Organizing an area contest requires a lot of planning, effort, and resources. While finding enough volunteers to help with the event can be a challenge, the truth is that you will always have enough work to do and that you don’t know every last detail about the work which needs to be done. While it may seem like having a few volunteers is enough to handle the tasks, the reality is that you will never have enough volunteers. We fought that it would be enough that we as area directors and the contest chairs meet one hour before the event and prepare the room. Well, no. 😀
The truth is that no matter how many volunteers you have, there will always be more work to do. Tasks will pile up, and new ones will come up as the event approaches. Even if you manage to get a lot of volunteers, there will still be a shortage of people to fill all the roles that are required to make the event a success.
The key to handling this challenge is to be prepared and organized. Make sure that you have a clear plan of the tasks that need to be done, and assign responsibilities to different team members. This will help you to prioritize tasks and ensure that everything is done in a timely manner. What did this mean for us? Luckily, we had some volunteers who arrived with us because we needed to
- Prepare the preparation room
- Prepare the breakout rooms
- Prepare the position of the camera and the stage for the contestants
- Prepare refreshments
- Hand out the agenda
- Equip the room and the location with toastmasters banners
In addition to being organized, it is also essential to be flexible. Be prepared to adjust your plans as needed and be willing to take on additional tasks if necessary. Remember that the success of the event depends on your ability to adapt to new situations and overcome challenges.
So, while finding enough volunteers may be a challenge, there will always be enough work to do. Embrace the challenge and focus on being prepared and organized, and you will be able to handle anything that comes your way. With the right attitude and approach, you can make your event a success and create a memorable experience for all involved. Jochen and I always smiled to our volunteers. Crying and being frustrated wasn’t visible to them. 😀
