CONvergence Convention Committee Meeting Notes
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Meeting dates, confirmed date and location
Sun, May 15th DoubleTree Bloomington
Sun, June 5th DoubleTree Bloomington
Sat, June 18th DoubleTree Bloomington
Sat, July 16th (Post Mortem and Volunteer Party) DoubleTree Bloomington
Member Advocate Election
Candidates
Samantha Krowez
Candidate was be given 3 minutes to speak to the convention committee and the convention committee had 5 minutes for Q & A.
To vote by acclamation passed
Vote to elect Samantha Krowez passed
Pass around game
Pass Around Game: We are looking for traveling cases, suitcases or briefcases that are about 1 foot by two feet (bigger then a lunch box, smaller then a streamer trunk). Prefer hard case for durability. We need 10-12. All items will be painted and decorated and we cannot guarantee return. You can bring them to the next meeting or contact me for drop off. Jen Manna – jma…@gmail.com
More information on a volunteer date to decorate and modify the cases will be coming later.
Department Announcements
Activities
Sand box
“It’s that time of year again where, Connie’s Quantum Sandbox needs a few donations of specific supplies.
First, we need boxes for building our Cardboard City. Various sizes for child’s play needed (think buildings and vehicles),however, NOappliance boxes. Bring these boxes with you to Convergence on Wednesday or Thursday morning, or contact us at Sandbox@ if you absolutely need to drop them off during the mid-June ConCom meeting. GPS is willing to accept cardboard boxes at their site during their regular hours. Break down all boxes without a separate lid.
In addition to cardboard, we need wrapping paper tubes and poster shipping containers, push-up water bottle tops, fleece and heavy-weight felt, and fiberfill. We will be collecting these at the next ConCom.
Also, we are in need of a large variety of condoms (expired or not, but please no used ones), and if you have any unused lubrication samples just laying around the house, consider donating them for science.
If you have any questions, please contact san…@convergence-con.org.”
Administration
Merchandise
Shirts will be sold at the May and 1st June concomm. Bring money! Cash and credit cards will be accepted.
Facilities
Resume
The Resume Deadline is today!
Even if you think your Department has sent us All of the Informations, please check with one of us during the working portion of the meeting to make sure.
To clear up any confusion… hand-drawn diagrams are fine as long as they can be clearly and easily understood.
Departments with events in satellite hotels… please send your Resume information to ho…@convergence-con.org, facilities@ and resume@. We’ll make sure you are taken care of that way.
The Final Sign-off date is the May Con-Com.
Hotel
If your department will need your doors locked and unlocked by the hotel team, please e-mail us the times you would like us to be at your door so we can make sure we’re there when you need us. Times should go to ho…@convergence-con.org and the deadline is the May ConCom meeting.
Operations
Radio Training
If you plan to use a Radio at the convention you must attend a session of annual radio training. The first training sessions will take place during the working portion of the ConCom on March 19. There are three types of radio training being offered to members of ConCom this year. Choose the type that best suits your needs and complete this requirement, preferably before the convention.
- Department specific radio training: Operations can be invited to provide training to the members of a department that is tailored to the specific needs of a department, focusing on the manner in which individuals will use radios while on duty. Department specific questions and procedures specific to particular departments will be able to be addressed in depth. Any department interested in arranging an individual training session should contact Opera…@convergence-con.org. We strongly suggest making use of this option.
- In-Depth Radio Training: This form of will take place during the working portion of all remaining ConCom meetings. Discussion will be limited to general use radios at the convention, but radio features, functions, and procedures will be covered in detail. This training type will also feature an opportunity to practice making radio calls.
- Brief Radio Training: 10 minutes or less! This form of training is intended for experienced CONvergence Radionet operators who are seeking only to fulfill the yearly training requirement. This will also be held during the working portion of each of the remaining ConComs, and will begin shortly after and run concurrently with the in-depth sessions.
Schedules and Contact Information
As you begin determining your department schedules, please provide Opera…@convergence-con.org with details related to your hours of operation, Head(s) on Duty schedule and blackout hours. Further, please note that the ConCom list no longer contains phone numbers. If you anticipate that we may need to call you at any time during the convention please provide contact details. If you have a preferred method of communication (text vs voice), please provide us with that as well.
Safe Space:
There have been several revisions to the implementation of the safe space initiative since its inception. The current definition of CONvergence Safe space is available here: http://www.convergence-con.org/at-the-con/services/safe-space/. The Official CONvergence Safe Spaces for 2016 are; The Bridge, Registration, ConSuite, Gamng, Space Lounge, Atrium 5 (Programming Green Room) and Atrium 8 (GPS Auction). If you have questions about the current safe space program, please contact Opera…@convergence-con.org.
Hospitality
Space lounge
Consuite
[ Puts Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Mello Yellow, and Barqs into bag ]
“Sorry”
[ Puts Mug, Sierra Mist, Dr Pepper, Mountain Dew, Diet Pepsi, and Pepsi on table ]
“You’re Welcome”
Or, translated… “No Coke — Pepsi.”
We will be serving Pepsi products this year in ConSuite.
First advisers
Guests
The Guests of Honor Department is happy to announce that Greg Weisman will be our first Fan-Featured Guest. His attendance has been fully funded and the Guests of Honor Department has begun handling the logistics of his trip.
Thank you to all who contributed to funding this effort, specifically Hal Bichel, Christopher Jones, and the sponsoring group We Need Season Three.
Information and procedures on how to bring a Fan Featured Guest to CONvergence will be published on the convergence-con.org website in August.
