Fireside Chat Procedures

November 2012- March 2013

SOS Fireside Chat Organizational Chart

Educational Chair

FSC Associate Chair 2012-13 Teeja Meier

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Fireside Chat Sub-committee is to identify educational needs and interests of the members. The sub-committee will provide a variety of educational opportunities in a social setting to SOS members during the non-sailing season.

2012-13 (position unfilled)

FSC Coordinator FSC Coordinator FSC Coordinator FSC Coordinator

2012-13 Annapolis Area Coordinator Shirley Brooks

2012-13 Montgomery Co., MD Coordinator Rita Svec

2012-13 Eastern/Central PA Area Coordinator

2012-13 Virginia Area Coordinator Linda

Casucci

Guidelines for FSC Coordinator:

This is a one-time position for one specific Fireside Chat event. In general, the fireside chat coordinator

receives the checks and/or email notice of online sign ups, provides the food for the event, and handles the

associated reimbursement paperwork. You will work closely with the host to establish menu and food,

serving utensils needed, etc. You will not pay a registration fee.

Specifically, you are responsible for: 1 Coordinate with your FSC Associate Chair (or Area Coordinator where there is one) the time, location, topic, speaker and cost of the FSC.

2 Registration fees for fireside chats are $15 before the deadline, and after the deadline the cost is $20. Non members must be accompanied by a member. Walk-ins are discouraged. All checks should be made out to SOS, Inc.

3 Expenses are not to exceed income. For example, if you receive $300 in registration fees, you may spend up to and not over $300 on this event. The registration fees must cover all food, paper products, beverages, and speakers‘ expenses such as handouts. If your event makes a profit, the funds are held in the Education Committee account to offset expenses of education non-fee events (such as Raft Captains’ Training). You may have up to 4 people attend the fireside chat for free: host, coordinator (you), speaker.

4 Directions should be sent to attendees at least one week in advance (see directions for host – host should create a map and/or directions). Be sure to provide a phone number that attendees can call they day of the event in case they are lost.

5 Attendance limits should be established with the host and should be strictly observed. Signups should be processed on a first pay first in basis, subject to the coordinator‘s discretion. The data base is able to set limits electronically for online registrations.

6 Name Tags should be provided with special recognition for new members.

7 Evaluation forms will be managed through Survey Monkey.

8 Solicit ideas for new topics and speakers. Pass this information on to the Associate Chair.

9 Submit the Deposit Form and any checks directly to the treasurer (2012-13 —Rita Svec) and the Expense/Reimbursement Form to the Education Chair (2012-13—Position un filled--in the interim, send forms to Associate Chair ) as soon as possible. (See Financial Procedures below.) Send a copy of both to the Associate Chair (2012-13– Teeja Meier) You may submit expenses electronically or by snail mail but the treasurer asks that you do one or the other but not both. 10 Refunds: Full refunds are possible if the cancellation is prior to the sign up deadline. If after the deadline, the participant must either find a substitute or forfeit the fee.

Host:

In general, the host provides the place for the fireside chat and does not pay a registration fee. You will work

closely with the coordinator to develop menu and serving suggestions as well as establishing

materials (paper, glassware, etc.) needed.

Specifically, you are responsible for:

1 Map and directions to your home should be provided to the coordinator. If your house is difficult to find, put out an SOS sign or balloons–it gets dark early in the winter months.

2 Number of attendees should be determined based on what you are comfortable with and that your home could accommodate for the type of chat you‘re hosting. Remember, people do not all need to be seated in a chair while listening to the speaker but they do need to be able to hear & see the presentation. This maximum number should be given to the Associate Chair to put in the Whisker Pole announcement. NOTE: When CPR training is done at a Fireside Chat, we limit the number of attendees to 12.

3 Provide serving dishes, if required. While the coordinator is responsible for providing the food, some hosts like to help with the food planning and preparation.

4 Receipts for reimbursement should be given to your Coordinator who will submit them for reimbursement. A reimbursement check will be sent directly to you from the treasurer. Please check with the Coordinator before you make any purchases to ensure you are within the budget that is determined by how many people register.

Area Fireside Chat Coordinators (where applicable)

1 Identify speakers, hosts and coordinators for 3-5 fireside chats from November – March and share with the Fireside Chat Associate Chair. Speakers, hosts, FSC coordinators, and Area FSC coordinators do not pay a registration fee.

2 Area Coordinators will coordinate the date/time of event with the Associate Chair to minimize conflicts with other club events that may impact attendance. There should not be two FSC Chats scheduled on the same day in the same area.

3 Send FSC Guidelines, expense forms, and deposit forms to each FSC Coordinator. Send the host the FSC Guidelines.

4 Send an article and Fleet Exercises information to the Whisker Pole two months in advance. Deadline is

the 10th

of every month for article submission and Fleet Exercise & Shore Leave information. It is suggested you forward information to the Associate Chair (2012-13 Teeja Meier) so they can submit a comprehensive article and information for all the upcoming chats.

5 Maintain regional record of topics, speakers, costs, revenues, attendance (see attached form) and submit summary at end of the season to Associate Chair for Fireside Chats 2012-13 – Teeja Meier. Also submit the evaluation forms to Associate Chair after your review along with any comments or recommendations you may have.

