St Charles County Master Gardeners

Scheduling Speakers for Our Group

This job can be done alone or as a team. Begin contacting speakers in November of the year prior. (It is hard to make contacts during Christmas holidays.) Arrange speakers for January through October. November’s meeting is a social hour, no meeting in December.

 

Meeting dates: 4th Thursday of each month except Nov. which is the 3rd Thurs to avoid Thanksgiving.

Meeting Time: Social, 6:15 p.m.; Speaker, 6:30 p.m.; Meeting, 7:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted.

Budget: Fees vary widely among speakers. $0 - $150 does not require approval. (Typically $125 and above are reserved for special event and Level II training sessions of more than 1 hour). Above $150 requires approval from the steering committee.

Submit an approximate budget to the steering committee for approval at their January/February Steering Committee Meeting. It is likely that the year’s schedule will not be completed by the Jan. meeting so amendments are expected.

 

Additionally a small MG gift such as honey and note cards made by MG can be given to speakers.

 

Advanced training: Request for Level II training is made one month prior to the Level II committee.

 

Communication: Send the names of speakers and topics to the Steering Committee and to MG president for inclusion in the MG Monthly Meeting Agenda, MG Newsletter, and other publications.

 

Things to do:

• Provide map, directions, Extension center contact information to speaker. They can set up as early as 1 hour before the presentation.

• Arrange equipment needs for speaker.

• Request payment from Jan Brown at Extension Center

• 2 weeks prior, Contact speaker as reminder and confirm equipment needs. Handouts duplicated at the extension by e-mailing requests to Carol Grote 1 week in advance.

• Thank you to presenter