Brenda's Blog

Have You Thought of Volunteering?

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Scott) — Thu, 08 May 2008 00:21:00 +0000

Spring is here and plans for this year's festival are moving along. It looks like it will be another exciting festival judging from the artistic lineup Richard has booked and the selections of the Artisan and Food committees.

It takes over 600 volunteers to put on this festival spread among 41 different crews. Crew Chiefs have been appointed and they are starting to recruit now. If you think you might be interested in getting involved, this is a good time to contact us and complete a volunteer application form.

Volunteers are expected to work a minimum of 12 hours throughout the weekend. In return for their work they receive free admission to the festival, a commemorative t-shirt and some food tickets to help with expenses. They are also invited to a volunteer appreciation evening in September after the festival is over.

Volunteer benefits are only part of the picture though; the best thing about volunteering is the opportunity to become part of the festival community on the weekend and to meet new friends. Many lifelong friendships have started at Summerfolk!

If you are interested you can download the application form on this site: check under Forms and Information.

Calling for Food Vendors and Artisans

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Scott) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:08:00 +0000

Plans for this year's festival are well underway. Last year's results were very encouraging and we are hoping to build on that success again this year.

Everyone was pleased with the changes to Food Village in 2007; the food committee hopes to build on some of the changes that were put in place and provide a few new surprises as well. They are looking for food vendors for the village and applications are on line. Check out Forms and Information on the website for more information. The application deadline is April 15th and all of those who apply will be advised of our selections by May 1st.

We are always pleased to be able to welcome back popular vendors from year's past but at the same time we want to offer a full range of choices for our patrons and we welcome new proposals and applications. We will be giving priority consideration to those who offer wide selection and healthier choices. We are also looking for more vegetarian options and a more multicultural blend of cuisines. We encourage vendors who use local produce and local suppliers wherever possible.

The Artisan Village has also made a call for entry and their information can be found on the website as well. This committee does a great job year after year; our Artisan Village is known for high quality and selection. They are also hoping to offer some surprises for this year. They will welcome submissions until March 15th after which they will make their selections and advise everyone of the results. If you are thinking of applying, you can download the application form online or contact the office.

The Ideal Christmas Gift: Summerfolk 2008 Tickets

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Scott) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 14:41:00 +0000

If you buy weekend tickets or gift certificates for Summerfolk 2008 before New Year's Eve, you can get them at 2007 prices! For these "early birds" the price is $69. Youth tickets (age 13 to 18) can be had for $51 and tickets for kids (ages 5 to 12) go for $10.

Planning for the 2008 festival is already in the works; 2007 was a very good year for us and we expect to do even better next year. Richard is already working on the lineup and the Summerfolk committee has lots of ideas to make it another great festival.

Festive looking gift certificates are available through the Folk Society office at 1235 3rd Ave East. Drop in to pick them up or call Carolyn at 519 371 2995. Tickets are also available through the Roxy box office at 251 9th Street East. Their phone number is 519 371 2833.

The AGM is coming up on September 30th.

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Scott) — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:00:00 +0000

Summerfolk is still a fresh and fond memory but life and business go on and it is now time to get ready for the Annual General Meeting which takes place in the Old Courthouse on September 30th at 1 o'clock.

This is a chance for voting members to hear a summary of the work of this year's Board including festival results and to elect a new Board for the upcoming year. 6 members of the previous Board are halfway through their 2 year term of office and will be remaining. There will be election for the remaining 6 seats. It is important for supporting members of the Society to take the time to attend this meeting; it is your opportunity to have a say in the affairs of the organization and to provide direction to the incoming Board.

The Board is primarily responsible to deal with matters of policy and fund raising and Board members also chair the standing committees of the Board. They are required to attend at least one Board meeting a month and spend an average 16 hours a month on various related duties.

The Nomination Committee is responsible for preparing a slate of candidates for consideration at the Annual General meeting taking into account the skills and expertise needed to fulfil the Board's function. For further information call the office and leave a message. We will get back to you.

Thanks for a great weekend.

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Scott) — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 11:53:00 +0000

Summerfolk 2007: what a blast! Feedback is coming in now. The festival was a success artistically, financially and organizationally. Emails and letters are arriving with people's thoughts and impressions and we appreciate that they would take the time to get back to us. We have built a good foundation and a positive feeling of energy from which to start planning for Summerfolk 2008.

Our festival volunteers did a fantastic job as always. Festival goers and performers have been getting back to us to say how much they appreciated all the effort that our volunteers put into it. They also appreciated the friendly and caring way festival services were delivered.

Now it is time to turn our minds to the next steps. One of the first thing on the agenda will be a Volunteer Appreciation Day on September 22nd and printed invitations went out on the weekend. We hope that our volunteers and their families will be able to take the time to join us. After working so hard together this is our chance to relax and have some fun together.

