Conference+Planning

=Conference Notes= //Drafted by Peta White and Carla Ballman with input from the SOEEA board//

Conference Title: **“Keepers of the Prairies”** Dates: The weekend of September 25-27 2009 Venue: Camp Easter Seal, Manitou Beach

Conference Strands There are three strands of concurrent sessions for this conference (as taken from the SOEEA Val Marie Retreat notes) 1) **Recreation** (kills training (possibly canoeing skills?) 2) **Valuing Traditions** (Evolution/Adaptation Aboriginal Waniskawan (sense of place, medicine wheel, medicinal plants, storytelling) Pay Lore (tie in to “Keepers” books & theme); the Arts, creativity, happiness, wellbeing (physical, metal, psychological, spiritual)) 3) **Education** (continuous improvement plan, outdoor activities)

Speakers: Speakers need to be confirmed for Friday (Lori & Joe Milligan, Glenn Sutter music and some storytellers), Saturday (Valuing Traditions - First Nations voice and welcome to Lake Manitou posibly Herman Michell) and Sunday (Education - Jaclyn Edwards - student keynote presentation??)

Draft Itinerary
5:30 p.m. – Camp Fire Food (grills, veggies and breads) Joe and Lori Milligan demonstrate fire lighting techniques 7:00 p.m. Recreation speaker (Joe and Lori Milligan) followed by story telling and Glenn Sutter singing Pre-breakfast activities (birding, running, yoga, walking, canoeing) 9:30 a.m. Valuing Traditions speaker (Formal welcome to area) (Herman Michell) 11:00 – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent sessions* 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Concurrent sessions* 3:45 – 5:30 p.m. Outdoor activities**/Free time (yoga session)** 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Break 6:30 p.m. Dinner at Danceland Pre-breakfast activities (birding, running, yoga, walking, canoeing) 9:30 a.m. Education speaker (Jaclyn Edwards - Davidson Student) 11:00 – 12:30 p.m. Concurrent sessions* 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Outdoor activities/Free time 3:00 - 3:30 p.m. Wrap up discussion/Closure
 * Friday Evening**
 * Saturday**
 * 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast**
 * 10:30 a.m. Morning tea break**
 * 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch**
 * 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. Afternoon tea break** and SWA Fishways Launch??
 * SOEEA 40th Birthday Celebration and Black Footed Ferret Hop**
 * Sunday**
 * 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast**
 * 10:30 a.m. Morning tea break**
 * 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch**
 * 3:00 - 3:30 p.m. Afternoon tea break**
 * 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. SOEEA Board meeting and Dinner at Diner (This needs to be booked)**
 * Concurrent sessions: there will be concurrent sessions (may be presentations or workshops) in each of the three strands.

Brightwater - Marcia Kline (offered, not confirmed) Fishways/Project wet/wild - Lizabeth Nicholls and Linda Dodd (offered and confirmed) Enviro Tunes - Don Waite (asked and confirmed) Leave No Trace - Dean Catrell (asked and confirmed) Flying WILD (SOEEA) Native plants and medicinal uses - Lori Milligan Herbariums - Karen Smith-Fargey Outdoor activities: may include GPS orienteering, geocaching, outdoor competitions, yoga,
 * Concurrent Presentations**

• Bring your own: bag, water bottle, coffee mug, cloth napkins, notebooks, etc… • The program will be online and posted on site (not printed for each person). • Leave No Trace principles will be employed. We will strive for the following: local/organic/fair trade food and beverages whenever possible to ensure minimal waste and environmental impact (composting, reusable plates, cups, cutlery, and cloth napkins). Minimal paper usage. BYO mugs and conference bags.
 * Environmental considerations**


 * Other Considerations:**
 * Family/Kids rate?
 * Virtual participation?
 * Day rates for conference participants’ use of Spa - Single pool entrance: $8.75, daily $12.50 (must be at least 12 people)

People will apply to be a part of the Eco-Fair (participation is free for registrants). Set up will be late Friday afternoon and information will be left up all weekend. Pamphlets and other items will be available for people to pick up from the eco-fair area however they will not be stuffed in to a welcome package for each participant in order to minimize waste.
 * Eco-Fair/Packages Table:**

Confirm that Dr. Glenn Sutter can perform for the conference and be our birding guide (Will be reimbursed for music).
 * Birding Guide and Musical Performance:**

A Saskatoon Yoga Instructor will be present and will present a Saturday, Sunday early morning session and a session during free time Saturday afternoon.
 * Yoga:**

Confirm organizers for the simultaneous kids conference (school aged kids only?)
 * Kids Conference:**

Posters: Information to be presented = dates, location, SOEEA (website and logos), "Keepers of the Prairies", 3 themes (recreation, education, and valuing traditions), how to register and by when, costs?? Promotions in STF Bulletins: aim for an ad in the May and August/September issues, SPRA Magzine, Envisage, special mail out to members, posters to all post secondary institutions and school board offices, camping association, (other places??)
 * Promotion:**

Advertising begins: May 1st Registration opens: May 1st Call for presentations: May 1st Call for presentations cutoff: August 1st Registration early bird closes: August 15th Registration open right through event.... final number needed 20th September
 * Dates:**

