How the Games are Done (Part 1)

[KD Burke]

After finishing my first Games as a member of the Committee responsible for staging them, I felt that there might be some interest in a report on what takes place behind the scenes. It is a tremendously complex, and fascinating process to stage a major event.

Our Committee meets once per month, until the month of the Games, when we meet weekly. The Board of Directors (the real leaders, movers and shakers) meet more frequently and are in near constant contact.

During the year prior, we basically plan the upcoming event. This is a masterpiece of delegation. Various people are responsible for arranging contracts with theathletic association, pipe band association, the vendors, dancers, fiddlers, harpers, etc. We have folks to arrange the children's area, contract for printing, manage PR. Obviously a major responsibility is to contact the various participating clans and facilitate their needs. As you might imagine, there are ten thousand details, each of which requires a person to take responsibility for managing. (Do YOU know who to contact for the loan of a couple of Highland cows? In Florida? Someone on the Committee does!)

Then there are the local authorities. The local tourism board has an interest, as do the police, the fire department, EMS, the health department, and many of these have permitting requirements which must be observed. The venue has its own requirements; in our case the main entrance to the fairgrounds was being dug up, filled in, and repaved just prior to the start of the Games. Understandably, we had some concerns lest the timetable should slip!

Our Games is a single day event, scheduled for a Saturday. On the Wednesday prior, we began to set up. This required two fork-lifts, four golf carts, 200 rented tables and 900 chairs, and a small army of volunteers not to mention tents! We maintain a large number of 10X20 and 10X30 tents for clan and other uses, but larger tents must be rented for situations requiring them.

Set-up is exhausting work. I spent approximately 30 hours on-site, assisting as best I could. I set up tents, attempted the rescue of a committee member with vehicle trouble (Alas unsuccessfully! AAA accomplished the deed in the end.), assisted in unloading trailers full of tables, lifted barges, toted bales, and generally obstructed progress.

Every night I went home, nursed my aching back, and fell into a stupor until the next morning when I got up to do it again. I've never worked so hard, or had so much fun doing it!

KD
:ootd:

[Lyle1]

Very informative. Am I correct in assuming that most of the work is done by volunteer staff? I've worked on planning national conferences, but there was always a core of paid employees (who worked for a service company) that handled the nasty details such as contracts and logistics. I can't imagine doing all you describe with volunteer staff; it would be hard enough for a staff of full timers.

[KD Burke]

I can't imagine doing all you describe with volunteer staff; it would be hard enough for a staff of full timers.

We're an all volunteer organization. The trick seems to be in getting enough people with the various skill sets and contacts; then ruthlessly ( but kindly and gently) forcing them to peacfully co-exist!

KD
:ootd: