brucelee

iTrader: (6)

Hello all,


As the title says, I'm looking for a responsible person who would be interested in taking over the BAM/Mt Hamilton/Annual (whatever you want to call it) festival that we have each year. It's been 10 years (next one will be the 11th annual) since it started and I've organized just about every one of them (Minus the 8th). It's a lot of work and a lot of people count on you, so it can be stressful.

I wont just let anyone take over, you have to be an old school member that has an understanding of how the event works. It used to be a lot of fun for me to organize these events for everyone but I've gotten older (I organized the first one when I was 19!!! Now I'm 30!!!), I'm married and have a lot of other responsibilities so organizing the event has become difficult and is no longer fun for me. I used to really love it, and I'm sure anyone who takes over will have a good time planning it.

I will assist you in any way possible and answer any questions and give any kind of tips that you might need. I don't want someone just taking on the event blindly.


The event typically happens between July and Sept in the summer months. The biggest part of the job is finding a location where we can meet (You have to rent a place) which requires $$$ so that means you need to hit up vendors to cover the costs as well as charge people a small fee to cover food, insurance, drinks, and whatever else. Ave and Anna helped me last year and it felt GREAT to have someone else running the show. Last year I really couldn't have done it without the help of Ave and Anna... They ROCKED and I will always love them for that.


If you're interested, please let me know and I will consider you for the position. This is a BIG deal and everyone depends on you because this is the ONLY annual i-club event and it's one of the largest Subaru gatherings in the world. (yeah, I said WORLD). Our biggest year was either the 7th or 9th year when we had close to 400 cars. Last year was a little smaller due to the fact that it was in Sept and everyone was away for school. Ideal time would be in July sometime, maybe August.


This means A LOT, so if you're responsible and think you can handle such a large event, then post up. It feels really great to be responsible for something that so many people enjoy. Def a great feeling! Remember, I will help you with costs, figuring things out, and will show you the way throughout the entire thing.


EDIT: Had to fix a typo

boxerfxt

iTrader: (4)

thats some big shoes to fill....

stupidchicken03

iTrader: (38)

Sept

03'EyeBug

iTrader: (17)

Wow Dan, who can possibly replace you? Chuck Norris?

brucelee

iTrader: (6)

Oh yes, wow, I don't know why the heck I wrote "Jan", I meant "Sept". Thanks for the correction.

rau

iTrader: (9)

Jourdan, it's time to step up. AGAIN!

DerekB707

iTrader: (21)

lol!!

JourdanWithaU

iTrader: (39)

Thank you for the nomination but I will have to respectfully decline. It will be interesting to see how someone else does.

glenspen

iTrader: (3)

Greg, the master griller would be a good choice...if he can organize the main event the way he whips the cooking into shape we should have no problems..

brucelee

iTrader: (6)

Agreed, he's def someone I was thinking about... He's been here a long time and has been to previous events (a lot of them) and he knows how it's done because he helps every year. He is one of the few I have in mind, I don't want to name anyone and pressure them, but since you mentioned Greg (Roo) I might as well comment on it.

Hollandaze

His "Pizza Wagons" for one of the Mt. Hammy meets was a huge help. Mhh... greasy Pizza Hut.....

brucelee

iTrader: (6)

Yes, def... He's (and his wonderful wife, Pleid7) probably the most useful person that I've had help me over the years... He's always at the meets, him and his wife love helping out the community and have helped so much in the past. If anyone knows how the BAM event works besides me, it's Roo. No one else has ever been there as much as he and his wife has.



Roo is responsible, hard working, and has more knowledge of the event than anyone else. He's honestly one of the best, if not THE best candidate for this job.


Tell you what, if Roo agrees to organize the event for the 11th annual, I'll go in halves with him and do 50% of the work and kind of be there for him if he has any concerns/questions/etc.

My goal is to be free of any work by the 12th annual. I really want this club to get together until our 20th annual event! I really think we can do it and I'll help out as much as possible but I'm really getting tired of being the main person in charge.


I think last year's meet was the most organized and def one of the best events we've ever had (7th and 10th were the best, 9th was a close second). Greg and his wife (Roo and Plead7) were there for the event last year (just like they always are) so he knows what he's in for if he does accept this challenge.


