Meeting Notes and Volunteer Opportunities

Notes of Meeting on August 2nd, 2006 from 6 pm - 7 pm in Hancock Park in Dahlonega, GA

We had a well attended and productive meeting last Wednesday at Hancock Park. Hemlockfest 2006 is under way!

The meeting opened with a proposal for the Lumpkin Coalition to work with Rivers Alive in an effort to clean up the headwaters of the Etowah and Chestatee Rivers and to organize a system of monitoring their water quality over time. Both of these proposals were accepted with full approval of the Board and all participants/members present. This has the potential to be an exciting and very useful ongoing project.

To participate in or find more information on these projects click here.

The rest of the meeting revolved around Hemlockfest 2006!

According to a report put out by Wayne Barrisford (of UGA) we are currently about $36,000 short of first year operational costs. Also of note is that the UGA Lab renovation is currently behind the proposed schedule for completion. Even though behind schedule the project goal remains the same.

The Turner foundation is in the midst of proposing a $75,000 matching grant to its board that is likely to go through. This means that every dollar we are able to raise at Hemlockfest 2006 will very likely be doubled.

The main focus of the meeting centered on the committees needed to make Hemlockfest 2006 a reality. Please look over the following list and contact me or the committee head (if one exists) if you are able to volunteer your time and energy to the cause. Also, if you have already volunteered and I do not have your name listed correctly please let me know. We need all the expertise, talent, ideas, advice, connections, labor, and funds we can muster up. We have three months to put this event together! We can do it, but only if we have good organization and plenty of volunteers. We Need You!

Committees / Duties

Vendor Search

(Committee head- Carolyn Fletcher - care10683@yahoo.com)

% based profit share
vegetarian and meat options
self contained waste
day 1- snack, dinner, munch food
day2- breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, munch food
day3- grab and go food (bagels, muffins, coffee, tea)

Porta-potties

(Committee head- Dr. Mark Shearer - markshearer@alltel.net)

# of units and handwash stations needed (15?)
key placement areas identified
drop-off and pick-up arranged
cleaning (professional - before, during, after) (nonprofessional-aka, "us"-will need cleaning materials and organized system to be sure kept clean)

Garbage/Recycling

(Committee heads- Larry and Julie Winslett - wnfog@etcmail.com)
(Volunteer- Vivian Lamb)

Key areas located
# cans needed
dumpster?
Signs needed
Disposal system organized

Silent Auction

(Committee head- Neville Harris nlharr9485@ngcsu.edu)
(Volunteer- Katie K)

Seek items
Set-up and organization of
Signing sheets
Write-ups of items
Records kept of who donated what (inclu. Address and # for tax write off purposes), the original value of each item, who won each item (and a way to contact them).

Directional signs

Professional
Easy to read
Identify # needed
Identify key placement areas
Put-out and collect

Parking

(Volunteer- Robin Jernigan)

Explore options
Check with lot owners
Organize operation park car
Helpers and shifts
Getting folks from car to fest (with camping gear)
Think 1000 people

In Kind Material Donations

Load of Gravel for road
Materials for stage construction

Sponsor Seeking

(Committee head- Nancy Hilyer - nancyghana@hotmail.com or 706-429-7079)
(Volunteers- Jan Hopkins, Ben Parker)

Organize method and team for seeking sponsors

Stage Building

(Committee head- Tom Lamb - tlamb3@alltel.net)

Explore legalities
Design
Build

Fence Removal

(Committee head- Tom Lamb - tlamb3@alltel.net)
(Volunteers- Mark Shearer, Bob Barton, Katie K)

Organize team with necessary equipment
Set a date that works for the Sullivans
Explore options for waste usage or removal

Promotion

(Volunteers- Bev Barton, Jan Hopkins, Ben Parker)

Organize dispersal of promotional materials
Contact newspapers and radio stations (for interviews, articles, invite to festival, etc)
Organize ticket give-aways
Set up tables at other festivals
Contact environmental groups (include school EACs)
Use your imagination

Kiddie Village

Not a babysitting service
Games and activities for kids of all ages

First Aide

Basic supplies
Basic care

Safety

Help to create/maintain safe and pleasant atmosphere

I will be announcing another meeting soon so we can rest for a minute and catch each other up on what is needed and what has been accomplished by each of the committees.

A special thanks to all who have already, and all who are planning to volunteer!

Also of Note

Our website has a new face and is coming together nicely. Still some work to do on the organization end of it but it is very promising and exciting. Murray Lamb has been working hard on the new design and John Cheatham has been a great site host. Donna Shearer has agreed to keep the website up to date. A big thanks to the three of you!

So the hemlocks may live...

Forest Hilyer
Chairman, LC
forest@lumpkincoalition.org
706-265-5282 (note: new cell phone #)