We got a lot done this week!
Heath and I met on Tuesday, Oct. 25 for a couple of hours to get ourselves in the game and on the right path. It was a great meeting and definitely needed. We worked on the overall conference schedule by day and discussed some options, benefits, and drawbacks of doing things this way or that way. We heard from several people during this conference and wanted to make sure to include the feedback in a meaningful way that made sense, so hopefully it will end up being beneficial.
Then Bitsy Griffin, Cindy Studivant, Heath, and I met for a couple of hours on Sunday, Oct. 30, and it was AMAZING! We got so much done. We discussed the thoughts Heath and I had on the scheduling and made some changes based on the experience of Bitsy and Cindy. We talked about weaving the theme of storytelling throughout the conference and we were all really excited about incorporating as many diverse stories and voices as possible. I have already reached out to a couple of people/groups and am hopeful these will result in a Yes! I took four pages of notes from that meeting. Afterwards, Heath and I set up a to do list and divvied up the tasks. We're planning a couple of meetings in the upcoming weeks to firm up some more things and to ask for help, so be ready to answer the call! :-)
I did purchase the popular rhinestone lanyards that Jennifer Abel bought for this past conference. I ordered 700 of them for a total cost of $162, which is ridiculously low thanks to a bulk overstock website. Lanyards are usually $1 each, so yay!!
We're already looking at the food setup and what we're going to have available for everyone and when. Because food is a HUGE chunk of the conference budget, we're trying to be good stewards of NCSLMA money, while also providing a good experience for our attendees. It is definitely a balancing act.
One thing we are going back and forth on - Swag. What would you like to receive for your registration? The bags seemed to be popular this past year. If you don't mind, fill out this form and let us know what you would like.
We are happy to receive feedback and suggestions. E-mail us at kristysartain@ncslma.org or heathradford@ncslma.org if you have thoughts or suggestions.
Until next week!
Kristy
