Meetup Organizer of the Week 2nd Thread

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Do you have other enhancements planned for your Meetup?

We really don't need too many at the moment. They say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and things are going really well at the moment. There is the possibility of a more intensive full-day or weekend meditation workshop later this spring/summer - I have been asked about it - but one of the ways I believe the group has flourished is being true to its intention and staying consistent and resisting the temptation to stray too far away from the course as to dilute the wonderful energy being created on the Monday nights.

With meditation, 90% of the benefits of the practice come from a regular practice and therefore the focus will always be on "keeping the ball rolling" for our core Monday evening meditators.

Any final words of wisdom for the new or struggling Meetup Organizer?

Location is quite an important decision for your group. Usually there must be restrooms available, parking, and access to public transportation. Not only that, but the availability of the space must be there and the price (free is best) must be right.

Don't get discouraged, there are many partnerships you may be able to form with local businesses to use their place in exchange for some publicity through your group. Just like anything else it has to be a labor of love. You must be passionate about it and your enthusiasm will show through. As I said earlier - the energy you put into it is what you'll get out of it.

Among the most important things to do as an organizer is to meet and greet your members.

Be sure everyone feel welcomed - especially the newcomers - reassuring everyone they're in the right place. Go out of your way to introduce members as they arrive to the ones who are already there. Think about how someone may be a little nervous coming the first time and do your best to make people feel comfortable. It sounds easy but I cannot stress how important and beneficial to the group this simple gesture is.

I feel a good organizer also finds or nominates quality assistant organizers to delegate, exchange ideas, and share the responsibilities (and rewards).

I have been blessed with very knowledgeable, dedicated, and honorable assistants without whom this group would not have survived in its current form. The assistance and support from especially Sheri, Michael, Stutz, Rossi, Jen, Casey, and Sharad has been invaluable and I accept "Organizer of the Week" on behalf of them and my members.

Let's head northwest to the Canadian city of New Westminster, BC and visit with Meetup Organizer of the Week, Carla, and the Baby Hiking Meetup

We've many a Mom Meetup and the Hiking topic follows closely as a perennial favorite - blend the two together and you cannot miss!

For Carla and her members, its the best of both worlds; creating the opportunity for local Moms to get out and enjoy the great outdoors with their young children.

Hiking with a baby in tow is no easy undertaking. Obvious challenges arise which can only be understood by other parents. This point is uniquely satisfied by sharing the trail with like-minded Moms.

Take Carla's example and run with it - Double your Meetup pleasure and purpose by blending topics!

We've Hiking Meetups and Moms with Babies Meetup but I think yours is the first Baby Hiking Meetup! Where did the idea for this Meetup come from?

Most of my spare time and my jobs have been outside and involved hiking and camping. I couldn't wait to get out with my little one, Jacob, and introduce him to the outdoors! But I didn't want to go alone for safety reasons and well, it gets boring by yourself. I figured there had to be other moms that love the outdoors and wanted to get out during the week - and I was lucky there was!

What are the main safety & comfort points for a Mom (or Dad) to remember before they get out and hike with little ones?

Number 1 make sure that MOM can handle the hike. All our activities are easy to moderate, but moms have to remember that it is exercise and they have to be recovered from labor before attempting it. Even if using an all-terrain stroller it's a lot of work to push up those hills!

Number 2 is baby's comfort. Always dressed appropriately and bring enough food, diapers, toys etc. on hand to last 2-3 hours. Some of the hikes are quite a drive away so parents have to be comfortable taking there little ones out for a long period of time and away from the car for a long period of time.

I notice you have meetings everyday, sometimes more than one! Do you plan each event yourself?

No, I have a few assistants that post hikes for me in their areas of choice. They make planning a variety of events possible and I could not do it without them! Thank-you!!!

How long did it take for you to attain the healthy member participation in your meetings?