Catering is required for Saturday and Sunday: Breakfast, Lunch, as well as morning and afternoon breaks. Note: we plan to have a BBQ on Friday night and go to Danceland for supper on Saturday night.
 * Catering**

Peta is to talk to Karin Smith Fargey of Parks Canada to get ideas for some fun and active speakers and events to celebrate this on Saturday night (Carla still wants to do a black sock hop and might even participate if we buy her enough wobbly pops). Need a fun MC for the evening at Danceland. Ideas for the night include: Masquerade / masks, black socks - "Ferret sock hop", fancy dress Danceland on the evening of Saturday Sept 26: Their buffet supper begins at 6pm, they are open until 3am. Because our group will be larger than 40 people I was able to negotiate the following rates: __Mixed use of Danceland__ Buffet Supper Adults: $12 each, kids 12 years and under $6 each, children 2 years old and younger are free Dancing Adults: $11 each, kids 12 and under $5.50 each, children 2 years old and under can dance all night for free! Note: If we want to say something before the dance starts we can ahve 5 - 10 minutes on the mic. OR __SOEEA only use:__ We rent the whole place for $500 Buffet supper for adults: one entree $14, Two entrees $16/person we have to book our own entertainment (band range $250 - $1000+), provide our own MC and everything. They have booked us in for for the 26th. We need to decide if we want to rent out the whole thing & provide all our own entertainment etc. (which will cost much more) or let them book the bands, etc and may we can have a few short announcements etc.
 * 40th celebration and Black Footed Ferret Release party.**

There can be buses from Regina and Saskatoon to bring participants to the conference (participants will need to confirm whether they will use this service or find their own way so that we may plan accordingly) Car pool notice board on website
 * Transportation:**

Revenue Expenses Saskatchewan Lotteries $8,000.00 Facility $ 3,000.00 Registration fees $1,000.00 Promotion $ 600.00 Instructor $ 2,000.00 Staff time (120 hours) $ 2,400.00 Session resource materials $ 1,000.00
 * Budget**:

- Speakers/facilitators expenses - Audio and Visual equipment - Catering (included in registration) - Lodging (Attendees will book their own) - Logistics (transportation) - Signage/Schedule Production - Promotion (using SOEEA & partner e-mail lists, event posting in STF, SES, SEN, SESDN, etc… ) - Entertainment (eg. Danceland) - Activities… - Kids Programming
 * Budget considerations:**

Cheques and registration will be sent in to Tina Registration begins May 1st Early bird registration closes August 15th
 * Registration:**
 * maybe go through picatic? https://www.picatic.com/index.php?a=membership $25 to join process and then can access online registration and payment.

__//Before 15th Aug//__ Member $100 Student Member $100 Family Member $250
 * Rates:**

Non-Member $100 + $25 membership Student Non-Member $100 + $25 membership Family Non-Member $300

__//After 15th Aug//__ Member $130 Student Member $130 Family Member $300

Non-Member $130 + $25 membership Student Non-Member $130 + $25 membership Family Non-Member $350

- Camping at the camp ground near Camp Easter Seal (reduce rate by $???) - SOEEA rates for those who wish to stay at the Spa Hotel ($84.85 for two beds, at least 10 rooms) Hotel and spa bookings are the responsibility of the participants. People who are making their own arrangements for accommodations will receive a reduced registration rate.
 * Special Notes**

Camp Easter Seal Loree-Lee Frydenlund - CampEasterSeal Administrator Saskatchewan Abilities Council 1410 Kilburn Avenue Saskatoon, SK S7J 0M8 Tel: 306-653-1694 ext: 203 Fax: 306-652-8886 campeasterseal@abilitiescouncil.sk.ca www.abilitiescouncil.sk.ca
 * Contacts**

Manitou Springs Resort & Mineral Spa Reservations number: 1-800-667-7672 (ask for Lorna to change the block of rooms) SOEEA Group rate: $84.95 (2 beds), 10 rooms at least. Booked a block of 15 rooms will be held until 2 weeks until the conference. SOEEA Spa rates: (12+ people) single pool entrance: $8.75, daily $12.50

Danceland Fax: (306) 946-2263 Email: danceland@sasktel.net Sept 25th weekend is not booked by another group yet, special group rates (25+ people)**
 * http://danceland.ca/ Ph: 1-800-267-5037

__Jobs to be done - As of July 2009**__
 * advertising - (we need to be more creative and to get into different communities. We also have money to send getting adds into papers/mags etc....
 * Friday night eco fair - (I though we might get the Regina Ecoliving email list and invite the recent Regina eco-fair participants to come on out.... not all will - but some might - gets us into a different audience. Wht about a Saskatoon eco fair - maybe we can find a similar list from there. Are there any local Watrous etc folks who should be invited??
 * Food - with the caterers booked this become a management job - although we did decide to do our own morning and afternoon teas...
 * kids conference - I think my students will be interested in doing some of this but this leader will have to make the plans
 * keynote speaks liaison - someone needs to meet with each keynote and make sure we have all of their needs taken care of and that we know when they are arriving and to give them a sense of what we want them to talk about.
 * workshop liaison - we are getting requests for others to present and we need to approach others to present.
 * recreations activities - morning sessions, afternoon freetime - we are offering options like yoga, canoeing etc....