Going Googly with Google Maps

May 7, 2012

Ok, I admit, I'm going a little Google Map crazy.  But until last month I had no idea that you could create & save customized maps in Google (button is called "My Places"), and I keep finding new Westfest reasons to do so.  So for your edification, here are all my maps, which will continue to be updated as new requests or additional info is provided.

Westfest Storefront Postering

In addition to Daryl's team, my personal thanks goes to volunteers who stepped up and have done storefront postering, in particular:

• Susan along Bank & Queen
• Keri along Bank & Somerset
• Katie along Carlingwood

There are a few areas left in yellow to be completed, and in red still to be assigned, so contact me if you want to take some posters off my hands.  We will be starting pole and billboard postering soon, likely on several Thursdays before the festival so that they are visible over the weekends.  So let me know if you are interested there too.

View Westfest Storefront Postering in a larger map

Westfest Office Directions

Claudia will be contacting volunteers shortly who offered to assist with light office work, such as laminating VIP, Staff, Volunteer & other tags so they can be distributed before the event.  If you are free during the weekdays and want to help out, please call Claudia at 613-729-3565 to find out weekdays & times.  For those driving or taking the bus to the office in Vanier, this map should give you the directions that you need.

View Westfest Office (Vanier) in a larger map

Westfest Volunteer Locations

I wanted a simple map that I could share with the volunteers, to let everyone know where the Volunteer Tents, the bicycle parking, the various entrances & gates, and the barricades, are.  Here's what I've come up with, and the 2 key locations are:

• Blue "i": Volunteer Tent in the Main Stage audience area, where (starting on Friday at 3 pm) Main Stage Volunteers are to pick up their t-shirts and Sign-In & Out; and
• Blue "question mark": Street Merch Tent on Richmond Rd at McRae, where (starting on Saturday at 9 am) Street Volunteers are to pick up their t-shirts and Sign-In & Out.

View Westfest Volunteer Locations in a larger map


Please let me know if I'm missing any other locations that are important during the festival and should be added.

Draft 1 of Volunteer Schedule - Holes & Chasms

May 4, 2012

I`m glad I got an early start on the schedule this year, `coz we have some holes to fill.  We have lots of challenges this year, needing more volunteers than ever in the evening at Main Stage, needing volunteers with Smart-Serve, and offering more services to the public in addition to the Street Merch tent and free Bicycle Parking.

So here is my first attempt at the Volunteer Schedule, based on interests & availability you gave me at the Orientation Meeting and thus far on-line - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0ApBD8li5O4KEdFFmamgwajBuUWxwb2syNVhqM1o3MEE&output=html.  At the top of the page, click on either

• Schedule by Date to see the following 3 scheduled by date:
1. Main Stage in Green,
2. Street Merch in Blue, 
3. Street Marshals in Grey; or
• Schedule by Name for an listing of shifts sorted by first name.

Here's the holes & chasms that I'm still looking to fill:

• Sat & Sun night Bicycle Parking. I may split the shift into 4 hrs each so folks can work 1/2 the night at the Main Stage
• More people with Smart-Serve for Sat & Sun nights
• More people for Sunday morning
• More people for Sunday night

So please review the Draft Schedule, then:

1. Send me an e-mail to confirm your shifts, and whether there are any empty spaces that you would like to fill.
2. Contact me anytime between now and the festival for any changes, or any new people you've recruited for the festival weekend.
3. We will have NO Pre-festival Volunteer Registration this year.  Instead, t-shirts & tags will be available at the Street Merch & Volunteer Tents for when you Sign-In for your first shift of the weekend.
4. Reminder:
• For a Main Stage shift, Sign-In is at the Main Stage Volunteer Tent; audience entrance will be between the LCBO and the Superstore, Volunteer Tent will be at the back of the audience area.
• For a Street Merch or Street Marshall shift, Sign-In is at the Street Merch Tent which will be at McRae and Richmond in front of the LCBO.
• I have made a Google Map below with locations that the Volunteers need to be familiar with.  

View Westfest Volunteer Locations in a larger map


Thanks all!

Pre-Orientation Crazy

Orientation:
1. The determination of the relative position of something or someone (esp. oneself).
2. The relative physical position or direction of something.

11:55 am May 1, 2012

And here it is, the time of the year that I start to go a little bit crrrrraaaaazzzzzyyyyy! When friends & family try to talk to me, and I'm staring out in space thinking about the 20 more things I need to get done today (10 of which I'll fail to complete).

Yes, Westfest Volunteer Orientation Meeting is tonight, 6 pm at Clocktower Brew Pub in Westboro. And while every year the event goes smoothly, every year I nonetheless get into panic mode about 48 hours prior and lose touch with everyone around me.

Since I really should be doing something more productive than ranting in my blog today, here's the rough Agenda for tonight so you know what you are in for:

May 1 Agenda

Naomi, Volunteer Coordinator       5 min       Welcome & Introduction


Darryl, Street Manager                  10 min      Westfest Volunteer Principles

Elaina, Producer                           10 min       Westfest History & General Info

Kim, Security and Safety Director 10 min      Domicile Main Stage Security Info

Naomi                                             10 min      General Volunteer Rules
                                                        15 min      Review of Volunteer Positions: Street Positions, Main Stage positions & 19+ and Smart-Serve required for Beverage Ticket & ID positions
                                                        5 min         Introduce Senior Volunteers
                                                        5 min        Before leaving: Each person to complete the Yellow Sign Up sheet with their availability and interests

Next steps:
Naomi will send Draft Volunteer Schedule in 2 weeks, with additional instructions as required
Keep apprised of changes & developments on Westfest Volunteer Facebook Group, or http://westfestvolunteercoordinator.blogspot.ca/

And a new toy in Google Forms: for those volunteers who are unable to attend the Meeting tonight, please follow the link to submit this form to me:
2012 Westfest Volunteer Sign-Up, Availability & Interests


Thanks, and come find crazy ol' me tonight at the Clocktower!