Honestly - 1 Meetup! I think I had 15 members sign up in the first week and at least half came out to the first few meetings. Attendance dropped with the weather in the fall and winter but it's understandable when baby and parents are exposed to the elements.

Do you advertise your Meetup anywhere other than the Meetup site itself or is it all word-of-mouth?

It's all through the Meetup site and word of mouth - I get at least 5 people a week asking to join!

How did you discover Meetup.com?

I googled hiking groups in Vancouver a while back to find people to go with and the Meetup website came up. I love it! I've told so many friends to check it out for their hobbies.

Do you have any big plans for your Meetup in 2008?

Well, to keep interest up we are planning more and new hikes for each area, as well as adding some more difficult ones for those ready for it and toddler hikes for the parents whose babies don't want to be confined to strollers or packs anymore.

Carla, you are a stud! I am 45 and my kids are in college, but they were raised taking all vacations in National Parks across the USA. It helps that my husband is a geologist. Your hikes look like fun and very healthy for the kids. Congratulations, you deserve it. Barbara from California.

You go Carla!
What a wonderful idea you had. I am a young (42) grandma and was raising my grandson for about 3 years. I was a member of several Mommy/playgroup Meetups. But not one like the one you have. Amazing work! Good luck in continuing your master minded organized group.

Susan from Alabama

We're in New York, heading out to Mineola, LI, for a 'candid' chat with the
Meetup Organizer of the Week for March 24, 2008, Adrienne and the Long Island Photography Meetup Group

"We Listen, We Thank, We Showboat and Review." This is the unspoken, yet incredibly effective method utilized by Adrienne and her awesome team of Assistant Organizers to create, time after time, interesting, topical and well attended Meetups.

The group's organizational team can easily gage the members preferences via the utilization of just about every bell and whistle available on her Meetup pages. Photo albums (natch), polls and the message board receive full attention from her members!

Read on - Adrienne's got this down! The group is also the subject of a recent article in Long Island Newsday - check it out on the Meetup Press Page.

You're the self-titled "Compulsively Obsessed Group Leader" of your Meetup Group -- can you put into words the 'certain something' that inspires you?

Ha - I actually asked a member how to describe me, and that's what he came up with. There are a few things really:

A.) I get a kick out of organization. I'm one of those people that squeaks with happiness in a container store. Kids to go candy stores, I go to Staples and organizational supply stores. When I leave I feel like I drank five espressos.

B.) I love looking at shots from other photographers in our group, it's incredibly motivational. I've learned a lot from so many talented photographers in our group - like Roni and Tiger, my assistant organizers.

I'm a graphic designer/art director/business owner as well, so any good design as well as photography gets the creative juices going.

C.) Coffee.

I noticed how you incorporate all of the available functionality on your Meetup page, in particular your personal message boards. Do you find the board a useful gage in planning upcoming events, members likes and dislikes, etc.

I think the boards are crucial to the prosperity of the group. Members get a visual on the quality and quantity of their membership from the boards as well as the actual Meetups. Besides what I mentioned in the next question, members get a lot of answers to their specific questions about photography and related equipment, and they feel more involved in Meetups because they had a "voice" when it came to creating the events (through online discussions and polls).

How do you go about deciding on the dates/locations/themes for your Meetups?

We've got an unspoken method being used...

We listen:
Every Meetup has been spawned by the idea from one of our members. We comb all our message threads and create polls asking members where and when they would like to go. Once the polls are closed and the outings are posted, we gather additional information via the message boards as to the specifics of each event. You'd be surprised how much members know about specific locations and how willing they are to offer insights and advice in order to make a Meetup successful.

We thank:
It takes so much to create any event - all the organizers know this. But thanking everyone involved is so crucial. Even the tiniest detail could help many people, so we try to post a summary and thank all involved members after the event is over.

We showboat:
It's easy for us to showboat because we ARE photographers. But even if your group isn't photography-based, consider bringing cameras to events. Most people love to see themselves in photos and giving members 15-minutes-of-fame in the photo albums, on the message boards, in the About Us page... keeps them coming back for more.

