YEAR 1 COMMITTEE MEMBER WEEKEND DUTIES

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! THE STEPS TO RECOVERY WEEKEND IS HERE!!!! That means that we’ve gone from getting ready to getting it done. 

The first thing to remember is that the Registration clearly say 4:00 P.M., and even though this is a program based on following instructions, this wonderful Group Of Drunks, will take that as a suggestion and about 1/3 of them will show up by 2pm. That’s okay, because love and tolerance is our code. That means they will have to love us and tolerate us starting registration at 4pm.

Everyone will have an opinion about everything. Some of our brothers in recovery will find it necessary to share those opinions, constructive or not. Feelings are not facts! To Thine Own Self Be True!!!

 

FRIDAY:

The first thing to do is pack your car. Remember you have ALL of the literature, the door prizes, the raffle prizes, the chips, the chip baskets, the 12-steps banner, the 12-tradition banner, miscellaneous other items, and most importantly…the COW BELL!!!

-ARRIVAL: Plan to arrive on Friday around noon to 1pm. If for some reason this is not completely possible due to work/life/whatever obligations, let the committee know. We will figure it out together.

- SET UP: Once you arrive on Friday your job is to set up the AUDITORIUM.  That is because you have all the stuff that is used to set up the AUDITORIUM.  This is a great opportunity to bring along a sponsee to get active with service work!!!!  

This entails setting up the tables with the literature, hanging the 12 steps and 12 traditions, hanging the group signs (see map), hanging up the maps, hanging up the non-smoking signs, setting up the 5th step sign-up sheets (both listening and giving), setting out the big book and thank you card to sign.

*HINT:  We can ONLY USE PAINTER’S TAPE to post items, per the your site rules

*HINT:  Some of the chairs for the groups may need rearranged. Make sure the stage is able to be set up for the speakers (ie, there is room for the “podium” …technically it’s a lectern but I digress…). The sound guy is usually around and VERY, VERY helpful

-REGISTRATION: Once the auditorium is set up, head back to the lodge to assist as needed with check-in/registration.   You and 2nd year committee member should do the check in to allow 3rd year member to take care of any odds/ends issues.

-COW BELL:   You have been entrusted with the greatest of all tasks, the ringing of the bell.  5 minutes before the start of each speaker you ring that bad boy both in the lobby area and outside the front doors.  

*FUN FACT:  You never have to ring the bell to alert these guys its time to eat, they are literally lined up out the door. However, there will always be stragglers to the presentations from the speakers…hmmm

-ADDITIONAL DUTIES:  In addition to the above outlined duties, you will be responsible for introducing some of the speakers.

*HINT: Remember, recap any previous steps!!

SATURDAY:

-WAKE-UP BELL: You are the last line of defense between accountability and waking up for breakfast and speakers.  You will do one lap on both the 1st and 2nd floors of the lodge, starting at 7:00 A.M. (that is 0700 if you operate on military time).

*HINT:  DO NOT LEAVE THE BELL IN THE AUDITORIUM AT THE END OF THE EVENING. TAKE IT TO YOUR ROOM. THE AUDITORIUM GETS LOCKED, AND YOU WILL LET DOWN ALL OF THE ATTENDEES IN THE LODGE!!!!!

-MORE COW BELL:  You will ring the cow bell 5 minutes before the start of each speaker in both the lobby and outside the font doors.

-SNACK RUN: During the “one-on-ones” you, along with 2nd Year committee member, will make a run to the store (has been SAMS CLUB in Sandusky) to get snacks for the pizza party. The list (presuming that the attendance at retreat stays around 160-170, while considering other guys will show up just for the lead) should be as follows:

            Cans of Soda:  200+ (including at least Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Mt. Dew, Sprite, Diet Coke)

            Ice Cream:  MINIMUM 200 (seriously minimum, these guys wine if they miss out on this)

            Chips:  5-7 bags of FAMILY size bags (its SAMS club, so the big bags are there)

            Candy:  4 BIG BAGS (usually mx up, reses, Hershey, tootsie roll, hard candy…your call)

 

*HINT:  YOU MUST HIDE THIS FOOD IN THE KITCHEN. IF IT IS ANYWHERE GUYS CAN SEE IT THEY WILL EAT IT BEFORE THE PIZZA PARTY!!!! THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!!

 

-PIZZA PARTY:  This is your time to shine. During the lead you will go over to the kitchen to meet up with the pizza delivery driver and pay them.  The kitchen staff will show you where to put the pizzas.

 

-CLEAN UP CREW:  You are responsible for the clean-up of the cafeteria after the pizza party. This is a great opportunity to recruit some guys to help.

 

*HINT:  Asking a guy to help in front of his sponsor is almost always a certain “yes”.

*DOUBLE HINT: Don’t leave the cow bell in the auditorium, it may be locked up by the time the pizza party is wrapped up, and will be locked at 7am Sunday when you need to ring that bad boy again!!

 

 

SUNDAY:

 

-WAKE-UP BELL:  If there is something alcoholics love, it’s the warm sound of cowbell in the morning, more precisely at 7:00 A.M. (still 0700 military time)…give them what they love!!!

 

-EVEN MORE COW BELL:  there are still some speaking activities, and that means ringing the cow bell 5 minutes before the start of each speaker in the lobby area, and outside the front doors.

 

*HINT:  On Sunday the 7th step prayer is at 8:45, this is different than all other activities that start on the hour, to be safe you may want to make an announcement at the cafeteria towards the end of breakfast, before going to the auditorium for your cow bell duties

 

-COLLECT NAME TAGS:    as the guys exit the auditorium after the 12th step speaker, stand at the doors (or if you prefer, designate a chip-munk to stand at the door) and collect them back into the box…this is important because you need them for the raffle after lunch.

 

-BREAK DOWN:  after the 12th step speaker you will need to break down all the stuff you set up on Friday. Collect the group signs, the non-smoking signs, clean up the lobby area, put away the literature, take down the 12-steps and 12-traditions, etc.

*HINT:  Do not load this into your car, the new man on the committee will take this burden from you!!!

-AFTER LUNCH RAFFLE:  now is your time to shine, because alcoholics love FREE stuff. The first prize awarded will be the Registration for next year. After that its next drawn, next pick of what options you have provided. 

 

*HINT:  If you have door prizes from the previous year, use them for the raffle

* DOUBLE HINT:  Some guys prefer that whoever was drawn last, picks the next name. That is very time consuming and you may lose some guys for the gratitude meeting, but it’s your call.

 

-GRATITUDE MEETING:  once you have wrapped up the raffle, immediately begin the gratitude meeting. The first act of the gratitude meeting is to bring out the kitchen staff and thank them!!!!  After that, just pass the mic as long as people want to speak.

 

-EXTRA FRUIT:   there will likely be extra fruit in the lodge and the lobby of the auditorium, try to arrange for someone from a sober house to take this so it is not wasted!!!

 

-SETTLE UP:   all great weekends must come to an end, but not before we pay the tab. The committee will go as a group and pay the remainder of the balance due.  In addition, we select the next year weekend (bye-week of the NFL…totally a coincidence I’m sure) and pay a deposit.  We typically make a donation to our site as well (between $500- $1,000).

 

 

 

 

THAT’S A WRAP

 

 

See, it wasn’t as bad as you though now was it?

 Take a rest, you’ve earned it!!!! And THANK YOU!!! This would not be possible for 150+ attendees to spend a weekend growing spiritually without all that you have done!!!