A STEP BY STEP GUIDE FORLIEUTENANT GOVERNORS

Planning Your Eliminathon...

What should you do....

Before the event?During the event?After the event?

Make sure to read this guide carefully to help you throughyour planning journey! If there are details in here that youhave questions about, contact Lieutenant Governors AleenaKazmi and Farwa Shakeel!

Remember that for anything Eliminathon related that yousend out, you must cc LTGs Aleena and Farwa, NJ GovernorLevisay, Mr. Acerra, and Ms. McCann. If you send outphysical letters or make phone calls, send us a copy of theletter or give us a summary of the phone call! We want you tokeep us updated.

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Before the event:

1. Host Club

1. Use the sample email provided and send it to your potential hostclubs, ASAP.2. Make sure to fill out any corresponding surveys along the way. Also,CC myself, Aleena, Sam, and Mr. Acerra on anything related to thisevent or fundraising in general.3. Have a list of other potential host clubs ready just in case your firstchoice denies.4. If your first choice denies, move to your next club and follow the sameguidelines. If your first choice agrees, continue following this list.5. Make sure that you and your host club decide on a date and locationquickly so you can move on to the next step quickly.6. Make sure that you are able to set up for the event. For example, if theschool says they are open at 4, ask if you and other volunteers can comeat 3 to set up. Make sure to also remember that many people who willcome to your event might be probationary drivers. Keep in mind thetime restraints when your club suggests a time frame for the event.

7. Also, ask the school if they are willing to lend a microphone or twofor the duration of the event.

2. Advertising and Sponsorships

1. BEGIN ADVERTISING. Send out flyers to all your clubs. (They willbe provided to you.) We also recommend sending them to the principalsof your schools. If they know the event is going on and what it’s for, theymight be an asset in helping to advertise. Publicize the event all oversocial media and constantly send out reminders. Because the event isopen to everyone, advertise around your community as well. Make sureit’s clear that any and all high schoolers can participate - it’s not limitedto Key Clubbers, and that anyone can watch!

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Before the event:

2. Advertising and Sponsorships

2.Make announcements at your home schools, and encourage yourofficers to do the same. Some teachers at your school may even agree togiving extra credit for students who go and bring back their tickets toprove they were there. You should pitch this idea to your host clubofficers especially.3.Ask your advisors to send out emails to the staff at their high schools.The more people that know, the better outcome you should have.4. Send out the RSVP survey, so teams can begin filling it out.5. Ask your host club for recommendations on local restaurants andgrocery stores that may be willing to donate food or give you asponsorship.6. Take a visit to local businesses in the area WELL BEFORE your event.Ask them for sponsorships and donations. Make sure to leave somecontact information and a letter for them so they can get back to you ifneed be. (Going to local businesses will also spread the word around thecommunity.)7. Prizes are also going to be helpful in advertising. Go to your localApplebee’s, Panera Breads, and other chain restaurants. Talk to themabout the event and what it’s for. They may be willing to donate a coupleof gift cards as prizes.

• Prizes can be used for costume contests, most spirited contests,or games that you choose to incorporate into your event.

8. Ask your home club advisors, family, and friends for unused items

they may have around the house and willing to donate, like picture

frames, unopened candy, school/art supplies, etc. This will be helpful if

you decide to do a raffle. Ask them if they would also be willing to make

baked goods for the event- this will not only help you get food/raffle

items for your event, but also encourage them to come and watch.

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Before the event:

3. Registration/RSVP

1. While you’re advertising the event, you want to make sure that youhave teams sign up to play. This will give you an idea of around howmany teams will show up and will help you plan the size of the gym orhow many courts you need.2. A registration form or Google form will be provided to you that willremain consistent for all tournaments, make sure the link for this getsout to everyone and that nobody misses out on the chance to play.3. Remember that while some teams may RSVP, you will probably alsohave teams register at the door - they need to know to come before theevent starts so that they can sign up and get settled.4. No money will be collected before the event itself, which means thatonce you get to the event, you have to ensure that every single playerpays.