We review:
We try to summarize each Meetup online after the event. And since folks like to return to locations every few months, we try to incorporate everyone's input and suggestions for the re-run.

Why did you decide to start this Meetup group?

Ahh... this one is hard for me... I had a close friendship years ago; we were like two silly high school "BFFs."

Unfortunately I loaned her a few cameras and she broke them. She also claimed to win an online photo contest - with my photo. So it got ugly and the friendship ended. It took years for me to pick up a camera again because I had felt so betrayed.

Because I knew I would keep talking myself out of shooting alone, and knew I could organize a group, I formed the Long Island Photography Meetup. This way I was almost "forced" to go. But as you can see, there's no "forcing" involved here.

Would you say your life has changed or been enhanced because of your involvement with Meetup? How?

I think a lot of us would say that we're not "living the dream" in the workplace, so our photography group offers that substitution where my job falls a little flat. I work with brilliant photographers like my assistants Roni Chastain and tiger (with a small "t"!) who help me so much... I don't know where we'd be without them.

Do you have a favorite Meetup story?

I can't help but think of the first Meetup. It was Roni, Arnie, Roy, Pete as well as me. Such quality photographers attending our first Meetup, and I'm so proud to be a part of their lives. I remember coming home to my husband and telling him, "Yeah. I think this'll be good."

The other adventures that I'll never forget is when I was pregnant. members would say, "You're out here and you're pregnant???" And after I had Cole, I brought him to Meetups. One of his photos was featured on Newsday.com's home page - we were at an arboretum together.

Where do you see your Meetup headed in 2008?

We've been created a lot more intricate Meetups, including a tour up the lighthouse on Fire Island this April. We're also considering Photo Open Mic Nights and an anniversary Meetup party. So the quality of Meetups is definitely improving.

Any final words?

Well I wish Meetup would have "Assistant Organizers of the Week" because without Roni and tiger, we wouldn't be where we are now. They're excellent photographers as well as assistants and I appreciate them to no end.

Lets get into the 'swing' with the Meetup Organizer of the Week for March 31, 2008, Ray and The Lower Mainland Golfers Meetup.

Spring is in the air and for many this means one thing: Golf! The links beckon...and Ray is right there with the action.

Ray takes his role as Meetup Organizer seriously. After taking over an abandoned Golf Meetup in Vancouver, he's rallied an impressive and active group of novice and experienced golfers. The Lower Mainland Golfers Meetup Group was the subject of a recent article in the Chilliwack Times.
He is a true host who always has the best interests of his members at heart. I especially like the 'wristband' identification system he's initiated. Ray's dedication to the enjoyment of his members is commendable as well as inspirational.

When did your interest in the game of golf begin?

When I was 17 my friends and I started playing pitch and putt golf courses and graduated to the big courses within a few years

What was the impetus behind the origin of the Lower Mainland Golf Meetup group?

I joined this golf Meetup group in February 2007 when it was called the Vancouver Golfers Meetup Group.

The Organizer at that time held his Meetups on Thursday nights at 8pm in his downtown apartment. As you can imagine, no one showed up to his Meetups and he dropped out as organizer a few months later. I was intrigued and excited about this Meetup concept so I stepped up as Organizer.

I have a passion for the game and wanted to promote the game to new golfers. I purchased training aids for our group to help golfers improve their game. I also purchased handicapping software so we could have an even playing field and have fair competitions for all participants. As you would expect, every one of my Meetups are held on a golf course or driving range.

What are a few of the key elements to your success as a Meetup Organizer?

I feel my job as organizer is to ensure everyone is happy and having a good time. If we are holding a golf clinic then I make sure everyone has received their fair share of instruction. There are always a couple of wallflowers that are shy and won't speak up, so I do it for them.