FSC Associate Chair

1. Identify area coordinators in appropriate areas such as Annapolis, Baltimore, Pennsylvania, Suburban Maryland, D.C., and Virginia when they are available.

2. Disseminate Fireside Chat Guidelines, expense/reimbursement forms, and deposit forms to area coordinators.

3. Report FSC activity monthly to Chairman of Education Committee.

4. Maintain overall record of all regions of topics, speakers, costs, revenues and attendance and submit summary at end of the season. (See attached form.) Hold on to copy of forms received from FSC coordinators after each chat event.

5. Respond to questions from area FSC coordinators and assist with last minute problems as they arise.

6. FSC Associate Chair may drop briefly at no cost, but must register and pay if attending the program or eating the meal. This is particularly true if the host/hostess has set an attendance limit.

Suggested Topics

-sail and post-sail checklists for

w of sailing courses

SOS Fireside Chat Summary Form (Completed by Coordinator and submitted to FSC Associate Chair: 2012-13 Teeja Meier)

Region

Date

Topic

Speaker(s)

Coordinator(s)

Host/Hostess

# of attendees

Cost Differential Profit/(Loss)

INCOME EXPENSE

Brief Comments

Food and Provisions Tip Sheet Fireside Chats

Keep it simple: You must stay within your budget which is based on the number of registration fees. Home

cooked meals tend to be the best value, but food can be anything from pizza to Gourmet-To-Go. For example,

Boston Market provides prepared meals, and many super markets have good frozen dishes that are good for

large crowds. Delivered or carry out Chinese can be inexpensive. Some sub shops make 6-ft hoagies, meat

and tuna or a bunch of small subs with potato salad etc. Stouffer's (or other brands frozen meat and vegetable

lasagna casseroles) work well, too– just heat and serve. There should be soft drinks, wine, and coffee (be sure

to have some decaf). Beer and liquor can be provided if your budget allows.

For large crowds: Over 25 or 30 guests. Consider shopping at Costco, Sam‘s Club, etc., for

inexpensive, large quantities of food.

SOS Storage Shed: There are often paper goods stored in the SOS storage locker that are available for your

use and you may place leftover goods there for storage. Please be sure to sign the log when you enter and

leave the locker. The locker is located in Annapolis just off of West Street.

Directions to SOS Storage Locker

–

Combination lock code is

[Contact Education Chair]

Start Times: Events usually start about 6:30 or 7:00 P.M. if on a Friday or Saturday night. Sunday events

usually start mid- to late- afternoon so folks can get home at a reasonable hour. No ―nibbles‖ are necessary if

the meal can be served promptly. Usually, the program follows the meal.

Serving Suggestions/portions:

Pizza: Approximately 2-3 large pieces per person. Stew or Chili: Approximately 8-12 oz. per person Lasagna:

Frozen 10" x 12 " pans are available in some grocery stores; 6-8/people per pan. Hoagies: Approximately 6"

per person Cold cuts: Meat 2 ½ lbs.; Cheeses 1 ½ 1bs; Salads 3 3/4 lbs. (Quantities per 12 people) Drinks:

Wine, sodas (a few), and Coffee, (a few beers if desired) Misc. items: Name tags, napkins, paper/plastic

plates, knives, forks and spoons. Supply cups for coffee, wine, beer and soda as needed. Additional items to provide are sugar, artificial sweetener, half & half or artificial cream. (You should call the last FSC Coordinator or area coordinator to see if there was anything left over from the

last chat and make arrangements to get the leftovers) Dessert: Add something simple if the budget allows or have volunteers bring something – brownies, cookies, etc.

2012-13 Clarifications: Fireside Chat registration in the online environment

With the advent of online registration for Fireside Chats, we are having a number of questions. This seems

to be the best place to address those.

When an SOS member uses the online capability to register for a Fire Side Chat, the coordinator will receive 2 notices of that action by email. The first email comes with complete information as to name, email address, etc. The second notice is a very short email that gives a ‗members click‘ number only. This second email is a duplication only (something the computer program needs/generates). The coordinator needs only to attend to the extended email with the registrant‘s name and contact info.

The Associate FS Chair and the admin_sos will also receive a copy of the registration receipt. If you have questions, they may be able help you reconcile your list of who is planning to attend.

The coordinator will keep track of how many online registrants sign up for a chat. That number along with any snail mail checks becomes the budget for the chat. It is also the data to reconcile the expense forms at the conclusion of the chat.

It is still possible to register for a fireside chat via snail mail. The address and contact information for the coordinator is published in the Whisker Pole in Fleet Exercises.

For people who want to attend the fireside chat as a guest, they can write a check to pay for it and submit their name to the coordinator. If the guest‘s host is signing up online, they just need to click the correct requests.

Financial Procedures

1. Fees for fireside chats

a. Before deadline: $15/member; after deadline: $20/member. Non members must be accompanied by

a member. (This information should be in the Fleet Exercises in the Whisker Pole)

2. Checks

a. should be made out to SOS b. If a cancellation is received before the food is purchased, the coordinator may tear up the check. With online credit card registration, follow guidelines established by the Treasurer.

