First-Timers Orientation Meeting during National Rally - ideas?

[dbbls59]

I think it would be beneficial to let everyone, not just first timers, know where their state chapter leader is parked. I was at Goshen in 2013 and when it was announced the Missouri Chapter was having a gathering around the chapter presidents trailer, I had to ask someone where it was. Luckily I had been to a state rally and knew some people from MO to ask. Also at the first timers meeting introduce the Regional and state chapter presidents.

 

[jbeletti]

I think it would be beneficial to let everyone, not just first timers, know where their state chapter leader is parked. I was at Goshen in 2013 and when it was announced the Missouri Chapter was having a gathering around the chapter presidents trailer, I had to ask someone where it was. Luckily I had been to a state rally and knew some people from MO to ask. Also at the first timers meeting introduce the Regional and state chapter presidents.

I agree. I am committed to including a list in the rally packets for all attendees, showing Chapter Leaders and Regional Directors and their site numbers. I won't likely include phone numbers or email addresses.

Here's a sample of what I'm thinking.

Area Position Name Section Site
Indiana Chapter Leader Hoyt and Mary Maisack South NNN
North Central Region Regional Director Dan and Karen Halvorsen South NNN

 

[jmgratz]

Several people over the last year have suggested that we have a program (orientation) at the National Rallies for "first-timers". First-timers in this sense, being those who are registered to attend a North American Heartland Owners Rally (aka - the National), where this will be their first time at a National Rally, but not necessarily their first Heartland rally.

So I throw this out there to all who have been to the National Rally. Thinking back to your first time at one of these:

1. What was the most mysterious, going into your first event?
2. What questions did you have going in, that was not answered online or in the rally packet?
3. If there would have been an Orientation Meeting of some sort for first-timers, what items would you have liked to have seen covered in the meeting?

Below is what I'm thinking right now, but I really want to hear from others.

The upcoming 2015 North American Heartland Owners Rally in Goshen will officially start at 8 am on a Tuesday and will end after breakfast the following Sunday.

Traditionally, and planned for 2015, we'll have an All-Attendee Welcome/Dessert Reception Tuesday evening at 7 pm. We do a complete agenda walk-through that evening for everyone an we take questions. So, I'm thinking a First-Timer Orientation Meeting would be something we'd want to do "before' Tuesday evening. In fact, I'm thinking about having it at 8:30 am on Tuesday in a private meeting room with coffee and donuts. The meeting style would be relaxed/informal. All First-timers would be identified during the rally registration process and would be invited to this meeting. They'd be asked to bring their agendas and wear their club badges. Julie and I would run the meeting and we'd have a couple of seasoned Rally Veterans on-hand to help.

A quick bulleted list of agenda items might be:

• Welcome
• Introduction of speakers
• Suggestion to wear club badges* during the entire rally
• Go through the rally agenda
• Take questions
• Just generally give the First-timer a sense of what they can expect during the rally and give them ideas on how they can get the most benefit from their rally

* It has been suggested that First-timers be easily identifiable to others in some way. Most suggestions are similar. Some sort of badge hanger or ribbon. So I am thinking through that, but I like the idea. Not so much to be a target but really, to be an identifier so all the Rally Veterans can go out of their way to welcome the First-timers and ask if they have any questions or need any hello with anything. You know - putting the Heart in Heartland

Give me some feedback you National Rally Veteran!

Thanks!

Personally I do not care for the identification as a Rookie (first time) rally attendee. The Escapee group does this and the first Escapade we attended we felt like were were treated as an 'outsider' and not a member of the Escapees. Just our opinion.

 

[jmgratz]

I agree. I am committed to including a list in the rally packets for all attendees, showing Chapter Leaders and Regional Directors and their site numbers. I won't likely include phone numbers or email addresses.

Here's a sample of what I'm thinking.

Area Position Name Section Site
Indiana Chapter Leader Hoyt and Mary Maisack South NNN
North Central Region Regional Director Dan and Karen Halvorsen South NNN

Maybe you can pattern the Rally after THE RALLY (Good Sam Rally). That is have the state chapters have their own flag and have their state members sit together and then have a state by state parade around the meeting hall. Then have state meeting within the rally. Seriously, if you want to have a Rally like the Good Sam Rally why not just go to the Good Sam Rally. Oh here is another idea. Why not park the same brand of rigs together then we can all meet like owners. Really, I thought the idea behind a national rally was to meet other owners (regardless of location or model) and get a chance to visit with them. The other alternative would be to have a name tag with their name, state, type of rig and member number.

 

[mmomega]

Several people over the last year have suggested that we have a program (orientation) at the National Rallies for "first-timers". First-timers in this sense, being those who are registered to attend a North American Heartland Owners Rally (aka - the National), where this will be their first time at a National Rally, but not necessarily their first Heartland rally.