Plus, I feel it necessary to be at the clubhouse to greet the first group in to keep the group dynamic in sync. I also want to take pictures during the event to promote this group further.

Tell us about BCGolfPages and the role it plays in support of the Meetup group.

BCGolfPages is an online golf directory that I created and launched in February 2007.

There wasn't an easy way to find out which golf courses offered leagues, tournaments or specials etc. You had to visit 10 different web sites or subscribe to 10 different newsletters and I wanted to provide an easier way for golfers to obtain this information.

I give the golf courses two payment options; $25.00 per month or 1 weekday foursome per month of their membership. So far, every golf course has opted to give me foursomes instead of cash. I give these foursomes away at the end of each month on BCGolfPages in an effort to promote word of mouth advertising. This month I am giving away 18 foursomes and next month I have 25 foursomes to award as prizes.

Winners only have 72 hours to claim their prize; any unclaimed foursomes are used as prizes at our golf Meetups. I always pull one foursome out of the pool for each Meetup or clinic as prize just in case all foursome are claimed by the winners.

I also post any coupons that appear on BCGolfPages on the Meetup message board to help save our Meetup members a few bucks off their next round.

Which events are most popular with your members?

The golf clinics are the most popular and sell out very quickly.

Unfortunately I can only fit 20-30 people at these clinics due to instructor/student ratios. I suspect that the majority of members in my group are novice golfers and feel intimidated by the more accomplished players and full sized golf courses.

These golf clinics are taught by certified CPGA instructors and provide a solid foundation for those that are new to the game. They also help the seasoned golfer by providing the one or two pointers that may correct any swing flaws.

Speaking of events, yours are extremely well-attended. Is it difficult to manage the larger groups?

It's funny; I don't think the events are extremely well attended. I have almost 250 members and still only have just 10-15% of the members actually attending.

I am hoping to draw 60-80 or 100 people to these golf Meetups. Hopefully I can achieve a higher turn out once the weather turns and the golf season is in full swing.

As for managing the larger groups, I do not find it that difficult. I come prepared with a roster sheet complete with names and assigned tee-times. I mark the people off this list as they arrive and hand them a draw ticket for prizes and wristband to wear. The wristband provides proof of payment to the golf course and also lets everyone know who at this golf event is in our group.

The wristband makes a good ice-breaker to introduce yourself to other members and I think people prefer it to wearing a name tag.

If you could offer three suggestions a new Organizer to help them plan successful events, what would they be?

Plan and post several event/Meetups well in advance so members can plan for and attend the event.

Be sure to meet and thank each person that attends the event. Show them your appreciation and make them feel special. Let them know that without active and participating members like themselves that this Meetup group would not exist.

Take pictures at each event and post them in the Photos section on the Meetup website to entice other people to join your group.

Do not close your Meetup group for members only, let everyone see what you are doing and how much fun you are having.

Do you have any big plans in the works for 2008?

I am working on securing an 18-hole putting course for our July or August Meetup. This is a par 72 putting course that will be ours exclusively for the entire day. It comes complete with a large tent and barbeque.

I think this event will be well attended because it allows the non-golfers to attend and participate, plus I believe most in this group joined for the social aspects rather than competitive golfing.

It's a tall order! The guy wants 2000 dollars for one day rental and if I am to host a BBQ then I will need a few helpers. It looks fantastic though, Poppy Estate

Last but not least, what's your current handicap?

Currently 11 but I am working on lowering it.

Congratulations Ray!!!! You're inspiring!

We're in Dallas this week to sit a spell with the deepest hearts in Texas, The Meetup Organizer of the Week for April 7, 2008, Lance and The Random Acts of Kindness Volunteer/Non-Profit Meetup Group

"Few are the giants of the soul who actually feel that the human race is their family circle."
--Freya Stark

Lance and a contingent of 14 (and growing) Assistant Organizers (giants!) have created a haven of love and compassion for many deserving residents of the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

This outpouring of kindness has extended to other major cities in the Midwest. Random Acts of Kindness Meetup groups are growing in Denver and Minneapolis as well!

