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World Rhythm Festival

Volunteer Quick Reference

Emergencies – get on the radio

T-Shirts $15 each (missing a size? get on the radio)

SWPS Bumpersticker $2 each, free with membership

Raffle Tickets $2 ea/ 6 for $10 (djembe, bongos, 2 Zakir Hussain tix) [Fill out back of ticket, put in envelope, they keep half.]

Combo Deal $20 (shirt & 3 raffle tickets)

SWPS Memberships $40 [Fill out and get form, give Member ship packet from box, put form in appropriate envelope.]

Festival Supporter Super Pack $50 (shirt, membership, 3 raffle tickets, bumpersticker)

Payment Methods – Cash or check only. Debit machines on site for CC

Complaints or Suggestions? Fill out Feedback Form

Directions to all locations in back of this book

Earplugs available upon request

Need Help? Other Questions? – get on the radio

World Rhythm Festival

Volunteer Guide

Welcome

NOTE: This page is obsolete. Please go to http://swps.org. The Seattle World Percussion Society thanks you for volunteering at the World Rhythm Festival. Your staffing here enables us to provide high quality service to festival participants and generate revenue for the festival. In exchange for working a two hour shift at the table today, you will receive a free World Rhythm Festival T-Shirt.

We very much appreciate your efforts today. We have provided this guide and access to support resources to enable you to feel comfortable doing this task, and to get you the help you need, when you need it.

About This Guide

This guide offers a wide range of information covering a variety of situations. It is provided as a reference guide so you have access to the information when you need it. You are not obligated to read the entire guide, but you should first look here if you have any questions.

Support

Our on-site Volunteer Coordinator is Joe Wolfe. He will be on site for the entire festival. In addition, any SWPS Board Member can assist with any issue you may encounter. The Seattle Center Staff can also assist with facilities issues or in the case of emergencies.

Identification

While you are working at the table, you are asked to wear a red Volunteer Badge on a red lanyard. This badge will identify you to festival participants as an official volunteer. We ask you to wear the badge to enable us to monitor our staffing.

SWPS Board Members will be wearing similar blue Board Member badges on a blue lanyard and should be easily identifiable. Board Members may stop by and assist with the staffing of the tables.

Please be sure to leave your volunteer badge at the table at the end of your shift.

About the Tables

There are three information tables at the World Rhythm Festival. One is located by the Center House Stage, just next to the audio control booth on the 2^nd floor of the Center House. There is also a table located upstairs on the 3^rd floor in the Center House, in the lobby area where the main workshop rooms are. The third table is located in the Snoqualmie Room by the Key Arena.

Communications

Each table is provided with a radio to facilitate communications with others at the festival. These radios operate on a simple push-to-talk basis. When you wish to speak, simple press the “TALK” button and speak normally. When you are done speaking, release the button. Only one party may speak at a time, so you must wait until the other party has completed speaking before you can begin.

Please identify yourself on the radio based on which table you are working at: Upstairs, Downstairs or Pavilion. The following individuals and locations are equipped with radios;

To reach either of these people or locations, simply say, “Ed or John, this is Upstairs” or your table location. We’ll quickly get back to you with the support you need.

Feel free to raise Ed, John or Joe on the radio if you are presented with any situation that you feel uncomfortable dealing with.

In addition, each table will be a liaison contact point for the Seattle Center Staff. If they ask you for any help, just raise John or Ed on the radio and we’ll help take care of it. And if we need to contact the Seattle Center Staff, we may have the Upstairs table walk over to the Seattle Center Customer Service desk with our request.

In addition to the radios, Ed McNichol is equipped with a mobile phone at 425-239-4414.

Emergencies

Should any emergency situation arise, immediately state the nature of the problem on the radio. We’ll then summon the appropriate assistance. Ed is in contact with Seattle Center Staff and their communication system. He is able to summon assistance if needed.

Maps and Locations

As you have probably seen, the Seattle Center has gone through major changes recently. The Flag Pavilion and Flag Plaza have been torn down and replaced with the Fisher Pavilion. To accommodate these changes and due to budget issues, we’ve had to rearrange the festival a bit. The Center Pavilion South has been closed by the Seattle Center. This is the building which used to house the dance workshops and marketplace. The dance workshops are now in the Snoqualmie Room in the Northwest Rooms. We are now using Theater 4 of Theater Puget Sound and the Workroom on the 3^rd floor.

Seattle Center maps are available at the Seattle Center Information desk located on the main floor of the Center House. Two copies of the map are on each table for your use and reference. A yellow line shows that path between the different areas of the festival.

