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Volunteers

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Interested in Becoming an OWFI Volunteer?

OWFI VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

OWFI has many committees that depend on members like you! Somewhere on this list, there’s sure to be a position that would benefit from your expertise. Please read the committee descriptions below and select one or more that interests you. If you are interested in leading a committee, mark "Chairperson." If you would prefer to be an assistant on the committee, mark "Committee Volunteer." Please be sure to fill in your name and telephone number so the officers can reach you. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask any OWFI officer for assistance.

The side benefit of being a volunteer is that YOU have an inside track on Conference activity. You will be working with professionals in the writing field. This is a great learning opportunity, as well as a chance to give back to your organization with your time and energy. Committee chairs have the President's ear, and are invited to a special event at conference to show appreciation for a job well done.

Some committees require a one-year commitment; others require your attention only to details at the conference. The list of volunteer opportunities follows this form. You need only to send the form to the current President; please do not mail all of the description pages.

Please email this form to the Current President listed on the officers Webpage.

YOUR NAME (Please Print): _________________________________________________

ADDRESS: _______________________________________________________________

CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE: __________________________________________________

PHONE NUMBER: _______________________________________________________________

E-MAIL ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________

I am interested in serving as an officer (please specify what office):

____________________________________

Or on this committee: (please specify which committee) ____________________________________ as (Circle one) Chairperson or Committee member.

CONFERENCE CHAIRS & VOLUNTEERS

Reception: Organizes and promotes the reception(s). Chairperson confers with president and with hotel management for room setup, arranges for delivery of snacks, drinks and decoration. Serves guests and hosts the reception.

Information Giveaways: Contacts magazines and book publishers, collects/compiles sample magazines and guidelines. Information might also include information about upcoming writing classes and conferences. May need to confer with Federation president and hotel management for room set up arrangement. Materials may be collected in hard copy and/or electronic format for "bag stuffing" information or in a free information room.

Basket Wars Silent Auction: Contacts each affiliate group, requesting them to donate a decorated basket of writing toys/implements/equipment to place in the basket wars competition. Chair may need to confer with Federation president or hotel management on room arrangement for displays. Places baskets in the display room, sets up silent auction equipment, oversees auction proceedings, and announces the winning bidder on each basket.

Buzz Sessions: Solicits, lists and organizes buzz sessions usually held after the Friday night and Saturday night banquets. During dinner, announces locations, name of hosts, and topic of each buzz session. Posts lists of buzz sessions in appropriate area for members to review.

Annual Directory: Prepares hard copy of membership database provided by treasurer; prepares appropriate indexing; edits material, designs layout and design; delivers camera-ready copy to printer. Receives completed publication from printer and distributes them at conference.

Contest Category Chairs (33 needed): Under direction of the 2nd Vice President, 33 category chairpersons receive contest manuscripts, remove cover sheets, enter identifying numbers according to instructions, and deliver the package to the category judge by the designated date. (Category chairs DO NOT judge these manuscripts, and may not enter the category they are chairing.) Judge acknowledges receipt, judges the category, enters appropriate critique on each entry, and returns the manuscripts to the category chair by requested date. Category Chair delivers first place winner information to the Federation First Vice President by requested date. Chairperson then reorganizes the remaining manuscripts alphabetically -- reattaching each SASE and coversheets. Each category Chair delivers the package of entries to the 2nd Vice President by date determined by that officer, and no later than the first day of the conference.

Registration: Reports to the President or his/her designated Conference Chair. Coordinates with Treasurer to receive an organized list of registrants, and directs a team to assist in handing out conference information to those registered, typically the Thursday evening prior to the conference as well as Friday and Saturday mornings prior to sessions. Lunchtime registration may also be required, depending on the schedule.

Bag Stuffing/Badges/Information Packet Chair: Under direction of President or his/her designated Conference Chair, this chairperson coordinates with the Treasurer to receive attendees names to print badges for the conference. He/she organizes a team of volunteers to put

together the badges and registration information for attendees, which may include meal tickets, nametags, conference schedules, and other information. This typically is done on Thursday before the conference. The duties under this chair position may be handled by one person, or shared by several individuals under the directon of the chair.