Lance utilizes many of the identification and advertising options available through Meetup.com. His group badges can be found on not only his personal websites, but also the sites belonging to his AO's and members.

They are vigilant about letting people know who they are and the result is a grassroots empire of universal understanding.

From black-tie fund raisers, golf outings and soup kitchens to supporting the troops overseas and caring for the needs of children, seniors, animals, the homeless and abused -- these guys do it ALL!

Read on - within one year this group has grown to perhaps the largest volunteer network on Meetup.com.

Thanks, Lance and all of your members for your selfless strides-- making the world just a little bit easier for those in need!

From black-tie events to baloney sandwich soirées, this Meetup encompasses a full range of volunteer opportunities. What resources do you use to corral such varied events for your members to avail their time and talents?

We really don't have one set formula. Many of our activities include organizations and causes that either myself or the assistant organizers were involved with prior to joining the Random Acts of Kindness Volunteer Meetup.

Some of the non-profits I have been involved with include The Family Place (domestic violence shelter), SPCA, International Rescue Committee (resettles refugees) and Make-A-Wish (provides wishes to kids with life threatening diseases - AO Kathyrn is also a Wishgranter) and so we added some of their activities to our calendar.

Many of the Assistant Organizers have also been involved with numerous organizations as well and have added events related to those groups. AO?s Tharuma, Angela A. and Eric have all previously volunteered with Habitat for Humanity (builds affordable housing in partnership with people in need, AO Melanie with SoupMobile (prepares and takes food to the homeless), AO Angela with USO, AO Jo with Love For Kids (supports underprivileged and kids with challenges), AO Leanne with the Alzheimer's Association, AO Gloria with Easter Seals and AO Don with the Cowtown Marathon.

Other activities we sought out because we felt there was a real need such as our monthly visits serving meals at the Salvation Army ( which I was referred to through the United Way) and visiting residents at Ashford Hall Senior Center (which AO Melanie found out about after contacting Senior Source). AO Dawn also set an event in conjunction with the Metroplex 4F Singles to help soldiers get pre-paid phone cards after member Karen told her how expensive it is for soldiers in Iraq to make long distance calls.

Sometimes we see other groups post events and we join in with them such as when we served the homeless on Christmas Day at the Dallas Life Foundation. We have a very active thread on our message board where members suggest group activities.
We have also been contacted by both non-profits requesting our assistance and venues wishing to host our monthly fund raising happy hours that benefit a different charity each time.

As far as Smiling Baloney Sandwich get-togethers and black tie events, it just shows that we can get messy and we can clean up well. We have fun either way!

You've been a member of Meetup for many years. How has your association with us changed or enhanced your life?

I have made so many friends and met a lot of terrific people through Meetup. Meetup is a great way to find people who share similar interests.

You're also a member of several local chapters of national charities. Considering your long-time involvement in the non-profit world, do you consider Meetup.com a valuable tool not only to coordinate events but to get the word out about the opportunities available for those interested in giving back to the community?

Definitely. Some of our members now volunteer regularly with non-profits that they were introduced to through the Random Acts Meetup. Our message board is also used by members to post items related to non-profits that they are involved with.

Tell us about your involvement with ArtFest and your own business, CD Source.

Artfest is a festival that is put on by The 500 Inc., a non-profit that supports performing and visual arts organizations in Dallas. I booked most of the entertainment and co-managed the stages for nine years. Much of the entertainment was local and I really enjoyed discovering talented musicians in all types of genres. We also would usually have a couple of national headliners at each festival.

I had to keep some rather exuberant fans from climbing a fence and coming backstage when we had Davy Jones and it was similar with Chris Botti although they were more laid back about it! I also got one of those infamous phone calls from a band manager an hour before stage time saying that if his performer did not get hummus he wasn't going on! That was the exception though as most of the managers were great people and it was really fun hanging out with the bands.

