VOLUNTEER HOURS
Annual Buddy Walk
The purpose of this event is to support families and promote community involvement for people with Down Syndrome. The BCS community comes together to raise money for the Down Syndrome Association of Brazos Valley.
I learned that it takes many steps to move the material back to the office and having a clean up outline of where everything goes is imperative to the success of cleaning up. During the clean up time, the weather was starting to rain/ lightning, so it is important to be efficient and have all guests leave quickly.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Collected materials from park and loaded it in trailers
-Helped families bring their belongings to their car
-Unloaded and organized supplies at the office of DSABV
World Fest
The purpose of World Fest is to promote and celebrate the international diversity and heritage of the Brazos Valley. The festival is a place where organizations and artisans can sell their hand-made goods.
I learned that some of the different activities did not need as many volunteers. People were not being used and therefore would read or be on their phone. When this happens people don't seem fully invested in the event. I loved the flow of the event and how welcoming everyone was. This is a great way for others to learn about other cultures and get to experience other countries locally in BCS.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Made labels for parents to place on their child
-Helped the organizations set up for their performances
-Handed out maps and bags to the attendees
Country Fair
The purpose of this event is for families to come celebrate Halloween in a safe and fun environment. It is hosted by Grace Bible Church and they provide a space for the community to have free games and dinner.
I learned that it is important to have a plan for left over food from an event. There were many left over hotdogs and many of them went to waste. This is a great way to supply food to people less fortunate. Other than that, this was a very well run event and the clean up process was very efficient. It did not take long for everything to be moved indoors.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Drove Za'Riyah and her family to the event
-Walked around and helped locate the activities
-Brought supplies back into the church and placed in the proper room
Royalty Pecan Harvest
The purpose of the Royalty Pecan Harvest was for families to enjoy local vendors and food while exploring the pecan farm. There were many activities for children to participate in during the event.
I learned what it means to care for the volunteers at events. The coordinator did a great job checking in and making sure we had everything we needed by giving volunteers water and lunch vouchers. I could see first hand when the volunteers are treated well, their desire to serve increases.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Swept off porch so no grass was on the concrete
-Facilitated the pecan "Little Olympics"
-Control the amount of children entering the bounce house
RPTS Tacky Prom
The purpose of this event was for students pursuing a RPTS major come enjoy a fun and joy-filled event filled with music and dancing.
I learned that an important characteristic to an event is the ambience. They had colored lights shine on the wall, but the sun had not gone down in time. To better create the tone for the event, dark out shades should be placed in front of the windows.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Cut the cake and hand out to attendees
-Make the event more lively through dancing and passing out balloons
Dancing for the Health of It
Dancing for the Health of It
The purpose of this event was to raise money for the Health 4 All Clinic in the Brazos community. This event hosted "celebrity" dancers as entertainment for the attendees. People paid to vote for a dance winner and there was a silent auction to raise money.
I learned how important it is to thank sponsors for an event. The budget for the event came solely from sponsors because it is a non-profit organization. To promote their businesses, a banner was displayed with their logos.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Put centerpiece decor on tables
-Designed floral arrangements for the dancers
-Assemble the sponsorship banner
RPTS Banquet
RPTS Banquet
The purpose of this event was for students to accept their scholarship award in the RPTS department. It was hosted at the Ice House in Bryan where families could enjoy a three course meal and support their college students' academic accomplishments.
I learned the importance of communicating with the venue and the city on parking availability. There was another event being hosted at the same venue and there was not enough space in the parking lot for the attendees. Police had to talk with the coordinator about the rules on parking because it is a public space.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Placed candle votives on tables
-Placed the pamphlet on the dinner setting
-Assisted with parking
Urban Rubbish: Pecks Wedding
Urban Rubbish: Pecks Wedding
The purpose of this event was to celebrate the marriage of the Pecks. Urban Rubbish is a floral company, creating memorable designs for brides to enjoy on their special day. This wedding was held at the Meekermark venue.
I learned for this event how to be resourceful in finding materials. We were short on Smilax, but this natural ivy grows on the side of the road. We collected it and cut the material to place on the tables as decor.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Place floral arrangements on tables
-Dusted the furniture
-Laid hand cut Smilax on tables
Urban Rubbish: Valentine's Day
Urban Rubbish: Valentine's Day
The purpose of this event was for wedding vendors to promote their business during a special Valentine's Day dinner for soon to wed couples. The beginning of the day was a mock shoot and the evening time was the dinner.
I learned that set-up for special floral elements takes longer than expected. At Meekermark, there are large wooden pillars and Smilax is time consuming to hang. The materials needed to accomplish this task are simple- twine and scissors.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Laid Smilax on the tables
-Prepared Roses to be wrapped at the event
-Sweep the whole venue after set-up
-Hand out roses during event
Urban Rubbish: Seslaks Wedding
Urban Rubbish: Seslaks Wedding
The purpose of this event was to celebrate the marriage of the Seslaks. Urban Rubbish creates beautiful designs with each wedding being so unique. This wedding was held at the Peach Creek Wedding venue.
I learned how to attach a floral arrangement to an arch piece. It is important for this decor item to be secure since it will be in the natural elements. Risk management is key to ensure the safety of family and friends that attend the wedding.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Laid the floral arrangements on the table
-Delivered the flowers and placed in cooler
-Attached floral piece to arch
Kite Fest
The purpose of Kite Fest is to engage all members of the Bryan/College Station community in a safe and family-friendly environment that fosters learning and creativity through a colorful kite-flying experience that builds long lasting memories.
In this event, I was the activities coordinator. There were so many areas of growth from the planning process to executing the event on April 28. During the planning process, I learned that not every business will get in contact in a timely manner. Repeat follow-up is pivotal in order for companies to respond to an event. I learned that it is important to do a trial run of the kites (in the activity zone) before the children make them. The instructions printed were really hard to duplicate, so figuring it out beforehand is key for a successful activity station. Another learning experience during the event, was having multiple heavy items hold the tents. It was really windy and the tents would not stay on the ground.
My contributions to the success of the event:
-Contact businesses to become vendors
-Create fun activities
-Help with the creation of the decor items
-Purchase supplies for the event
-Activities coordinator during event
Link to PDF of the Kite Fest Playbook.