference. Have someone in the banquet who will cue the Music Director when to play the March and then cue when to switch to Auld Lang Syne.

Ask conference services to turn rocking chairs sideways and push chairs up to the railing.

Arrange music and timing with the Music Director.

Ask someone to sing the new song into a mic that projects onto the porch.

Make sure the porch speaker system is on and active.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 through 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 scheduled 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 challenging. 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 great way to get the kids involved: “3 - 2 -1 - BELL” followed by “1 -2 -3” Ring for a 3-second pause before ringing the bell one time. It’s important to give folks time to cover their ears.  

 

It's good to have some activities planned in case of rain.

Some years, we have organized projects to help the island.  Past projects have included chair caning, weeding, and others.  The coordinator will need to work with the Star Island staff to figure out what project is needed.

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.

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.

· Optional: 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.

As background music, the volume should be kept low enough that people can easily converse with one another.

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 social hour. 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.

 

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.

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. Place a sign-up sheet for “try outs” on the Writing Table in the Lobby. When reviewing potential acts: Encourage brevity. Try to use everyone who wishes to perform. 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. You may require help with the sound system, with stage lights, and with props. You may need Star’s Music Director as an accompanist. 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.