Door Prizes: At the discretion of the President, door prizes may be solicited to include in the registration bags/packets. This chair solicits and collects items from individual or businesses and assists Registration chair and Bag Stuffing/Information Packet Chair in preparing and handing out packets.

Shepherd: Under direction of Shepherd Chairperson, shepherds are assigned a speaker to "help" during the conference. Shepherd duties may include picking your speaker up and returning them to the airport, taking them to lunch, making copies, double-checking room setup, introducing speaker for their presentation, assisting with handouts, being timekeeper, etc. Chair is responsible for signing up shepherds, training them in their duties, and making assignments of shepherds to speakers.

Editor/Agent Appointments: Chairperson, assisted by volunteers, schedules appointments at conference. Responsible for setting up appointment lists, signing people in and verifying that appointments do not exceed allotted time limit. Chairperson confers with Federation president and hotel management on room location and setup in the conference center.

Autograph Party: Authors planning to attend the conference contact this chairperson to be added to the autograph party list. Under guidance of the Conference chairperson, the autograph party committee oversees room setup, and delivers needed materials to authors.

Famous Authors Banquet: This chairperson collects information from conference attendees who have published books in the previous year. For several years the presentation has consisted of a Power Point presentation featuring the author’s picture, book cover, bio and short book blurb, presented during the Famous Authors Banquet on Friday night. The position requires someone adept at creating PowerPoint, as well as acting comfortably as an Emcee--however, duties certainly could be shared with one person preparing the information and the other presenting on stage.

Famous Author’s Book Giveaway: Chairperson requests a signed book from well-known authors, requests list of contact information from Famous Author chair; contacts authors for book, collects and logs the book donations, and delivers the books to the conference. Chair or assistant is responsible for presenting the books in an attractively decorated basket (or two, depending on number of books). This basket will be auctioned at the Friday night banquet, with funds going to the Scholarship Committee. Chair sends thank you notes to the authors who donated books.

Book Room: Chairperson arranges for an area bookstore to handle book sales at the conference, and coordinates efforts between authors and the bookstore. Chairperson talks to authors, explains requirements of bookstore; lists what books the authors want sold at the conference with appropriate ordering information, provides those lists to the store agent in plenty of time for the

store to order the products, checks back to be sure the books are ordered and later verifies status to the author. Confers with bookstore agent, Federation president and hotel management on room setup and other details.

Photographer: Photographers take pictures during the conference. It is helpful if photographer can provide names of those in each photograph and some detail. Photographers provide their own cameras and film. They are also responsible for film developing, with receipt to be reimbursed by the organization.

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OWFI OFFICER POSITIONS and APPOINTED STAFF POSITIONS

(Seven elected officers compose the Executive Committee, which is empowered to make decisions on behalf of the organization. Officers are elected for a one-year term, which may be repeated. OWFI officers must be an OWFI delegate. If you are interested in becoming a delegate, contact your local affiliate president.)

President (Elected Officer): The Buck stops here! The president presides at all meetings of Executive Committee and Federation Delegates, and oversees work of all other officers and chairpersons. The President consults with the Conference Chair and the First Vice President to oversee all aspects of the annual contest and the conference. The president is responsible for selecting, contacting, scheduling and making travel arrangements for speakers, editors and agents. The President also oversees the mentor award competition. The President copies the Conference Chair on all important decisions (hotel contracts, speaker agreements, etc) having to do with OWFI business.

Conference Chair (Elected Officer): The Conference Chair is the "fail safe" backup for the President. He/she works with the President to coordinate all aspects of the annual conference, and maintains a backup copy of all pertinent correspondence from the President. He/she also performs the duties of the president, in the absence of that officer or of the First Vice President. He/she shall perform other duties assigned by the President which may include but not be limited to seeking volunteers and committee chairs, and/or supervising their activities. In the event the citting President is unable to complete the term of office, the conference Chair shall assume the position of Interim President for the balance of the term, during which time the Interim President shall be authorized to perform any such duties as required.

