Greeter and Nametag Table Team

    The job of a greeter is to welcome participants to the Very Important Planet Reception, and make sure they negotiate the registration process as quickly and easily as possible.

    Greeters should place themselves at the main entrance to the facility, in front of the round Guest Registration tables outside. You will be directing new arrivals to one of three places:

• If they are award winners, have already paid, or are a will-call (i.e., a pre-paid guest of a company) direct them to the Pre-Paid, Award and Will Call Nametag tables to the left of the front doors.
• If they are RSVPs - they have reserved a ticket but have not paid - direct them to the Cashier Table in the lobby where they can pay and pickup their nametag.
• If they have not registered or paid, direct them to one of the three round Guest Registration Tables, where they will fill out a Guest Card and take it to the Cashier just in the lobby.

    The job of a nametag table volunteer is to help pre-registered guests get their nametags and complete any remaining business before they enter the reception. Members of both of these teams MUST read and understand the instructions given in VIP Registration; click here for these instructions.

Silent Auction

    In a silent auction, the auction items are placed on tables for the guests to inspect. Each item has a bid sheet, and each guest has a bidder number. A guest bids on an item by writing their bidder number and the amount they bid on the bid sheet. At the end of the auction, the person with the highest bid "wins" the item. They pay for and receive their items at the end of the Reception.

Auction Setup: 2pm - 6pm

    Auction setup will be directed by the Auction Team Leader. Setup take a while, and should start in early afternoon (i.e., by 2PM). You will be provided with:

• Auction items: either a physical item, or a certificate.
• Item Announcement sheets: lists several similar or related auction items in big type that can be read from a distance. These let guests quickly see what is being offered without having to look at each individual bid sheet.
• Bid sheets: one for each auction item.
• Auction item lists: lists of all the auction items; duplicates all the information on the bid sheets.

    Start by placing an Item Announcement Sheet in a plastic holder that will stand it up for easy reading. Then, place the auction items and bid sheets listed on the Announcement Sheet close by. DO NOT place the certificates; just the physical auction items; set the certificates aside in a safe place for checkout. Make sure each bid sheet has a pen that works.

    The auction will PROBABLY be setup on the counter in front of the windows, and the table at the left end of the counter (as you face it). If there are more auction items than will fit, we will provide tables that will be setup perpendicular to the counter. Don't worry about this; if you don't see the tables, just setup on the counter.

    The auction should be setup and ready to go by 5:30 PM.

Running the Auction: 6pm - 8pm

    There isn't a lot to do during the auction. If there are "special" items that you feel everyone should know about, the Auction Team Leader can announce them on the PA system.

    The auction will officially close at 7:45. At 7:30, the Auction Team Leader should announce on the PA system, "The Silent Auction will close in 15 minutes." At 7:40, give a 5-minute warning: "... get your final bids in and prepare to hover over that bid sheet" or something else cute.

    At 7:45, have the Auction Monitors should quickly collect all the bid sheets. Give them to the J Goldberg, for processing.

Auction Assistants

    Auction Assistants make sure the auction is setup correctly, answer guests' questions about the auction, and in general "keep an eye on" the auction to be sure that nothing is damaged or "walks away."

    Assistants will have a list of all auction items; please be somewhat familiar with it, and know how to find an item that a guest is interested in bidding on.

    Each item should have a bid sheet and working pen; conversely, each bid sheet should have a corresponding physical item (unless the item is a certificate). Make sure this is so. If a bid sheet fills (this rarely happens) tell the Auction Supervisor so a new bid sheet can be prepared.

    Around 7:20, tell the Auction Supervisor about any items that do not have any bids; we may want to decrease the minimum bid.

    At the close of the auction, the Auction Supervisor will direct you to collect the bid sheets. Quickly gather up all the bid sheets and give them to the Supervisor.

Food Service

    The Food Service team keeps the buffet stocked with food and utensils, assists with preparations in the kitchen, and in general keeps the entire food service operation running smoothly.

    Most of the dishes we will be serving at the buffet are donated by local restaurants and are ready-to-serve. There may be some preparation of dishes, such as salads, that will take place in the kitchen.

    Most of the donated dishes will be delivered in metal serving pans. The hot dishes will be kept in a "cambro" that will keep them hot. All that is required is to transport the pan to the buffet table; the hot dishes will go in a sterno-heated warmer, and the cold dishes will just be placed on the buffet table. Any empty serving dishes should be returned to the kitchen for washing; if there is just a little left in a serving pan, transfer this to the new pan you are bringing out (if possible).

    In addition to the pans provided by the food donors, we will be renting serving dishes and utensils from Raphael's Rentals. Each pan or dish provided by a restaurant must be labeled with the name of the organization who supplied it, so it can be returned after the event. This can be done by writing the name on a piece of masking tape or duct tape and placing the tape on the side or bottom of the pan or serving dish.

     We may want to move some of the dishes from the container they are delivered in to a more attractive serving dish; this will be coordinated by the Food Manager.
Each dish has a sign that says what it is and who donated it. Make sure you put the dish by the correct sign, and try and keep the sign visible.

    You will be provided with an apron. Please wear this while you are working (it will keep you clothes from getting stained).

Nametag/Data Entry Team

    You will be producing nametags for three types of attendees:

1. Pre-paid: Those who have a nametag and need it to be changed (wrong spelling, wrong company, etc.)
2. Will-call: Those who have a nametab with just a company name; they need to have their name added
3. New registrations: These folks need a new nametag.

Pre-paids: These folks will present you a nametag in a holder. Mark the changes on their current nametag (so we can correct our database later) and make a new nametag for them (creme). Write their old bidder number on the new nametag.

Will-call: These folks will have both a Guest Card with PRE-PAID printed in the upper corner, and a nametag with just a business name and bidder number printed on it. Have them complete the Guest Card, and transfer their name to the incomplete nametag. Put their nametag in a holder and give it to them, and invite them to go into the reception. Keep the Guest Card; we will need it later.

New registrations: These folks will present you with a Guest Card with PAID stamped on it (by the cashiers). Make them a new nametag. Get the next unused bidder number from the New Registrations form; write their name by that number on the form, and write the new nametag number BOTH on the completed Guest Card AND at the end of the bidder number list. Put the nametag in a holder and give it to them, and invite them to go into the reception. Keep the Guest Card; we will need it later.

    Don’t make a nametag for anyone unless they:

1. Already have a nametag (that needs to be changed or completed); or
2. Have a Guest Card that is printed with PRE-PAID or stamped PAID; or
3. The Registrar or someone in authority tells you to do so (e.g., the Mayor shows up)

    Keep track of all new nametag numbers on the bidder number list: record the name and number for each one. Keep all the Guest Cards. At 8:00 (when the Awards start) give the New Registrations form to the Auction Cashier, J Goldberg.