3. Deposits

a. The Coordinator should complete the SOS Deposit Form and mail within 7 days to the SOS treasurer (2012-13 Rita Svec) with all the checks and all cash. b. A copy of the SOS Deposit Form should be sent to the Associate Chair (2012-13 Teeja Meier). c. NO CASH SHOULD BE KEPT FOR EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT.

4. Reimbursements

a. Expenses shall not exceed income. Example: If you receive $300 in registration fees, you may not spend more than $300 on this event. b. Receipts for expenditures should be given to the event coordinator, who should send the originals or scanned originals, together with the form for reimbursement, to the Education Chair, with copies to the Associate FSC Chair. The Education Chair will process the request for reimbursement after consulting with the Associate FSC Chair. As a general rule, requests for reimbursement should be summarized on one form per person per chat. This includes requests for refunds. Requests for reimbursement will not be processed until the checks have been relayed to the treasurer. c. Refunds shall be given to those people who cancel prior to the cut off date. If the cancellation is after the cut off date, there shall be no refund unless a replacement participant is found. d. The FSC Coordinator should complete the SOS Reimbursement form(s) and send to the Education Chair (2012-13 position unfilled) for approval. In the interim, send forms to Associate Chair. e. A copy of the Reimbursement Form(s) and deposit records should be sent to the Associate Chair (2012-13 Teeja Meier).

Singles on Sailboats Check Deposit Form

Account # 2000501065270

Committee:

Today‘s Date:

Name of Cruise or Event:

Event Date:

Submitted by:

Please mark checks "for deposit only SOS, Inc". List each one on this form including the individual's name,

check number, and amount. (This will facilitate answering questions about whether a check was cashed.) Do not deposit a check for fees that will be refunded in accordance with SOS' Refund Policy. Return or destroy the check with the individual's permission. Do not MAIL cash. Keep the cash and make out a personal check to SOS, Inc. with the name of the person(s) who paid with cash on the Memo line.

Name

Check #

Amount

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

Total Deposit

(rev 2012)

Singles on Sailboats

Singles on Sailboats Revenue Summary

Committee:

Today’s Date:

Name of Cruise or Event:

Event Date:

Coordinator:

On this form, please include total payments by Credit Card from Memberclick emails. (This will serve as a cross check on Credit Card deposits at the Bank.) Do not include fees paid by check that will be refunded. Type of Revenue # of paid participants Amount Program Fees (Brunch, FSC, Spring Training or other Education events) Member __________ ________ Non-Member __________ ________ Cruising Fees (Weekend or Daysail) Member __________ ________ Non-Member __________ ________ Party Fees (Anniversary, After Spring Training, etc.) Member __________ ________ Non-Member __________ ________ Other Fees (Specify)______________ __________ ________ Total Paid Participants/Revenue (Checks Deposited + Credit Card Payments) ________

************** TOTAL CHECK DEPOSIT (from Deposit Slip) ________ TOTAL CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS (from Memberclicks) ________ TOTAL RECEIPTS ________

************** Difference (Revenue less Receipts should be zero) ____0___ Comments: _________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________ (rev 2012)

Singles on Sailboats Request for Refund Form

Committee:

Today’s Date:

Name of Cruise or Event:

Event Date:

Submitted by:

Reviewed and Approved by:

Date:

This form is used to Request a Refund for those who paid with a Credit Card. Cut and paste the member’s Name and Transaction ID from the excel spreadsheet and insert the Refund amount, with reason. Mail or email this form to your Committee Chair or Associate Chair for approval. After reviewing each request they will forward this form to the Treasurer who will issue a Refund.

Name Refund Amount:

Transaction ID 10 digit (from excel spreadsheet)

Reason for refund

(rev 11/2012)

Expense Reimbursement Form

Committee: Education Today' Date:________________

Name of Cruise or Event: Fireside Chat Event Date: _________________

Please do not retain cash in lieu of submitting a reimbursement request.

This information is necessary for accounting purposes.

Receipts are required for all expenses shown on this Reimbursement form except for cash tips (gratuities).

Please circle the amount on the receipts and double check your mathematics.

Reimbursements must have the approval of your Committee Chair, Associate Chair, or Board Liaison (if submitted by a Committee Chair).

Mail, or scan and Email, this form and your receipts to your Committee Chair or Associate Chair. They will review

your request and forward this form with their their approval to the Treasurer, who will reimburse you.

Type of Expense

Entertainment

Facility - Refundable Security Deposit

Facility - Rental

Food - Catering

Food - Purchased, coordination

Liquor

Gratuity

Other - Specify

Postage and Delivery

Printing:

Basic Skills

New Member Handbook

Newsletter

Sales Tax (printing, catering, etc.)

Speaker's Fee

Supplies:

Burgees

Flares

Office

Other

Telephone

TOTAL EXPENSES 0

Comments:

Reviewed and Approved By:

(Committee Chair or their delegated individual)

Date: Mail Payment to: (coordinator's address)

(rev Aug 2012)