Gum Spring Library Family Fun Walk is Fun Indeed

   Last year we braved a cold wind and overcast skies to hold our annual Family Fun Walk for the Gum Spring Library.  But, this year, we got a big reprieve.

     

   The storm that would dump several inches just to the north of us, and plow us into 48 hours of (needed) rain, mercifully held off just long enough for the FROGS (Friends of the Gum Spring Library) to enjoy a beautiful day for our 3rd annual event.

 

 

 

Every year walkers get a t-shirt, a goodie bag stuffed with items from local businesses, fruit, snacks and water.  The moon bounce is always popular and the participants are happy to wait in line for  chance to get their faces expertly painted by our “face artist.”   This year, we even had LIVE entertainment provided by Bach 2 Rock!

    We can’t wait until NEXT year when the library will be open and we can all retire to the stacks after our stride through the neighborhood.

Some of Deb’s random thoughts on creating a Successful Community Event:

• PLAN, PLAN, PLAN way in advance.  The FROGS start working on their April Family Fun Walk event in December!

• Look into what licenses may be needed as far in advance as possible so there are no last-minute surprises that could squash your event
  
  

  Everybody waited patiently for face painting!

• Break down the event into specific tasks and then assign those tasks to reliable people.  Call those people 48 hours beforehand to

 

make sure they can still carry out their assignments. 

• If you don’t provide specifics for completing a task in advance, don’t nag about  how that task is achieved after the fact.  Volunteers don’t appreciate micro-managing when its too late.  Instead, make a note on how that task should be achieved  for  whoever gets that task next year.    

• Have good signage.  There are always regulations on signage in any community.  Just find out what the those regulations are and do the best you can. (exploit the loopholes if necessary on the day of event, and just take down the signs immediately afterward.)  

 

 

• Take advantage of as many area newsletters, magazines,  newspaper listings and area cable TV listings as possible to get the word out about your event.  

 

• And make sure you create and utilize an email invitation list of everyone you know.  If you provide a way for the reader to opt out of future emails, they generally will not object and usually will not opt out.

• Don’t forget clean-up.  Leave the area the way you found it.

• Have a post-event de-brief.  Take good notes and keep those notes where they can be pulled out for the next event and read again.

• Think of as many ways as possible to THANK YOUR SPONSORS – that is, only if you want them back next time!

And, speaking of sponsors, we’d like to thank those that supported our 2012 Family Fun Walk:

Tagged as: Books, Events, Gum Spring Library, Libraries, Loudoun County