Event Check List

Name the Event

What is a creative name for the event? Try to avoid ones like open house and membership drive. Some examples:

• Make-O-Rama
• MakesGiving
• Fifth Annual Spring kick off! -- Come here to build your stuff!
• Open House / Expo
• Kick Off
• Spring into Making
• Making for Mom.

Pick a Day

Use the calendar list below to plan for a day free of other big events, we usually try to schedule these two or three months in advance. Also look for other local activities that you might not want to conflict with, and make sure to get buy-in and commitments from makers / presenters.

Plan Activities

Some possibilities are:

• A selection of kits with some supervision.
  • Cheep kits that need to be ordered ahead:
    • http://www.makershed.com/products/learn-to-solder-skill-badge-kit
    • ttp://www.makershed.com/products/rocket-skill-badge
  • More expensive but over-nightable from Amazon:
    • http://www.amazon.com/Velleman-MK100-Electronic-Christmas-Tree/dp/B004NDXAHK/
    • http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-Practical-Soldering-Project-Kit/dp/B0002LUAL6/
    • http://www.amazon.com/Velleman-MK101-Flashing-Led-Sweetheart/dp/B000LQGC00/
    • http://www.amazon.com/Velleman-MK130-3D-Xmas-Tree/dp/B0006HJSIW/
  • Other places to look are:
    • Adafruit: http://www.adafruit.com/
    • Sparkfun: http://www.sparkfun.com/
    • Makershed Store: http://www.makershed.com/
• Rocket Launches.
• Robot Races.
• Wall O video
  • EMS advertisements?
• Talks?
• A better Raffle!
• Sell some Merchandise
  • Kits
  • Tee-Shirts, Lab coats Beanies?

Media

Take lots of pictures and, placing a couple of time lapse cameras is a great way to record the event for future reference. A few well chosen video clips are always good too.

• Turn cameras off at night
• Start them in the dark, then open the doors for good effect
• Tape plugs in with Do Not Unplug signs

Call for Makers and Presenters

Send announcements to our members and friends for presenters.

Advertising

• Use this calendar list and post our event about three to six months in advance. Well, some of these sites like the EW and the RG only have 8 day calendars so take that with a grain of salt. ;-)
• We should start by printing any handouts sign up forms that we are low on. The short list is: Member signup forms, Tri-fold about EMS, and the flyer for this event. Maker sure our address is on all of these.
  • Of course we should start with our home page: http://eugenemakerspace.com/
  • Discuss, and announce list
  • Sample wordpress postings:
    • http://eugenemakerspace.com/makesgiving-fall-project-expo/
    • http://eugenemakerspace.com/make-o-rama-making-awesome-tools-to-make-awesome-stuff/
  • EMS Calendar: http://eugenemakerspace.com/calendar/
  • EMS Google Calendar: How to do this?
  • Eugene Weekly Events - http://www.eugeneweekly.com/content/calendar#guidelines
    • Send postings to: cal@eugeneweekly.com
    • Call the next day to check that it was received: 541-484-0519
  • Register Guard Calendar: http://projects.registerguard.com/pages/entertainment/calendar/
    • Send postings to: rgnews@registerguard.com
    • Call the next day to check that it was received: 541-342-1212
  • Switchboard: http://switchbeard.com/
  • Eventful: http://eventful.com/eugene/events
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eugene-Maker-Space/331241636887219
  • Google Groups: ??
  • Outreach list:
    • Dean at the UO Science Library - Place some EMS postcard sized flyers on a table there
    • Cheri at UO CS Department - Fliers at the front desk at the UO CS building.
  • Meetups:
    • EMS: http://www.meetup.com/eugene-maker-space/
    • EUGLUG: http://www.meetup.com/EUGLUG-Eugene-Unix-GNU-Linux-Users-Group/
    • CoderDojo: http://www.meetup.com/Eugene-Region-CoderDojo-Hub/
    • WebDev: http://www.meetup.com/eugenewebdev/
    • Programmers: http://www.meetup.com/Eugene-Oregon-Programmers/
  • Craigslist Events/Groups - http://eugene.craigslist.org/eve/
    • Remember to top post this every day starting a few days before the event. You can force it by changing one letter or space.
  • Science Pubs at Cosmic Pizza - https://www.omsi.edu/sciencepubeugene
    • More Fliers there, and mingle if someone wants to go.
  • Others: KLCC Events Calenders - http://klcc.org/calendar-options-klcc-listening-area
• Use this PSA list to announce our event about 30 days in advance.
  • Radio:
    • http://klcc.org/
      • Send postings to: [[1]]
    • http://kwva.uoregon.edu/
      • Send postings to: [[2]]
  • TV:
    • http://www.kezi.com/
      • Send postings here: http://www.kezi.com/community/submit-an-event/
    • http://www.kval.com/
      • Send postings here: http://www.kval.com/about/contact/4387396.html
    • http://www.kmtr.com/
    • http://www.opb.org/television/
    • http://www.opb.org/artsandlife/
    • http://www.oregonsfox.com/index.php/contact-us
    • http://www.kevutv.com/index.php/contact-us
  • Sometimes they want a phone number and you don't want to give out your personal one. You might use a Google voice number or a spare VoIP number. I used this one for the bend OR area because they were out of Eugene numbers at the time: 1-541-693-1337
  • Often you can upload a picture, see some example photos below. If you need to change the size then you could use ImageMagic like so:
    • convert dragon.gif -resize 50% half_dragon.gif
  • Print and post fliers around town.
    • Take some tacks and Double stickyback tape with you, they should be in the front office. Bring some snacks and have fun. :-) Look for old expired flyers on crowded boards to replace.
    • EMS
    • Oregon Electronics (Several)
      • Ask them if they have a flyer for us to post at our space, but they will probably just give you some more business cards.
    • UofO, often you can just email them the pdf.
      
