Site Coordinator's Guide Selecting and Securing a Site

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Contents: Where should I hold my site? How soon in advance should I select and secure my site? What amenities will I need at my site? What about liability insurance, permits, and all that mumbo-jumbo? 1. Where should I hold my site? Each local RegDay site should be held in the most accessible, comfortable environment available. If the weather in your part of the world is cold and/or wet in early October, your site should definitely be indoors. If the weather permits in your area, outdoor sites work just as well. Because you know best the local attitudes and customs, you will best be able to determine in an indoor or outdoor event will work well. Your site should be, ideally, free of cost to you and your group. It is important to meet with a store manager in person, bringing with you information about the ISRR and RegDay, letting them know it's an annual event (began in 1995) and that all tables are staffed by volunteers. Some ideas for sites: Bookstores (Borders, Barnes & Noble, Waldenbooks, Crown, B. Dalton, and small independent bookstores have all hosted RegDay sites). Bookstores are also often willing to, or allow you to, set up a display of adoption related books that they sell in their store. If you provide them a Recommended Reading List in advance, they may try to have some of those books in stock. Public Libraries Parks Coffee Shops County or City Offices Meeting Halls Churches Schools/Universities Grocery Stores/Department Stores (WalMarts have hosted RegDays across the country for several years) The ideal site is conspicuous and open to the public on Saturdays. It is also in an easy to get to location, with ample parking and pedestrian traffic. If the local mall is an eyesore and mostly full of vacant store space, you will probably not have as good a turnout as you would having your site at a busy downtown coffee shop. 2. How soon in advance should I select and secure my site? Finding and securing a site is the first and highest priority of the group. All of your publicity hinges on having your site. Many of your potential volunteers may wait until a site is selected before knowing if they are able to attend and work the event or not. Start pitching sites now. It may take a few tries to find a friendly, well-placed venue. As a side note - even if you don't think you will be involved in next year's event, be sure to let the owner/manager of your site know at the end of the event that we would like to hold next year's event there again. If possible, confirm or reserve the site for next year (RegDay is always held on the first Saturday of October). Give your name and number as the contact person. This will set a strong foundation for RegDay in your community, and will help next-year's coordinator, be it you again or someone else, tremendously. 3. What amenities will I need at my site? You will need to either provide for yourself or see if your site can provide: At least one table. Preferably as many tables as the site will allow or can fit. Chairs for each volunteer and a few extra (as the site will allow) for guests to sit down. (3+) If your site will be providing hospitality, you might want coffee makers, beverages, cream, cups, napkins, baked goods, etc. Note, you should skip this if you are using a coffee shop as your site - they will definitely NOT welcome you back next year if you are giving away for free something similar to what they are trying to sell. Adequate lighting. Don't take it for granted - some locations are dimly lit on purpose. Steer clear of bars and saloons for that reason. ;-) Adequate ventilation. Steer clear of site locations that are not comfortable. If you feel cold or hot or stuffy, so will our guests, and they won't stay. A trash can. Not a big "Oscar the Grouch" grungy metal can, but something like a wastebasket to deal with inevitable trash. 4. What about liability insurance, permits, and all that mumbo-jumbo? You shouldn't need to provide any special permits or insurance waiver for your activities. Locations that absolutely insist upon it should not be pursued. You are part of a local grassroots effort of volunteers from the community, you are giving out free information about a free service, and you are not engaged in collecting, receiving or accepting money for any reason at your site. Some malls use the liability insurance requirement in order to make it difficult for groups to use the mall as a public meeting house. If a site you are pursuing requires to see "paperwork" showing that you are part of a legitimate non-profit organization, provide ISRR non-profit info. Remember to praise to your friends those commercial locations that welcome you, and frequent their businesses. Remind them of your gratitude for their participation in RegDay. They are not obligated to allow your community service work time and space in their for-profit enterprise. We should remind them of the benefits of doing so. Copyright 1997 by S. Cameron Byrd, updated 1998-2000 by Damsel Plum, edited 2003 by Petra B. Wynbrandt All Rights Reserved Next >>> Recruiting Volunteers RegDay home page www.adopteerights.org