First Vice-President (Elected Officer): Performs the duties of the president in the absence of that officer, and performs such other duties as may be assigned. The most important objective of the First VP is oversight of the annual Federation contest. First VP receives the contest entry form and fee from each entrant, verifies entry is timely and entrant is an OWFI member, forwards the moneys to the treasurer and secures the entry forms. First VP is responsible for securing professional judges for each category; also responsible for preparation of certificates presented to winners at conference, and responsible for designing and preparing the Awards booklet which lists each contest category, judge, and winner. First VP sees that the awards booklet is placed in a packet returned to each contestant at close of conference. First VP receives the first place winner of each of 33 categories and delivers them to the Creme de la Creme

judges.

Second Vice-President (Elected Officer): Assists the first vice-president in organizing the yearly contest, including securing 33 category chairs, preparing instruction for them to follow and overseeing all functions of the contest, and performs such other duties as may be assigned by the president.

Secretary (Elected Officer): Consults each of an estimated 40 affiliates for current names and addresses of their delegate to OWFI. Coordinates with treasurer to certify number of votes each affiliate qualifies for, and prepares roll call of affiliates to confirm quorum. Notifies delegates of board meetings. Prepares agenda in proper format and sends copy to the president for approval. Agenda and any other requested information is emailed or mailed to each delegate. Prepares copies of previous minutes and current agenda to distribute at meetings of Federation Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Calls roll of delegates at meetings. Records the minutes of all meetings of the Federation. Within a week after meeting, emails copy of minutes to president for approval; following that, distributes copies to all delegates. Files a copy of approved meeting minutes and pertinent handouts in permanent record book to be passed to the next Federation secretary. Updates, distributes, and collects volunteer sheet to solicit members interested in committee placements, and notifies president of volunteers. Prepares, distributes and collects conference evaluations from attendees. At end of term, delivers to Oklahoma Historical Society, a computer disk that is burned with a copy of the minutes (in pdf format) of each meeting of the Board and Executive Board.

Treasurer (Elected Officer): Receives, deposits, records, disburses and accounts for all funds of the Federation. Presents a report of current status at each Federation Executive Committee and Board of Directors meetings, and for publication in the organizational newsletter, including a Proposed Budget at the September meeting. Maintains member database. Provides a current list of members before quarterly board meetings to the Secretary for certifying roll call of delegates, and to the annual directory chairperson at least a month before the annual Conference. Assembles and provides all necessary materials for the annual audit of Federation funds. Performs such other duties as assigned by the president.

Publicity Director (Elected Officer): Promotes membership, attendance and interest in the federation by publicizing its activities, in harmony with the wishes of the Board of Directors, particularly those having to do with the annual conference and writing contest. Maintains mailing list of newsletters and periodicals for press releases. Performs such other duties as assigned by the president.

STAFF (Appointed by the Executive Officers)

Newsletter Editor: Solicits and receives material for timely publication of quarterly newsletter, THE REPORT. Edits material, designs layout, publishes and delivers camera-ready copy to designated print source with current mailing list. Printer prints, addresses and mails the Federation newsletter. At end of year, delivers to Oklahoma Historical Society, a computer disk that is burned in pdf format with a copy of each issue of that year’s OWFI REPORT newsletter.

Webmaster: Maintains content on the OWFI web site, and works with hosting provider to troubleshoot and resolve website issues. Updates content on a regular basis and/or at the direction of the president.

STANDING RULES COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Contest Chairperson: Position is continuing and advisory, in oversight of contest bylaws and rules from administration to administration. Serves at the pleasure of the president and the board, reporting back to them if any changes are needed from year-to-year. Works with the general contest chair (1st VP) and assists in training the 2nd VP.

Nominations Chair: Recruits qualified delegates to fill the Federation officer positions, gets their agreement to serve, announces slate of officers for election. Typically this should be an OWFI member who has served in an officer position and knows many of the members as well as the jobs required to be filled.

Honorary Life Member Chair: Reviews suggestions and chooses a member who has provided longtime support to the organization, to be presented with this honor at the Annual Conference.

Parliamentarian & Bylaws Chair: This member advises the Executive Officers and Board on correct parliamentary procedure. He/she also assists and advises where necessary to amend, change, or clarify the existing Bylaws of the organization.

Sponsorship Chair: Contacts organizations and individuals to request sponsors for the organization as well as for the contest, conference and special events.

Historian: Collects and maintains a database of OWFI materials including but not limited to copies of the four quarterly Reports, minutes, contest winners booklet, photographs, and annual membership directory.

     
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