      • Computer Science Deschutes Hall (Give to Cheri)
      • Dean Walton's Science Library
      • Scott Huette's(SP?) lab
    • The Science factory, email?
    • Laundromat at 18th and Chambers
    • The Beanery near down to earth (Huge BB)
    • Grocery Stores
      • Haggen's, both Chambers & 18th, and Hilyard& 30th.
      • Sundance Natural Foods
      • The Kiva
      • Friendly Street Market
      • Fred Myer
      • 5th St Public Market in Provisions.
    • Uof O Book Store
    • Smith Family book stores on E 13th and near the downtown post office.
    • Laundromat near Harbor Freight.
    • None found at these as of 4/30/16
      • Market of Choice, Safeway, Bi-Mart, Home Depot, Lows, Harbor Freight, Good Will, St Vinnie's
    • Eugene Public Library, ground floor BB, and third floor Maker Hub.
    • LCC downtown Campus
    • LCC main campus?
    • Try Googgling Eugene bulletin boards" and you may get a list like this:
      • https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?hl=en_US&mid=1RBnGDk35A5QwDEyNJkFCMPUGRFc

Assign Tasks

• Organizing Makers
• Shop Cleanup
• Bringing Refreshments
  • Restock plates, cups, and plastic utensils.
  • Get drinks, and snacks
  • Get Pizza!
    • Pegasus has good pizza and prices. Some example pies: Veggie Vortex, Poseidon, Pesto Pollo, Combo.
• Ordering Electronic Kits, Rocket parts etc..
  • If you need them really soon, like overnight, then go to Amazon and search on soldering kits in the Games, or Electronics categories.
  • Select sort by price lowest first, and then click on the free shipping option on the left. You will get lots of Prime qualifying products along
  • with plain vanilla free shipping.
• Restocking Sign-up forms, and fliers.
  • Organizing announcement board
  • Placing donation box
• Greeter coordinator
• Time laps Camera

Greeters

Greeters should have assigned shifts to meet and greet people as they show up. They need a script with bullet points to introduce them to EMS and answer questions.

They should try to encourage membership sign-ups.

Cleanup

Shop cleanup two days before, and after the event.

Afterwards

• Thank everyone
  • Send a nice post thanking all the exhibitors and major helpers.
  • Perhaps also thank some folks individually.
• Collect pictures and add to photo album for the event
  • Stitch time lapse sequences together and perhaps add music
• Collect receipts and do accounting for money spent

• MakesGiving Flyer: MakesGiving_Flyer.odt
• Science Night at the Eugene Library:
  File:EventCheckList.Science Night IX 2MB.jpg
• Open House on Feb 23rd 2013:
  File:EventCheckList.OpenHouse1 2MB.JPG
• EMS Makes Giving on Nov 15th 2014:
  

    File:EventCheckList.OpenHouse2 2MB.JPG

• EMS Makes Giving on Nov 15th 2014:
  

    File:EventCheckList.OpenHouse3 2MB.JPG

-- Main.ClifCox - 06 Nov 2014