Event Checklist

Income

People

Sub-Total

Program Income

Adults-Full Price

Adults-Late Price

Guide for Event Planning

Dance camps and retreats, be they a weekend event or a week-long experience, embody Murshid Samuel Lewis’ (Sam’s) vision of communities gathering to Eat, Dance, and Pray together. Our experience has been that a retreat of in-depth dancing changes lives and awakens the camp community to our depths in unity. This spiritual value is most accessible when the logistical and organizational aspects of the camp do not get in the way. Careful planning and preparation is necessary to ensure that the purpose in being together is fully realized.

There are many considerations in planning a retreat, and here you will find tips for planning a retreat which include selecting a facility and a checklist of basic steps that can be implemented in a systematic order to plan and carry out a retreat.

Depending upon the scope of what you are planning, there are a variety of ways to organize and delegate the work to be done. The following lists some possible positions Oneness Project has used that are included on the checklist. Variations may be needed to suit specific retreats.

Camp Director – carries the spiritual vision of the content, program and inspiration of the event
Camp Manager – builds the organization needed to fulfill the logistical and personnel needs of presenting the retreat, before and during the camp/retreat, as well as clean up and post-retreat evaluations
Events committee or Dance Group – fulfill specific fiduciary and planning roles
Registrar – tracks registration, maintaining accurate database, responsible for addressing questions of registrants, collecting registration fees, interfacing with all camp staff, children’s program director, and the cook, helping prepare retreat space, greeting registrants as they arrive, sending refunds after camp, etc.
Children’s Program Director - Plan and direct a children’s program for a diverse group of children, coordinating with Dance leaders and karma yogis to integrate program with the adult camp
Karma Yoga Assistant - Work with Registrar and Camp Manager to pre-assign karma yoga positions from registration information, and monitor the KY operation, assisting with problems that may arise.
Shuttle Coordinator - Under direction of registrar, set up shuttle schedule; communicate with shuttle registrants prior to and during camp – this may fall under the role of registrar, also.
Bookstore Manager – Set up bookstore, track inventory, take in money, and collect 10% tithe from bazaar vendors.

Appendices are included after the checklist that offer sample schedule, contracts, registration forms and budgets for a retreat. More information of this type is available from the Oneness Project office; please feel free to contact us with your questions.

Event Checklist
When	Task	Notes	Who
6-12 months	Plan Event	Intention, venue, staff, programming, date – See information on Planning a Retreat that follows the checklist...	Interested parties or Dance group
	Develop Budget	Include venue and staff expenses, travel, scholarships, food, children’s program, advertising, etc. may include work exchange, set up bank account	Committee or Manager
	Select Staff	Spiritual Elder, Director, Management, Registrar, Dance Leaders, Assistants, Musicians, Counselor, Facilities/Tent Boss, etc.	Committee or Manager
	Rent venue	Secure with deposit, check out regulations, contact person, distance to medical assistance, etc.	Event Manager or Director
	Housing	Check out options on site or off site –cabins, tenting, hotels, local home stay	Registrar
	Insurance	Camp Liability Policy (Note: Oneness Project can assist you in identifying a source for insurance, if you need one)	Manager
	Design flyer	Print copies and post on web
	Advertise	Regional publications, send out flyers to Dance circles, post work exchange positions, application dates, late registration, and refund policy	Registrar or ?
	Set up registration	Online registration site and means to track incoming registration, deposits	Registrar
3-6 months	Hire Cook	Sign contract. Plan menu with cook, send deposit 2-3 months before camp	Manager
	Conference Call	Include staff and management, clarify roles, needs, and vision. Budget review. Discuss medical emergency procedures/plan.	Manager set up
	Staff Contracts	Send out to all paid staff	Manager
	Medical and Guardianship Forms	Send out to all parents registering children	Registrar
	Fragrance Free?	Order supplies for participants to use at the retreat
1-2 months	Conference Call	Include staff and management, clarify roles, needs, and vision. Budget review.	Manager set up
	Work exchange and scholarships	Assign awards	Manager and Registrar
	Karma Yoga	Design spaces for needed assistance; worked out with cook, children’s staff, and camp manager	KY Assistant or Registrar
	Children	Submit list of children with contact info to Youth Camp Director	Registrar
	Children’s Supplies	Submit list of needed supplies and snacks and rough plan for the week	Children’s Program Director
	Welcome Letter	To registrants with specific details about camp	Registrar
2 weeks	Conference Call	Include staff and management, clarify roles, needs, and vision – design schedule for week/weekend	Manager
	Cook Update	Updated number of registrants to cook	Registrar
	Shuttles	Coordinator contact campers regarding flight updates and pick up schedule	Shuttle Coordinator
	Logistical planning	Develop plan for setting up camp – checking camp/cleanliness, plan arrival/greeting, Dance space/tent, white board, bulletin boards, suggestion boxes, install fragrance free supplies, plan orientation meeting	Manager
	Assign housing	Final assignments	Registrar
	Design KY Chart	Positions for everyone; may have prior preference requests from registrants	KY Assistant or Registrar
	Contracts & Forms	Review to see all are in, staff, work exchange, children’s forms	Registrar & Manager