4. Volunteers and Head Counts

1. Ask your friends, home club and especially your host club members todonate their time to the event, whether it be manning the food table, theadmissions, acting as a referee for each game or being an emcee.2. Two weeks before your event, start asking your clubs for headcounts.This will not only remind them about the event, but also give you anidea of how many people to expect.3. If you’ve asked for a donation from a local organization, make surethere is a volunteer willing to pick up any items or that you are preparedto make sure everything is in order (food - will need to be picked up ordropped off on the day of). Ask seniors who can drive from the host club(preferably officers) if they’re willing to do this.4. Host an informational meeting at least one week in advance to prepany and all volunteers on what their duties will be at the event. Makesure they understand what could happen in different scenarios and areready to deal with all the people that will be there.

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4. Volunteers and Head Counts (cont.)

Before the event:

5. You should also create a schedule for your volunteers so they are ableto rotate in and out of their respective jobs for the night. They need towatch, too! Just make sure there is always someone at each stand/activityat all times, unless you call a “general session” where everyone should bepresent.6.There should also be a few members to help navigate the building.(These should obviously be host club members, or other members whoknow the school very well.)7.The food table has to be prepped on how much everything costs andshould probably make posters with prices listed at the meeting. Theadmissions table should be prepped on where exactly the money goesand how to carefully count every donation/payment they receive. Makesure the volunteers are ready to go.8. Anyone that has volunteered to be a ref should show competence inthe sport and if not, should be given a list of rules to (hopefully)memorize for when teams are on the court; they should remain impartialand fair.9. All volunteers should be sorted out and finalized at least one weekprior to the event.

BEFORE THE EVENT PREP SHOULD BE DONEA LEAST ONE WEEK PRIOR TO EVENT!

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During the Event:

It’s finally here. The day you’ve been waiting for.

1. Make sure everything is ready to go before doors open. If you wouldlike to do any decorating, do it efficiently. You don’t want to bedecorating when people begin to come.2.You may want to have two separate tables at the entrance- one for teamregistration, and one for general admission. This will help things movemuch quicker.3.Make sure everyone is in their places. The food stands, activity tables,merchandise stands, and whatever else you decide to do are should beready to go for the event.4. Have an agenda for the event ready a couple days before the actualevent. This will help you keep the event organized. With your partneredLTG, try to go through a “dry run” of the event and practice what you’llbe saying so that you can create an accurate time estimate. Rememberthat this is you and your partner’s event. Run it however you wish. If youneed a reference, there’s a sample itinerary at the bottom. 5. Try to stayas close to your schedule/agenda as possible. You don’t want to go tooover the time limit you have.6. When it comes to admission, make sure you have several tickets readyahead of time. Ask each volunteer and club officer to cut out a coupledozen tickets. This way, you don’t have to do all the cutting yourself. Ifyou have hand-stamps, that may be a better option than paper tickets.7.If you plan on having a contest of some kind, such as a costumecontest or a relay race, or anything of that sort, make sure to havevolunteers for that. Or, you can pull people from the crowd. If you planon asking the crowd, make sure to let them know that the opportunity isavailable to them in your opening address.8. Make sure that players arrive no later than half an hour earlier thanthe start of the event. Anyone that has signed up or wishes to sign up lastminute must go through registration (if they have not already signed up)and payment. You want to make sure that the spectators do not have tosit around and wait for all of this to happen, so get as much registrationdone as possible before doors open!

