Special Events Committee

1
Special Events Committee
From what we get, we can make a living what
we give, however, makes a life.
- Arthur Ashe, Days of Grace
2
Special Events CommitteeAny event
planned in conjunction with your build should be
designed either to help publicize the event or to
entertain/thank your volunteers.

• Invite key people from the affiliate to
  participate, the executive director and/or the
  board president, for example.
• If there are plans for a fundraising event, this
  committee will also need to work with the
  Fund-raising committee.
• Work closely with the Public Relations/Media
  committee to ensure adequate publicity for each
  event.
• Following are events this committee could be
  responsible for organizing
• GROUNDBREAKING - this is a good opportunity to
  inform the community of the Women Build event.
• Invite local dignitariesvarious church
  leaders, the mayor, city council representatives,
  etc. Make sure the
• homeowner family and affiliate staff can
  attend and participate.
• Advise the Public Relations/Media committee
  of the key people who will participate, so they
  can notify the media.
• Coordinate with the Food Service committee
  and provide light refreshments.
• Have the Volunteer committee there with some
  volunteer sign-up sheets.

3
Special Events CommitteeAny event
planned in conjunction with your build should be
designed either to help publicize the event or to
entertain/thank your volunteers.

• DEVOTIONS
• Allow at least 15 minutes at the beginning of
  each workday for a time of devotions and prayer.
• Although the site supervisor/house leader is in
  charge of the work site, he or she need not be
  the one who gives the devotional and prays.
• When organizing devotions, try to
• Arrange for different speakers to lead
  on-site devotions for each workday.
• Invite volunteers to participate,
  either by taking a portion of the devotions or
  perhaps by sharing in song.
• Be sensitive to a variety of different
  faiths and cultures.
• Strongly encourage attendance,
  although it is not mandatory.
• Ensure work does not begin at the site
  until devotions are over.

4
Special Events CommitteeAny event
planned in conjunction with your build should be
designed either to help publicize the event or to
entertain/thank your volunteers.

• DEDICATION - This is usually a very emotional
  time for both volunteers and the Habitat family.
  It is the culmination of a lot of hard work. Over
  the time it has taken to train together and to
  build the home, relation-ships have formed and
  volunteers have connected with each other and
  with the homeowners.
• Be sensitive to the homeowner family. Be sure to
  include them in the planning of the dedication.
  They may want to have certain family members
  contribute to the dedication either in song,
  prayer, speech, etc.
• Planning the dedication should include
• Invitations to dignitaries, sponsors,
  workersboth volunteers and subcontractorshomeown
  ers and the media and adequate recognition of
  all.
• All participants, including the executive
  director, special guests, local dignitaries
  (mayor, etc.) and the homeowners family.
• Local church leaders
• Musical guests.
• A spotlight on the homeowner family, with the
  giving of a Bible and the keys to the home, for
  example.

5
Special Events CommitteeAny event
planned in conjunction with your build should be
designed either to help publicize the event or to
entertain/thank your volunteers.

• Fund-raising events
• Select an event that will publicize the build and
  raise more money. For example, build and raffle
  off a playhouse or garden shed built by your
  women volunteers and do so in a public spot, such
  as a Wal-Mart parking lot (with permission, of
  course).
• Check with your community calendar to be sure
  that the date you have selected will not clash
  with any other events, or you may have poor
  attendance.
• Maximize your local resources. Invite prominent
  local women to be keynote speakers at your
  fund-raising dinner, for example. If you have a
  river walk or beautiful historical neighborhoods,
  organize a walkathon with volunteers wearing your
  womens build T-shirts. Have participants seek
  sponsorship for each mile of their walk and give
  out fliers publicizing your upcoming build.
• Advertise your fund-raiser well. Distribute
  fliers, do a mailbox drop, secure several
  advertising spots on your local radio station,
  ask the project coordinator (or whoever is
  speaking publicly on behalf of the womens build
  team) to mention the upcoming fund-raiser in any
  public addresses.
• Arrange events in coordination with both the
  Fund-raising committee and the Media/Public
  Relations committee.
• At the end of each special event, critique it
  carefully. Look for ways to improve it and make
  it, perhaps, an annual event.