Day Prior	Check in with venue manager	Check out space, equipment, regulations, cleanliness, meet cook, etc.	Manager
	Staff arrives	Orientation, bonding, organize vision for the week, prepare camp for arrivals the next day, assign tasks	Director
	Set up Office	Printer if needed, supplies, etc.	Registrar
	Decorate	Dance Hall/Tent, dining hall, etc.	Staff or KY help
At Camp	Registration	Greet campers as they arrive, give housing assignments, KY, schedule, name tags, answer questions, adjust housing/KY as needed	Manager, Registrar, KY Assistant
	Orientation	Full Camp, first night or next morning.	Manager & Director
	Bookstore	Set up – everyday? Times	w/e position
	Bazaar	Designate day/time/place, tithing forms, collect tithes	Bookstore Manager
	Staff Meetings	Scheduled by Camp Director/Manager, include program staff and management	Director/Manager
	Roster	Print current roster for each participant	Registrar
Close	Evaluation Forms	Put out final morning or at end of event	Manager
	Registration Table	Pack up, put away	Registrar
	Clean Up	Each Cabin’s Inhabitants, Tent Spaces, Facilities – provide checklist for each	Manager and KY Assistant Design
	Shuttles	Coordinate airport trips	Shuttle Driver
	Final Walk Through	With Facility Staff	Manager
	Lost and Found	Pack up, keep 2-3 months to mail as requested	Registrar
	Children’s Supplies	Inventory and pack up	Children’s Staff
	Pay Facility, Staff, Cook	As per contracts, collect receipts for travel expenses	Manager/Staff
Post Camp	Review Evaluations	Director, Manager, Registrar, Staff, Committee	May have conference call
	Refunds	Mail out, minus fee, within 30 days	Registrar
	Budget	Review income and expenses	Manager, Director, Registrar, Dance Group/Committee
	Next Year?	Begin planning

	*Appendices*	Dance Retreat Facility, Budget, Sample Staff Contract

Dance Retreat Facility

The Facility
Facility Agreement
Housing

The Facility

The facility is one of the most important parts about planning a successful event. Use the questions below in evaluating a possible facility and review each of the topics appropriate for the event. This list is oriented toward renting a building, but many of the same concepts apply to renting a retreat center, a campground, or other event space.

When evaluating a new facility, contact the facility and get the name of a contact person you can work with. Make an appointment to see the facility. The questions below may be useful during the tour.
Parking -- Where do guests park? Is there enough parking for the number of people attending the event? What is the walkway like between the parking and the facility? Is there adequate lighting in the parking area?
Entrances & Exits -- Are there lots of steps to enter the facility? Will it be difficult for seniors who may be attending? Look at the access, entryway, doors, hallways, and any other aspects of the facility to make sure there are adequate handrails.
Coat Storage -- Is there a coat room? Are there enough hangers? Consider buying extra plastic hangars and leave them with the facility.
The Dance space – is it large enough for the number of people who will attend? Can dancers easily dance in a circle, or will an oval be necessary? Is the space clear of posts? Is the flooring soft enough for dancing? Concrete o r linoleum floors are okay for short dances, but padding is needed for longer events. Are there chairs that can be put around the outside of the room for sitting? How many lights are there, and can they be controlled easily? What kind of air conditioning or heating systems are available, and may they be adjusted? Is there room for an altar? What noises do you hear – are there businesses nearby, airports, railroads, or freeways that are noisy?
Kitchen – The kitchen is another very important part of the dance event; make sure to find out as much as possible about the kitchen. If an outside cook is being hired and she/he cannot see the facility, then a survey of what equipment is available is very important. Also consider taking pictures of the kitchen to share with your cook. If possible, make arrangements for the cook to see the kitchen. Is there a walk-in cooler and freezer space? What cleaning supplies are used and provided? Brooms, mops, towels, paper towels? Dumpsters – when is garbage day?
Other Rooms – Look to see what other rooms are available, and what kind of furniture is available. Will you be teaching classes, or will you divide those attending into various groups? One common use is for a Children’s Program. Make sure that sound from the Children’s Program into the main Dance area won’t be a problem.
Security – For events more than one night, can the musicians safely leave their instruments in the facility? Who else has access to the building while you will be using it?
Ambiance – Are there windows or sources of natural light? Is it possible to decorate the space with banners or other emblems from the Dances of Universal Peace? What is the space used for most often – sometimes the resonance of other activities hang over a space and either enhance it or perhaps degrade its potential use as a sacred dance hall.