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During the Event:

9. Do not start the event right away. Wait until there are a lot of peoplethere or until 15 minutes past the time doors open. For example, ifdoors open at 5pm, you should start the event at 5:15 or 5:20 at themost, especially if you’re on a time crunch.10. Before the tournaments begin, give a brief address to the players andthe audience (you should probably write this part out beforehand andpractice through it). Make sure they know who you and your partner are,what the event is for (the Eliminate Project!), and how they’re all makinga difference. Give a background on the Eliminate Project and stress howthis is the final year of the active campaign - this just means that whilethe Eliminate Project still might exist after this, it will not be activelyfunded. Tell everyone about the food that you’re selling, talk aboutprizes, and make sure to thank the host club, the advisors, specificallythe president, the administration of the school, and any vendors/localorganizations that offered any donations. You and your partner shouldpractice this beforehand as well, making sure that it’s not too long.11. Make sure that you have an updated tournament bracket to usebased on how many teams signed up/showed up at registration - thismay change in between the RSVP time and the actual event. Whileregistration is going on, make sure you keep track of how many teamsare present and refer to the brackets provided to you for assistance. Ifyour tournament somehow does not fit the brackets provided (which itmost likely will), work with a host club officer to quickly create a newone. You should also have a larger poster for the event, which you orsome volunteers can fill in as the tournament goes on. This way,everyone watching and playing are on the same page.12. Sell anything you can. Obviously, the bulk of the funds will comefrom admission and food. However, make sure you have other activitiesas well. Selling divisional t-shirts or wristbands is a great idea. Raffles,henna, and other merchandise sales are some other ideas. Again, theactivities are to you and your partner’s discretion.

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13. As the event goes on, make sure you go up and talk to every team,thank them for coming out and playing, ask them if they’re having fun.Make small talk with spectators. Most importantly - find everyone whohelped you and make sure you thank them!!! Be amiable and friendly,people are going to want to meet the hosts of the event.

14. At the end of the night, try to honor your host club with flowers or agift card/special gift for all of their hard work!

During the Event:

THIS IS IT. The event has ended! Take a deepbreath and relax. You did it.

Take a look at the next page for a brief itineraryand details for what to do after the event!

After the Event:1. You’ll need help to stay back after the event and clean up! Make sureto leave the place better than when you saw it.2. Give one final round of thank you’s to everyone that stays and helpsand make sure the host club knows exactly how much you appreciatedtheir help.3. After the event, you and the host club should send thank you cards toany local business that aided with the event. Also, write a thank you cardto the host club.

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In case things don't go as planned....

It's the week of your event and you realize that no more than oneteam has signed up to play...

DO NOT FRET - you still have a few days to convince even onemore team to sign up. KEEP ADVERTISING, try to give studentsincentive to take part in your event. Maybe you have some special foodat the event or a prize for team that wins. Try to make it a requirementfor each of your schools to send at least one team, it should not be verydifficult!

If throughout the week, you still see no progress, come preparedwith a back-up plan.

1. Prepare additional games for any audience members to play -there won't be too much of a tournament to watch if no teams areparticipating. Games can include tables for ring toss's or prize raffles.Think up anything that works - ask all of your clubs for help as well -especially the host club.

2. If you cannot gather enough participation to get even one moreteam to join the tournament, ask audience members to participate. Givethem some incentive to play. Ask officers from your clubs (if they're inattendance) to help you out and join the fun.

3. You need to make sure to run your entire event, so even if thereare no teams, make sure you set out an altnernative plan for an eventwithout continuous games. Even if you have a good number of teams,you might finish early and you should make sure you have somethingplanned in case that happens!

4. The one team that does show up moves on to the district level,so make sure to congratulate them and thank them for theirparticipation.

None of you (hopefully) should be in this situation, but ifsomething like this is expected, reach out to the DPS Co-chairs and askfor help, this is what we're here for!

GOOD LUCK.

If after reading this guide you still have questions, contactLieutenant Governors Farwa Shakeel and Aleena Kazmi

Aleena Kazmi

Lieutenant Governor Division 20

aleenakazmi.ltg20@gmail.com

973-407-9301

Farwa Shakeel

Lieutenant Governor DIvision 11

ltg.farwa.shakeel@gmail.com

908-672-1084

ALL PROCEEDS GO TOWARDS THE ELIMINATE PROJECT