Table Priorities

The primary task of the tables is to generate revenue for the festival. Second in importance is being a communication link. You will also provide information and assistance to festival participants. If you are swamped at any point, please try to focus on generating revenue, and keep an ear out for the radio. If you need help, get on the radio and ask for it.

Table Supplies

Each table is equipped with the following supplies:

ü      Shirts in assorted sizes

ü      Demo Shirt Display

ü      Cash box

ü      Programs

ü      A plastic bin containing;

o       Volunteer Guide

o       2 Seattle Center Maps w/ schedule

o       Donation Box

o       Clear Plastic Cube with pens

o       Sample pre-washed Large shirt

o       Clipboard with Completed and Blank Mailing List Envelopes

o       Clipboard with Completed and Blank Membership Form Envelopes

o       Clipboard with Completed and Blank Feedback Form Envelopes

o       Envelope for Completed Raffle Tickets

o       Raffle Tickets

o       Radio

o       Sign Easel

o       Free Earplugs

o       3 Volunteer Badges

Table Display

The table should be organized, and the shirts should be prominently displayed. The shirts should be arranged by size. You should feel free to take possession of your free shirt and wear it while working your shift at the table.

These items should be placed on the table in clear view and available;

ü      Shirts in assorted sizes

ü      Sample pre-washed Large shirt

ü      Donation Box

ü      Festival Programs

ü      Clear Plastic Cube with pens

ü      Clipboard with Blank Mailing List Forms

ü      Clipboard with Blank Membership Forms

ü      Clipboard with Blank Feedback Forms

ü      Sign with Sale Info (may require the easel)

Keep the cashbox and raffle tickets at the rear center of the table or in another secure location. It can be placed on a chair behind the table if one is available.

Our Message

It is important that people hear a uniform message from SWPS. SWPS produces the entire festival and offers it free of charge. This is the 11^th time the festival has taken place at the Seattle Center. We also provide drums and drum circle facilitator s throughout the year to local organizations. We do important work and rely strongly on the support we receive at the World Rhythm Festival to continue our work. Without the support of festival attendees, we will not be able to produce a festival next year. We are an IRS approved nonprofit organization. We believe in the positive effects of rhythm and dance. We strive to provide opportunities for people to experience this powerful force in their lives.

Support Opportunities

We are offering participants a number of ways to support the World Rhythm Festival. The festival provides over 60 artists offering 50+ workshops and 20 performances during three days, all for free. It is produced by the Seattle World Percussion Society, a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation. The Seattle Center provides some support, but they are also paid for the space and manpower they provide. To raise funds, we sell t-shirts, raffle tickets, bumperstickers and memberships. These support opportunities and their pricing levels are listed below, and are also listed on a sign at each table. It is important to inform people WHY they should purchase these items – “Care to help support the festival today?”

T-Shirts

Our primary goal is to sell every single t-shirt we have had made. These shirts are a fantastic way for people to show that they attend and support the festival, and we hate to have any leftovers. The shirts are $15.00 each and there are no quantity discounts or other price breaks. The shirts feature the art of Bill Matthews of Fremont Drum. They are Port and Company (relabeled Hanes) 100% Preshrunk Cotton black shirts, and are available in sizes Small, Medium, Large, XL, and 2XL. To assist people in choosing a size, each table has been provided with a sample Large shirt that has been washed and dried five times following the care instructions on the label. These instructions call for washing the shirt inside-out in cold water and drying on medium heat. The sample shirt has an informational label attached with this data on it.

We do not offer any other color or size choices. If people indicate to you that they can not find the size they want, first check with the other tables via the radio to see if one is available for them. If not, please get this information back to us so we can adjust our shirt order for next year. You can either note this in your notebook or have them fill out a Feedback Form.

Raffle Tickets

We are conducting a raffle to benefit the festival. There are three prizes. The first is two tickets to see Zakir Hussain at the King Cat Theater in Seattle next Saturday, May 3^rd. The next is a set of Toca Bongos. The grand prize is an authentic Djembe drum from Mali. The raffle tickets are $2.00 each or 6 for $10. The drawing will be held at the Great Northwest Drum Circle on Sunday night at about 5:30pm. The winner does not need to be present at the drawing.

The djembe and bongos will be present at one of the tables during the festival. People are encouraged to see it touch it, and play a note or two on it, but it can not leave the table area. There is no cash value to the prizes and no substitutions.

When you sell a raffle ticket, the purchaser must fill in their contact information on the back of the ticket portion labeled “Ticket”. At a bare minimum, we must have their telephone number. This part then goes into the Completed Raffle Ticket Envelope. The purchaser keeps the numbered “Keep This Coupon” portion. Please stop the sale of Raffle Tickets at 5:00pm on Sunday so we can collect the tickets in time for the drawing.