I opened CD Source back in 1993 so this year will be our 15th Anniversary! We have been named "Best Used CD Store" three times in recent years by the Dallas Observer which is the primary local weekly publication. We carry a vast selection of all types of music and we have a large selection of DVDs as well. We buy hundreds of CDs and DVDs every day so we get a lot of regular customers that come in several times a week just to check out our new arrivals.

Many customers have been coming to us for years and spend hours in the store. In fact the Observer once named us "Best Music Browsing Mecca". You can find out more about us at www.myspace.com/cdsource .

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Do you promote this Meetup group via additional on and/or offline advertising?

I send out notices to some friends and contacts that have very large email distribution lists. I also post some of our events with a couple of local groups outside of Meetup (DFW Outdoors and Young Active Professionals). I use Facebook and MySpace to post bulletins, and blog about our activities.

Many of the Assistant Organizers and members invite their friends and also send out notices. I also have the Random Acts link that Meetup provides on both my personal and store's MySpace pages. Many of our members and assistant organizers do the same.

AO Eric prints up badges and signs with our name and logo which really helps promote the group when we are at an event with non-members such as Love For Kids.

Other Meetup groups have graciously cross-posted many of our events and listed them on their message boards. That in particular has helped with attendance at our fundraising events.

A number of members that have recently joined said they heard good things about us from other Meetups.

What role(s) do your Assistant Organizers play to help the events success?

We have the best Assistant Organizers! I really appreciate this honor but consider this to be an award for all of our organizers. They research, make the necessary contacts, plan and host events. They are also great about recruiting members.

Having 14 (and growing!)Assistant organizers with diverse interests allows us to offer both a large number and a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. The DFW area is large geographically and since our Assistant Organizers live in different areas it allows us to better reach most of the Metroplex.

We get a lot of great suggestions but it takes the AO's planning and hosting events to make them happen. We also take a lot of photos which our members appreciate and helps recruit new members as they can see what we do and how much we enjoy it.

AO's Jo, Dawn, MaryJane and Angela A. also often post "shouts" to new members welcoming them and many of us post follow up shouts after events.

Where do you see this Meetup group headed in the years to come? Any big plans?

Angela, who is currently one of our Assistant Organizers, started Random Acts a year ago this month. It started with a planning meeting of her, myself (I was an AO at the time) and AO Jason.

I became the organizer last summer. We are already up to 752 members in one year's time (fourth largest Meetup in Dallas and, I believe, the largest pure volunteer Meetup in the country) so our membership potential is unlimited. I believe we can become the largest Meetup in Dallas.

More importantly, I see us becoming known for supporting DFW area non-profits as well as continuing to provide "Random Acts of Kindness" to people who can use a helping hand. In the years to come I would like to see us be able to offer more events (at least 3-4 a week) as we continue to grow. Currently, many of our events fill up so we will need more events in order to provide opportunities for a larger membership to participate. We will add on more Assistant Organizers from our membership to put on the events. We will continue to have fun and make friendships!

I would also like to see us support organizations addressing world hunger. According to the U.N., 18,000 kids die every day worldwide due to hunger and malnutrition. I am certain that if those kids were just in the U.S. then it would be solved tomorrow. It shouldn't make any difference that these kids live in other countries.

Angela has also started a Random Acts Meetup in Denver that already has 150 members (she is moving there shortly) and a relative of hers has started one in Minneapolis. I believe there is also one starting in Tampa. So hopefully we'll take over the world with Random Acts of Kindness!

Congratulation, Lance!! I know you were busy with your business. But putting in the extra time and effort in build a strong non-profit group for our community is great!

Thank you, Lance!

See you soon at one of our 9 groups' monthly meetings!

Aimee
BusinessPRnews.com for our 9 Meetup groups