Nerf herders
Membership Communications
Photography
Productions
Harmonic CONvergence
Harmonic CONvergence is now taking submissions for performance space at Harmonic CONvergence. Form can be found on the CONvergence website under get involved / music performers. Early deadline is April 20th, but we will continue to take submissions.
Video
The CVG-TV/Video department has uploaded the majority of the recorded panels to YouTube and you can look them over! Just go to YouTube, enter the CONvergenceTube channel, and choose CONvergence 2015 from the Library. There are just over 50 panels available to watch.
Enjoy
Systems
A&I
The Accessibility & Inclusion department is a new department with several pilot projects this year. As mentioned during the March meeting, this includes open captioning (CART Captioning) for several mainstage events that will be broadcast on CVGtv (including opening/closing ceremonies, masquerade, and possible Guest of Honor panels). A&I will also have a quiet room this year as well as an outreach table that will be shared with member advocates. Due to these pilot programs we will not have the capacity this year to conduct department accessibility and inclusion assessments but we do plan to provide this service as early as next year. In the meantime if departments would like a policy and/or site plan reviewed we will be available to provide recommendations for your departments. We are here to advise and share best practices that can help you achieve increased accessibility and inclusion in your departments. Requests or questions can be directed to access…@convergence-con.org.
IT
Partners
JOFShop
JOFshop, a monthly salon series for the journeyfolk of fandom to engage in collaboration, discussion of issues related to convention running, sharing of ideas, and to learning from each other. The next JOFshop will take place at the Waterbury on Sunday May 29 from 1-4pm. The May meeting will feature a guest speaker and will focus on the topic of Tax Considerations for Volunteers of Non-Profit Organizations. This meeting is open to all individuals in the local geek community who volunteer with any non-profit organization
GPS
Board News
The Annual Membership Meeting with Elections is this month. There will be 3 director positions up for election and 2 director appointments for confirmation. Please check the link for more information. Members who volunteered at least 20 hours from May 2, 2015 through May 1, 2016 are eligible to vote, see elections link for more details. If you have questions on your voting status, email secr…@geekpartnership.org.
We also are in search of an individual to appoint to the officer position of Secretary. The Secretary is a non-voting position on the board and would be responsible for board agendas and minutes, maintaining membership records, overseeing collection and tracking of volunteer hours and meeting attendance for voting eligibility, overseeing elections, and other projects as assigned. Email dire…@geekpartnership.org.
Fundraising News
June 4, 2016 | 5pm start | Pirate Cruise Fundraiser – St. Croix Boat & Packet Co. Stillwater, MN.http://m.bpt.me/event/2277328. Just a reminder, start saving your doubloons and work on your garb.
Auction Donations Are Being Accepted – We’ve got upcoming auctions at both CONsole Room (the Doctor Who convention) and CONvergence (this year’s theme is “And how do we GET there?,” a celebration of the great vehicles and transport of science fiction and fantasy. We’ll be taking donations at CVG concom meetings, and can make arrangements to take them at the center. If you plan on delivering your donation to a convention, we’ll be taking them Friday and Saturday at CONsole Room, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at CONvergence. Please complete the our Donation Online Submission Form to arrange delivery.
Program News
Heads up writers and graphic artists! The GPS Writing Contest submission window now open through 11:59pm May 15. Please help spread the word.
Pride Nerfherders are taking lead on organizing CVG presence at Pride, so if you are interested touch base with them.
Gaming in April:
- Sat Apr 23 – GPS UGG ReCon – Miniatures Gaming
- Sat Apr 30 – International Tabletop Game Day with U.G.G.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sat May 14 | 6pm – 10:30pm | GPS Movie Night – May the four-teen-th
Never Give Up, Never Surrender!
For four years, the courageous crew of the NSEA Protector – including “Commander Peter Quincy Taggart” (Tim Allen), “Lt. Tawny Madison (Sigourney Weaver) and “Dr.Lazarus” (Alan Rickman) – set off on a thrilling and often dangerous mission in space…and then their series was cancelled! Now, twenty years later, aliens under attack have mistaken the television transmissions for “historical documents” and beamed up the crew of has-been actors to save the universe. With no script, no director and no clue, the actors must turn in the performances of their lives
May the Schwartz Be With You!
Planet Spaceballs’ President Skroob (Mel Brooks) sends Lord Dark Helmet (Rick Moranis) to steal planet Druidia’s abundant supply of air to replenish their own, and only Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) and his half-man, half-dog sidekick, Barf (John Candy), can stop them.
Join your tribe for an evening of film and fun in the big room at GPS Event Horizon. Located at 1121 Jackson St NE in Minneapolis. As always, feel free to bring your own snacks (or dinner!), beverages, and a comfy chair. We will have some snacks and soda available for sale.
Mon May 18 | 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.| GPS Arts Initiative – Figure Drawing Salon
This is a 3-hour moderated session with a live nude model There is a $5 fee per person, and it is 18+.
May 20-22 | Art-A-Whirl@ GPS
We’ll have the whole space running with geeky artists and crafters in the Main Hall, GPS hosts in the Classroom, kids programming in the Living Room, and tentatively have Twin Cities Makers representing the Hack Factory in our garage area.
Sat May 21 | 7pm – 11:30pm | DIODES May Day Ball
Upcoming for GPS
Mark your Calendars
- Sat Jun 11 – GPS Annual Picnic
Reminders:
- Communications for any convention-related business between your department and GPS should go to con…@geekpartnership.org.
- Site request link for Event Horizon in the Waterbury is: http://tinyurl.com/sitescheduling.
- Have an item you’d like promoted in the GPS Newsletter? Email your info to newsl…@geekpartnership.org.