Community Center Committee

Fest Meeting Notes

August 17, 2009

Present: Jake Ellefson, Jane Young, Dianna Young, Paula McDonald, Celia Hansen, and Kari Sena Gordon

Absent: Patrick Shay, Lorel Gordon, and Kerstin Ellefson

Financial information:  We have a fund balance of $17,846.60.  The Fest took in $2331, which is $223 less than last year.

Kari received her check of……???.....

We would like to thank the volunteer accompanists.  Maren Schutz used her time for community service and will not be given money.  We would like to give Alec Reiss $50 again this year and Katherine Evan’s $25.  Constance and Mercer Schuchardt accompanied on violin.  Dan Hansen and Dave Ranney set up and hauled the sound system.

400 programs were printed with a few left over.  The programs were in color and put together by Lorel again this year.

The Fest start time was changed to 7:45 PM from 8:00 PM.  The start time wasn’t clearly understood by all.  Solutions could be having larger posters, more of them, and using the sandwich sign boards.  It was suggested that we start at 7:30 PM next year.  It was also suggested that we either make the parade a bigger deal or save it for special anniversary times.  Improvements could be that the instruments would be on mics, have the dancers enter from three or four directions, tallest to smallest, and have the dancers gather on stage to sing an opening song.

One of the stage lights needs to be adjusted.  The one closest to school is pointing down on the crowd more than on the stage.  This caused dimmer lighting on the stage and a low swarm of bugs that the audience members had to deal with.

The Fest had a few hiccups, but over-all the dancers were well prepared.  The High School level started practice earlier with four weeks of rehearsal time.  We would like to work on the noise level during the younger kids practices.  It is very distracting for those groups.  Fest practice appears to be a social hour for parents in the gym, which is a big part of the noise.

Audience members disrespect continues to be a problem.  Children were very disruptive by the Rutledge Room, running up on the hill, and a few by the stage.  The focus of some parents is not where it needs to be during the performance. Some ideas were tossed around: send home stronger notes with families, create an entrance to reduce the opening by the Rutledge Room, hang more black curtain, request security by Tyler for the parking lot area, and making an announcement at the beginning of the Fest… that lost or disruptive children will be brought to the stage for their retrieval by the responsible parents and the Fest will continue after they have done so.

Jayme Bastian offered to sew girls dresses this winter.  Mary Jo Purinton bought a costume from Mary Schacht and donated it to the collection.  The knickers that were altered this year were a great addition as well.  Many thanks to Paula, Sue Miller, and Barb who put in a load of time on this.  We still need the Town Crew to build additional racks for costumes in the storage area.

We discussed gym security and how Kari handles that responsibility.  Kari checks both bathrooms, checks down by the library, and secures the doors.  She has had more issues with people hiding down by the library trying to use the internet than in the past.