The Annual General meeting takes place on September 29th at the Old Courthouse. Life goes on and we have some board members who will be leaving. We have been fortunate enough to have a very active and productive team this year and it will be difficult to replace those who are leaving. The nomination committee will be meeting shortly to prepare for the election.

A lot of the work of the organization is done at the committee level . These administrative volunteers work throughout the year on various projects and initiatives. Soon we will start the process of recruiting for those committees as well. If you think you might be interested leave a message at the office and we will get back to you.

So thanks again to everyone who came to the festival and to those who worked on it. And keep an eye on the website for more news.

We need Festival Volunteers.

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Scott) — Tue, 29 May 2007 10:59:00 +0000

Have you ever thought of becoming one of our volunteers? It's easy to apply and lots of fun.

The festival is now less than 3 months away and preparations are picking up speed. Now we are looking for volunteers for the festival. Although there are always a number of people returning from previous years, there is still some turnover and we will need lots of new volunteers.

There are 40 different crews with volunteer positions available doing things like helping to put up the site, providing food services, doing security, working in our licensed areas, doing first aid and so on. Some crews have specific requirements. For example, we will need electricians to help us with set up. However there are a lot of volunteer positions for which training can be provided quickly.

You can call the office for a volunteer form or you can download it from this website and send it in. Our Volunteer Services committee will assist Crew Chiefs with recruitment. They will help to match interested volunteers with available positions and to make your volunteer experience a rewarding one.

In return for a commitment to work for 12 hours, you will be provided with a weekend pass to the festival, a volunteer T-shirt and some food tickets towards your weekend expenses. You can camp in the volunteer campground at the north end of the park if you wish. And in the fall you will be invited back for a party to thank our volunteers.

We still need a few Crew Chiefs at this point but most are in place and recruiting crew members now. This year we have a particular need for volunteers who have a Smart Serve certificate to work in our bar or on our bar security crews. However all of the crews are looking and we welcome all volunteer applications.

We have a new set of Bylaws

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Scott) — Wed, 09 May 2007 12:34:00 +0000

We had a General Membership meeting on Sunday; despite the fact that the sun was shining and that it was an absolutely beautiful afternoon in May, a number of dedicated souls came to a Folk Society meeting to talk about Bylaws.

This is the first time in a decade that the Bylaws have had such a comprehensive review and updating. With a few supplementary amendments, the proposed Bylaws were passed by the members assembled and we now have a shiny new set of Bylaws. They are currently in the process of transcription and will soon be available for distribution.

Although admittedly not everyone agrees that Bylaws are a fascinating topic, it is an important step for the organization. Thanks to all of the committees that have worked on this and to all of the members who made it happen.

General Membership Meeting May 6th

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Scott) — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 12:17:00 +0000

A general membership meeting has been scheduled for May 6 at 1 pm in the Old Courthouse Theatre upstairs from the office.

The meeting is necessary to review and vote on several proposed amendments to the Bylaws of the organization. The Bylaws hadn't been fully updated for several years; this year's Policy and Legislation committee has managed to complete all the research for a full review and overhaul of the document.

Anyone can attend the meeting but only those with a supporting membership can vote. A list of the proposed changes has been mailed out to all voting members of the Folk Society. Additional copies can be had by request at the Folk Society office.

We know the prospect of spending a nice Sunday afternoon in the spring in a By-laws meeting may not be your first choice but it is important to the Folk Society that we get this done so hopefully you can set aside a couple of hours and join us. We'll try to make it as quick and painless as possible while still covering the business of the day.

Once we have the approved Bylaws in hand we'll post them on this website so you can read them.

Have a great day.

Brenda

Festival Volunteers Needed

noreply@blogger.com (Brenda Scott) — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 02:56:00 +0000

Festival preparations have been underway for a number of months and we are now recruiting volunteers. Many of those who have volunteered in the past will be returning but there is always some turnover. If you are interested in volunteering, now would be a good time to contact us.

As a volunteer you are will be assigned to a particular crew and asked to work a minimum of 12 hours for the festival. In return you will receive a weekend pass, a volunteer t-shirt, some food tickets towards your expenses on the weekend and our heartfelt gratitude. Most of our volunteers tell us the best benefit they get is the opportunity to become part of the festival community for the weekend, to renew old friendships and make new ones.

If you are interested we can find work to suit your interests and your talents. It takes around 600 volunteers for this festival and there is a place for you!

Many crews will be looking for volunteers. For example, the Security Coordinator has advised me she is still looking for a couple of people for crew chief positions as well as front line volunteers. Many other crews are recruiting as well.

If you think you would like to join us, It's easy to become a volunteer. You can download a volunteer application form on this website or you can come into the office in the Old Courthouse Building on 3rd Ave East to apply. You can email gbfs@bmts.com for further information.

Have a great day

Brenda