SARscene 2021 Organizing Committee Meeting

1. SARscene Organizing Committee Meeting Minutes -

Attached

1. Geo/ challenge coin images
2. Minutes - email
3. Speakers
4. Virtual Schedule

Organizing Committee Meeting - March 22, 2021, 7:30 pm

 

(Via Zoom)

 

 

Introductions/Check-in

 

Shelley Ballard-McKinlay - SARscene 2021 Project Manager

 

Bobbi Buchanan - SARSAV President (Regrets)

 

Andy Crooks - SARSAV VP (Regrets)

 

Teresa Millar - SARSAV Secretary (Regrets)

 

Ané Roodt - SARSAV Treasurer and Conference Finance

 

Tracey Lagasse - SARSAV and Conference Indigenous Liaison (Regrets)

 

Kent Orosz - Games/Demonstrations Day Co-Chair 

 

Dale Hintz - Games/Demonstrations Day Co-Chair 

 

Brian Fehr - Exhibitors Co-Chair 

 

Devin King - Exhibitors Co-Chair (assisting with Professional Development)

 

Karen Smith - Special Events

 

Kevin Ferrie - SARSAV Fundraising Chair and Conference Silent Auction 

 

Chuck Ingerman - Technical Assistance 

 

Daryll Sewell - Exhibits Committee (Regrets)

 

Dustin Brears - Conference Media Liaison (Regrets)

 

 

Virtual Conference etc. 

 

We now have a signed re-profile of Y1 and Y2 budgets and work plan from PSC and the NIF team to accommodate the virtual conference! Yay! 

 

ALL of Y1 budget will be spent before March 31 on EventMobi virtual and registration platforms, deposit on Prairieland Park venue for opening ceremonies etc., note cards, 25th anniversary pins. Any small amount left over will be used to purchase stamps which will be used eventually. 

 

We still have a couple outstanding questions regarding translation and length of time presentations will be available after the conference. We are following up on this. 

 

We now have a signed contract with EventMobi and will be working with them to develop the virtual and registration platforms very soon! I have a meeting with them on Tuesday, March 30, to be introduced to our “Event Success Manager”. It usually takes a couple weeks after signing the contract to get on their production schedule. At some point in future, we will have a training session for a few committee members who will be doing some of the “behind the scenes” work on the platform. 

 

Still working on a way to have immediate written translation that is required for the chat/Q&A during the presentation sessions. Have ideas for this but needs more work. 

 

At the last meeting, it was suggested we have a virtual happy hour the night before the conference. This is possible via EventMobi but will have to get more information on how it will work. 

 

Also asked at the last meeting was about Barb and Linda doing a virtual book signing. We will provide them a free exhibitor spot and a book signing can be done during one of the breaks. Again, will have to figure out exactly how this will work, but confirmed it’s possible. 

 

We will be booking a conference room at PrairieLand Park for the opening ceremonies so that it looks very professionally done (will only have guests and come committee members present). Will also book for the remaining full days so that we have everyone who needs to be there in one place with reliable internet. 

 

 

Professional Development

 

Since the last meeting, Devin and I have gone hard on trying to get speakers confirmed; bios/presentations/photos received; and time and date of presentations confirmed. 

 

Most recent list of speakers/topics and the schedule to date was sent out. 

 

 

Games Day Update (Kent/Dale)

 

Recently had call with their committee members; came up with plan for identifying events; looked at commonalities between disciplines

 

4 different challenges (3 will common and one discipline specific)

 

Committee has general ideas on how this will work; reps from each of the disciplines are working on their ideas; next games committee meeting April 5

 

Once challenges are set, need to determine what items are needed to be sent out to teams

 

Boxes sent to each team to complete the challenges; have to video themselves; get instructions, do the challenge, submit video

 

One committee member very tech savvy, will set up ftp site for teams to share videos; the idea was, in addition to the judges, the attendees could then go to this site to watch the videos. Shelley pointed out that there would then need to be translation to French on all the videos. Very cost prohibitive. Great idea though!! 

 

Will think more about the video idea and how to present results in the conference session. 

 

Will need translation of the instructions to teams; once completed, will send to Shelley to send to translator

 

 

Exhibits Update (Brian/Devin/Daryll)

 

Have a list of 60-70 companies to draw from  (Shelley pulled a bunch of ideas from those that follow SSAR’s twitter page)

 

Daryll has done a preliminary marketing plan with key points of things that can be offered to exhibitors; Q&A on the website; registration on the website; 

 

Recommend we do tiers of exhibitors and give them different options for marketing (break out session during the breaks between presenters, highlighted during a specific presentation, etc.)

 

Need website to put the information; Shelley will get timeline hopefully next Tuesday after meeting with EventMobi

 

Exhibits committee is meeting almost every Sunday to keep up to date.

 

 

** Saskatoon SAR members, other than Shelley, left the meeting due to activation. 

 

 

Special Events (Karen) 

 

Our promotional video is now complete and Honey Cut Studios did an excellent job. The total cost was $975 + taxes for 6.5 hours of work. They were very happy that we submitted good SAR footage from across the country to work with. Shelley is sending it off to the NIF Communications team for approval this week.

 

The member photo note cards for delegates are ready for printing, complete with French translations.

 

We ordered 1000 25th anniversary pins from King Pins for $1693.50 plus taxes and shipping, and will pay the whole bill in the current financial year which ends March 31st .

 

We sent questions to the Public Safety Agency Canada and NIF team about the opening ceremonies and still haven’t heard back from them. As they are very busy with year-end changes to several NIF grants (including ours) and also dealing with a review of new applications, we’ll follow up with them after April 1st, then book the piper and flags for the Opening Ceremonies.

 

 

Silent Auction/Fundraising (Kevin)

 

 

Chuck Turner, with PDH coins in Nova Scotia, has put together some concepts for geo and challenge coins; e.g. raised metals at the 90 and 45 degree points of the SARscene logo; degrees to show compass; could do the boat, hands, etc. raised rather than black and white; other side is SARSAV; 

 

SARscene committee to provide input on SARscene side, SARSAV board to provide input on the SARSAV side. 

 

Kevin will send out some notes for discussion in about a week. 

 

Are these for delegate gifts or a fundraiser for SARSAV? 

 

 

Other 

 

Reminder to everyone to ensure their SARscene hours are up to date in VR as we have an interim NIF report to the end of March due to PSC in April. 

 

Bobbi or Teresa will enter everyone into VR under SARSAV for this mtg. 

 

Add SARscene gmail to your “ok” list in email. Things seem to keep going to junk mail. 

 

 

Next Meeting Date - Monday, April 19, 7:30 pm 

 

 

 

 

Shelley Ballard-McKinlay

 

Project Manager, SARscene 2021 

 

SARSAV (Search and Rescue Saskatchewan Association of Volunteers)