Combo Deal

We offer an opportunity for people to purchase several of the items we have available, and we do this by offering a Combo Deal and a Festival Supporter Super Pack option. The Combo Deal includes a shirt and three raffle tickets for $20.00. This is a savings of $1.00 and delivers a great looking shirt and three chances to win. With little effort you should be able to turn a shirt purchase into a Combo Deal.

SWPS Memberships

A great way for people to support the festival is to become a member of the Seattle World Percussion Society. SWPS is a membership-based nonprofit organization that promotes drumming and dance in the Pacific Northwest, and the use of drum and dance for community building and diversity appreciation. We offer more than 300 drums, drum circle facilitators and volunteers to local schools, youth groups, senior centers and nonprofit organizations for their use. We also produce large scale community drum circles at Bumbershoot, the University Street Fair, WOMAD and Summer Nights at the Pier.

SWPS annual memberships are for a 12 month period. They range in price level but are generally $40.00 each and there are no quantity discounts or other price breaks. Other levels of support are available, and these are listed on the Membership Application. SWPS Members receive a range of benefits, and these are listed on the membership form. When somebody joins SWPS, they should fill out the Membership form. In return, they should receive a Membership Packet, which includes a SWPS bumpersticker. The completed Membership form goes in the envelope Completed Membership Forms.

Festival Supporter Super Pack

For those considering a SWPS Membership, we offer the membership, a t-shirt, a bumpersticker and three raffle tickets for $50.00. This is the best way to support the festival.

Payment Methods

A cash box is maintained at each table. We accept U.S. currency and personal checks only. We are unable to accept debit/credit cards or Canadian currency. There are several ATM machines on the Seattle Center grounds, and they are indicated on the center map. If you need additional change, contact John or Ed on the radio.

Fund Pickups

Occasionally, funds will be collected from the cash box at each table. These pickups can only happen if TWO SWPS BOARD MEMBERS arrive to collect the proceeds from your cash box. They will be identifiable by the blue identification badges on blue lanyards. Do not allow any individual to remove funds from your cash box unless they are wearing a blue SWPS Board Member badge and are accompanied by another Board Member.

Donation Boxes

The tables also have a donation box. We accept any cash or check donation that people choose to make. If the box starts to appear full, remove some of the funds and place them in the cash box.

Feedback Form

Each table has a supply of blank Feedback Forms and a clipboard. Please keep several forms on the clipboard, and place it on the table in plain view. If anybody passes on a complaint to you, encourage them to fill out a Feedback Form. We would like to receive feedback from numerous participants this year. Encourage those with comments to fill out a feedback form. Once completed, please remove the form from the clipboard and place it in the Completed Feedback Forms envelope.

Mailing List

Each table also has a supply of blank SWPS Mailing List signup forms. This information will be used to send rhythm festival schedules and for very infrequent mailings about SWPS events. The information is not shared with any other organization and will not be sold. Completed mailing lists should be placed in the Completed Mailing List envelope.

Security

It is important to keep a watchful eye over your table. We have experienced theft in the past and need to be watchful. Most important is to monitor the cash box. In addition, we need to ensure the safekeeping of the rented radios. The raffle drums may occasionally be present at your table. Please take good care of them so we can deliver them in good condition.

In general, keep an eye on your table and don’t get distracted. If you have too many people there to keep control, ask for assistance on the radio.

Drum Check Area

We are offering a Drum Storage Area in the International Marketplace in the Fisher Pavilion. For $2.00, we will store drums and personal bags. There are no in and out privileges – the fee must be paid every time an instrument is checked in.

The drum check will operate from 10:30am to 6:00pm on Saturday and 11:30am to 5:15pm on Sunday.

We are offering a $5 day pass and a $15 Festival Pass. The Festival Pass includes overnight storage. Without a Festival Pass, people MUST claim their instrument before the storage area closes each day. SWPS assumes no responsibility for items lost, damaged or stolen.

The Drum Check area is being operated by Urgent Africa! – a nonprofit organization. 100% of the proceeds from the drum check go to this worthy organization.

Should the drum storage area experience a sudden increase in use, we may ask a volunteer at the upstairs table to help out for a short period of time. If you are not familiar with percussion instruments or prefer not to move heavy drums, please let us know and we’ll make other arrangements.

Workshop Arrangements

Our workshops are open to the public and seating is on a first-come basis. We have tried to allocate workshop rooms based on anticipated attendance, but some workshops can become very crowded. We encourage people to show up early if they desire seating for a workshop. We do not take workshop reservations.

Workshop Schedules and Changes

Workshop Schedules were mailed in advance to people on the SWPS mailing list. In addition, there is a schedule inside the festival program. We have had some schedule changes, and these are reflected on the signs at the festival. Any last minute changes will be posted on signs at the tables. Please be sure to alert participants that their schedule may not be current.