So I throw this out there to all who have been to the National Rally. Thinking back to your first time at one of these:

1. What was the most mysterious, going into your first event?
2. What questions did you have going in, that was not answered online or in the rally packet?
3. If there would have been an Orientation Meeting of some sort for first-timers, what items would you have liked to have seen covered in the meeting?

Below is what I'm thinking right now, but I really want to hear from others.

The upcoming 2015 North American Heartland Owners Rally in Goshen will officially start at 8 am on a Tuesday and will end after breakfast the following Sunday.

Traditionally, and planned for 2015, we'll have an All-Attendee Welcome/Dessert Reception Tuesday evening at 7 pm. We do a complete agenda walk-through that evening for everyone an we take questions. So, I'm thinking a First-Timer Orientation Meeting would be something we'd want to do "before' Tuesday evening. In fact, I'm thinking about having it at 8:30 am on Tuesday in a private meeting room with coffee and donuts. The meeting style would be relaxed/informal. All First-timers would be identified during the rally registration process and would be invited to this meeting. They'd be asked to bring their agendas and wear their club badges. Julie and I would run the meeting and we'd have a couple of seasoned Rally Veterans on-hand to help.

A quick bulleted list of agenda items might be:

• Welcome
• Introduction of speakers
• Suggestion to wear club badges* during the entire rally
• Go through the rally agenda
• Take questions
• Just generally give the First-timer a sense of what they can expect during the rally and give them ideas on how they can get the most benefit from their rally

* It has been suggested that First-timers be easily identifiable to others in some way. Most suggestions are similar. Some sort of badge hanger or ribbon. So I am thinking through that, but I like the idea. Not so much to be a target but really, to be an identifier so all the Rally Veterans can go out of their way to welcome the First-timers and ask if they have any questions or need any hello with anything. You know - putting the Heart in Heartland

Give me some feedback you National Rally Veteran!

Thanks!

I like the idea of the 1st timers meeting, we would be there for sure and having a newbie badge of honor to wear could be a good idea.
It would definitely make it easier to identify if we (newbs) knew others were also 1st timers this may cause us to start conversations or talk to each other more because we now have something else in common. Just a thought.

Whatever you guys decide I'm in. This is going to be a fun trip.

Also, if you see this flag below on a rig, that's us, the LSU colored Texas Flag.

 

[2psnapod2]

1st timers meeting or Newbie meeting might be un-welcomed by some. How about calling it an Orientation Meeting. Also I really like the idea of a group of couples that are designated as the "Welcoming crew" that would go around and talk to everyone as they are getting set up and answer any questions anyone might have. Most of it would be "it's in your welcoming bag". But they could have a notebook with "Essential Information" that they could address any questions that might arise! If you need any help getting these notebooks together, I could help.

 

[Herbiesrig]

Jim, I just had another idea.. During election time we see alot of signs on yards and street corners, I was thinking that if each state leader, and regional director has a Heartland sign to put out in front of their Unit(space) that would be easier to look for a chapter leader or regional director. I have been considering checking for one of our own.

 

[Silverado23]

Maybe a pre-rally email sent to all the National first-timers would be helpful. This could include a short list of things that first-timers might not know or expect such as the rig weighing and checking in. I know that there is much information sent out through all the agendas and tours, etc. but this information could be overwhelming. The short list could be more geared towards the topic such as: Insider tips for attending my first national rally.

 

[danemayer]

For first timers, I'd suggest two very important things:

1. Let them know now that if at all possible, they should try to arrive early for at least part of the pre-rally. It may not be obvious to all that a lot of the best times will be during the pre-rally. At the very minimum, that will let them meet some people before the formal rally agenda gets underway.

2. They should plan to arrive early for every event. For dinner at 6:00, arrive at 5:30. For seminars, arrive 5-10 minutes early. For anything involving driving, plan to arrive 20-30 minutes early. For bus tours, arrive 15 minutes early. If you arrive on time, your seating choices will be very limited. Also, not being familiar with the venues, you may underestimate how long it takes to get where you're going. And parking can also be time consuming at off-site venues.

 

[Silverado23]

Dan,

Now those are some great tips for first-timers.

 

[elwaller39]

I think that would be a great idea. This way the first timers will feel much more at home and will feel more apart of the group.

 

[Nabo]

I like the idea of having a state chapter leader sign outside the front of the camper. I would make it as generic as possible so that it could be passed down to the next chapter leader as chapters change. Something like the HL logo, the shape of the state below logo and then say that's state name Chapter Leader. EXP would be:
HL Logo
The shape of the state (in my case the state of Tennessee)
Tennessee Chapter Leaders (do not put their names so that the sign could be used over and over again as leaders change)