The Facility Agreement

Rental requirements – Ok, the place looks like it will work, and you’re interested in renting. What’s next?

Cost – what does the facility cost? What are their terms (how much is the deposit, when do you make the rest of the payment, is a personal check okay). Notes on cost – be sure to ask for a non-profit rate, make sure that they know what group you are with. Some facilities will allow you to pay a base rate plus a rate for each person, and that can really help save money. Don’t hesitate to ask for a discount if money is an issue. You may have to change your dates to a time that is slower for the facility, but if it is really a special place, it might be worth it!
Schedule – Is the facility available for the dates you want? What is happening the day before, during, and the day after that you night need to know about?
Timing – When can you have access to the building? When and how do you do check-in and check-out, and who do you contact?
Keys – How do you get the keys? Who is responsible for opening and closing?
Insurance – What are the requirements?
Contract – Does the facility have a contract that they want signed? Be sure to ask for a copy in advance, and read it, and call back with questions if there are parts that you don’t understand.
Security Deposit – How much is the deposit? How do you get it back? What requirements are there, and how long does it take to get your deposit back?
Cleaning supplies – what supplies does the facility provide, and who is responsible to clean?
Caretaker – is there an on-site caretaker? Find out where he/she/they live and how to contact them. When will they routinely come by, and what will they be doing? What hours do they want to be contacted, and when do they want to be left alone?
Facility Emergency Contact – Find out who to contact in case of a facility emergency. Post multiple copies of this information throughout the event, including the kitchen. Often this can be as simple as not knowing how the dish machine works or where to locate a light switch.
Supplies – Who is responsible to provide trash can liners, toilet paper, paper towels, and cleaning supplies?
Cleaning – The cleanliness of a facility is a big issue at most events. There is a wide range of feelings on whether a facility is clean or not, either before or after an event, and making sure that there are clear expectations in this area is important. Especially when people are traveling for a weekend or longer event, the last day can leave the organizers with a big job to do, and not enough people to do it. On the other hand, DUP groups are very respectful, and for several of the facilities that we rent, our history of leaving the place cleaner than we found it has been a big part of our success in being welcomed back.
Checklists before and after the event – Larger facilities such as retreat centers and lodges often have a checklist used at opening and closing. The checklist can be used to determine whether part of the deposit is refundable, so it is worth paying close attention. A walk-through with a representative at the beginning of the event and again at closing is an important item to be added to the schedule. It is best to have the same person open and close from both the facility and the dance organization, as the evaluation is subjective.
Check Out – One of the areas that the checklist covers refers to damage before and after the event. Some wear and tear is inevitable, but damage that happens during the event needs to be identified. A discussion about this is appropriate with the caretakers during check-in to find out their level of concern and attention to detail. Use the checklist to comment on general cleanliness in each area. Pay attention to whether the floors have been mopped or vacuumed. Find out where the cleaning supplies are, and who is responsible to replace them and when. Are supplies provided to clean the kitchen?
Leaving the Facility – Some facilities need to have chairs taken down and put back at the end of the event. If those closing the event are not those opening, make sure that the facility contact at closing knows how the facility is to be arranged upon leaving. Some groups have done a simple sketch of where tables and chairs were arranged when they came in, and then the sheet was left with those closing.

Housing

Retreats and camps may vary greatly in the housing needed and available, ranging from home stays with local dancers to cabins, tenting, or hotel facilities. Look into what is available where you are holding the retreat, and be sure to include clear information regarding this on your flyer.

Home stays – Get a clear count of what may be offered by local families, such as number of rooms, sizes of beds, available bathrooms. Clarify with locals what their expectations are – bring a sleeping bag or sheets, breakfast is to be provided, who cleans up, are expenses reimbursed – by whom? Communicate these specifics to the registrants.
Cabins – Inspect first and note numbers of beds, electrical outlets and lighting, and privacy. How close are the bathrooms and showers? How many cabins are available and how will you break down assignments – women, men, late night folks, families, quiet. Are they handicap accessible?
Camping – What is the area like? Is it flat? How large may the tents be? Are there hook ups for RVs – with electricity and/or sewer? Are there bathrooms and showers nearby? How many can the space accommodate?
Hotels – Which ones are close by? Do they offer a group rate/discount? What are the rates? Are they within walking distance?

A sample camp budget and contract appears below. Oneness Project hopes this Guide to Event Planning is helpful to you. If you need more information or have specific questions contact us at www.onenessproject.com.

Sample Dance Camp Budget