Accessibility

The facilities of the Seattle Center are fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Seattle Center map shows the locations of ramps and elevators and other facilities for the disabled.

Hearing Protection

Some workshops and performances may generate elevated noise levels. SWPS provides earplugs at no cost at our information tables. These disposable earplugs come in individual packets and can be given away to those that request them. Instructions for use are on each packet. These earplugs are not designed for small children, and parents requesting earplugs should be advised to exercise caution and to limit their children’s exposure to elevated noise levels. Please do not place the earplugs out on the table – people tend to take them all and not use them. Earplugs are available upon request only.

The International Marketplace

The marketplace is located in the Center Pavilion South this year. We have over 30 vendors providing a wide range of goods. These vendors support the festival just by being here, so please encourage people to stop in at the marketplace if they have time to spare.

We’ve added several activities in the marketplace to encourage people to visit. These include Free Drum Tuning, the Drum Check, a Kid’s Coloring Area and “Meet the Artist”.

Shift Changes

It is important that the tables remain staffed at all times. At the end of your shift, please give your badge to the person relieving you. If you are not relieved on time, ask for assistance on the radio and we will relieve you as soon as possible. Under no circumstances should the tables be left unmanned.

Have Fun!

Remember, it’s not a festival if you aren’t having fun! Enjoy your shift and know that you are enabling this wonderful event to happen and continue. People come from all over the world and from all walks of life to the festival. Use your volunteer shift as an opportunity to show some rhythmical hospitality and get to meet some new faces. Thanks again for your support of the World Rhythm Festival!

Where is…?

Ø      The Center House Stage

Is located on the main level of the Center House. This is actually the SECOND floor of the building, although it is entered from the ground level on all sides except the north.

Ø      Saturday Night Dance

The Saturday Night Dance will occur on the Center House Stage – follow directions above.

Ø      Theater 4, 4th Floor

Is located on the top floor of the Seattle Center. It can be accessed via stairs or elevator.

The preferred method for getting to the fourth floor is to go to the information table on the third floor. Take a left turn and go to the end of the hallway. There is a short hallway off to the left, and a door to stairs. Go up the stairs to the fourth floor, make a left and Theater 4 is through the doors and on the left.

The elevator is located behind the stairs on the left on the second floor of the Center House. It is also located to the left of the information table on the third floor. Please note that the elevator is quite small and slow. It should only be recommended to individuals who can not use the stairs.

Ø      Workroom, 3rd Floor

Is located on the balcony level. From the Center House Stage, go up the stairs and make a left turn. The Workroom is straight ahead and slightly to the left.

Ø      Room H

Is located on the third floor. From the Center House Stage, go up the stirs and straight ahead to the information table. Make a left and Room H is the first door on your right.

Ø      Room A

Is located on the third floor. From the Center House Stage, go up the stirs and straight ahead to the information table. Make a right and Room A is the first door on your left.

Ø      Room B

Is located on the third floor. From the Center House Stage, go up the stirs and straight ahead to the information table. Make a right and Room B is the last door on your left.

Ø      Snoqualmie Room

Is located in the Northwest Rooms by the Key Arena. From the Center House Stage, walk away from the stairs and leave the Center House using the doors on the right. GO down the stairs towards the Fisher Pavilion, and then turn right towards the Key Arena. The Snoqualmie Room is to the right of the Key Arena.

Ø      Dance Workshops

The Dance Workshops are located in the Snoqualmie Room – follow directions above.

Ø      Great Northwest Drum Circle with Arthur Hull

This takes place in the Snoqualmie Room – follow directions above.

Ø      Mural Amphitheater

Is located in just outside the south side of the Center House. From the Center House Stage, walk away from the stairs and leave the Center House using the doors directly ahead. The Mural Amphitheater is straight ahead.

Ø      Ongoing Facilitated Drum Circle

Is located on the Mural Amphitheater – follow directions above.

Ø      Fisher Pavilion

From the Center House Stage, walk away from the stairs and leave the Center House using the doors on the right. The Fisher Pavilion is the building directly across from the Center House. Go down the stairs and the Fisher Pavilion entrance is on the left.

Ø      International Marketplace

The International Marketplace is in the Fisher Pavilion – follow directions above.

Ø      Meet the Artist

Is located in the International Marketplace in the Fisher Pavilion – follow directions above.

Ø      Drum Check

Is located in the International Marketplace in the Fisher Pavilion – follow directions above.

Ø      Drum Tuning

Is located in the International Marketplace in the Fisher Pavilion – follow directions above.