Greg, if you're reading this: Please don't be pressured to take over, if you don't want to then that's all you have to say. We do however need someone and it would be sad to see the event end after all these years. Remember, if you and your wife choose to accept this challenge I can still help you out in the organization and will tell you all there is to book a site and saving as much money as possible while shopping for supplies, etc. I'd love to sit down with you guys for dinner... Maybe you two can come over my house for dinner one night? My wife and I would love to have you guys and we could discuss the details in person which is the best way to do it.

There's a lot of info that I can pass on to you so you don't make the same mistakes that I do. My family and all the girls are totally down to help out at the event (Set up, taking names and doing the entry booth... The girls have a lot of experience with the entry booth since they have done it every year since conception basically)


Remember, if you accept this role I will be there and will be your 50% partner which means I'll do 50% of the work but I want you to be there when I book the site (maybe 3 way call so you can hear everything) and I wont leave you high and dry like I did with Jourdan for our 8th annual event.

The year Jourdan organized the event was a crazy year for me... I couldn't organize the event because I was planning my wedding, graduating from college (Finals just about killed me), working full time, as well as all my personal stuff so needless to say I couldn't find the time to organize the event. Jourdan was nice enough to volunteer for something he wasn't quite prepared for and I'm to blame for that because I didn't give him any real guidance because I was far too busy to really do anything useful.

The point of the above is that it's a mistake for me to just abandon my role as the organizer and pass it off to someone else without training them and preparing them for what was in store and what everyone was used to from previous years. It was my mistake to not help out and I wont let it happen again. There's a lot of things you could only know through trail and error, and trust me I've had a lot of errors over the years which I've learned a lot from. When someone volunteers and is serious about doing this I will be by your side the whole time to hold your hand through any scenario that causes trouble for you.

I'll teach you:

1. Vendor stuff, how to get sponsored
2. Budget (BIG PART, and the most stressful because you never know exactly how many people will show so you have to make an educated guess and stick with it.
3. Organizing entry
4. The food situation (which you're the best at)
5. Events, music, and other fun things like that
6. Dealing with the park people (You have to rent the site in a certain way... I can't share that info with anyone but the person who takes over... I can share the info it's just really complicated and would take a long time to explain in this thread and this post is already too long.
7. Glue -- The glue that keeps the entire thing together. I have it down to a science through lots of trail and error. This step is really important and involves the most stuff. I can break it down for the person taking over, or I can just do it and you can listen in so that you know what has to be done when renting a site.


There's a lot more but you get the idea. A lot of the stuff involved can be tricky without the right kind of help so anyone who does take over just remember that it'll be a lot easier for you because you have the assistance of someone who has done this event for a decade.


(Sorry for the long post, but I want everyone to know what they are getting into before they agree to do this.)

brucelee

iTrader: (6)

Cliff Notes for the above:


I want to make it clear that you will not be alone in planning this event, I will still be there for you for whatever you may need me for. I wont let someone take over like I did with Jourdan (I didn't do anything to help him because I was getting married... It was a mistake that I learned from and it wont happen again), what I will do however is have someone take over as the head organizer but I will still do a lot of the work in order to train you for future events that you can do without my help. There's a lot to learn and lot of time goes into the planning of the event but don't fear because I will help and teach you how to do anything there is to learn.



Finding a new site for the event will be one of the biggest things... You have to make sure it's cool with the vendors and such. Stafford Lake is great and all but I think we're going to do something a little more south so that it's in the middle for everyone. It took me almost 2 hours to get to Stafford Lake last year from my house in SJ. The only complaints I got last year is the location... People were complaining that it was too far for them and I think the event suffered in terms of attendance so perhaps we'll start a new thread in search of a new location. It would be sick if we could get an airfield where we can do an autoX or something, JUST FOR US!

I will help out in finding a location and show you how to do the "paperwork" involved with it (Booking the site, insurance, etc)

tecnica tech

iTrader: (1)

i would be willing to help out but i dont wanna take over this thing by myself i have some ideas but as dan has stated the best was last year when it came to organizing bam because he had some grate people helping him out. Soo who ever pick this up let me know i would be will ing to help any way i can

huck

iTrader: (25)

I vote Krinkov. Cuz he makes the BESTEST MT Hamy t-shirts.