Minicon Week April 9-17

Minicon 41 is happening April 14-16, 2006. So what's this Minicon week stuff, and why is it lasting nine days? Even though the convention itself only lasts three days, a lot of work goes into preparing things before the con starts, and in cleaning up after the con ends. We need your help during the con, but we need your help even more before and after the con. There are work parties, loading trips and lots of setup that needs to be done, and we could sure use your help.

Minicon meeting, April 9

The last Minicon concom meeting before the convention. Starting at 2 pm at the home of Carol Kennedy and Jonathan Adams, 3328 Colfax Avenue South, Minneapolis.

Wednesday Evening Work Party, April 12

The first work party will be held Wednesday evening, April 12, starting at 7 pm. Planned work involves making signage and assembling the program book. This will be done at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel. Look for signs or ask at the front desk to find out which room we're in. This is also a great time to sign up for volunteer shifts.

Loading Supplies

Also Wednesday evening starting at around 7 pm we'll be doing the load out of the storage locker. This will be starting from the hotel, so show up there if you'd like to help with this. This is where we really need your help. Loading the truck is the most physical activity and the more volunteers we have the faster it goes. Much of the evening setup depends upon getting the contents of the storage locker to the hotel so the earlier we can get this done, the better.

Thursday, April 13

Consuite Setup

Joel and Beth will begin decorating the consuite at 12:00 pm (noon). Show up at the hotel and head for the consuite and they'll put you to work.

Art Show Setup

Art show needs helpers to assemble the art show panels and hang art starting at about 1 pm.

Friday - Sunday, April 14-16

There are many opportunities throughout the weekend to volunteer. Check with the Volunteer's table for a complete list of opportunities.

Here are a few of the highlights.

Art Show Cashier & Coat Check

The cashier handles sales transactions in the print shop, while the coat check person checks bags and coats at the door. A pretty plum job, seeing that you get to sit around all that pretty art.

Bartenders

Hey Barkeep, put a head on that. Possibly the most important job in the convention, the consuite is putting out the call for bartenders. Pour beer and blog, and serve up the pretzels. Without bartenders the bar closes early. Joel is looking for bartenders to work two hour shifts starting at 6 pm on Friday until around 3 am Saturday, and from around 6 pm Saturday until 3 am Sunday.

Chefs & Cooks

The consuite is planning on having a number of food events and would like some people to oversee them. There will be a pizza party on Friday afternoon and special food events on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Consuite Monitors aka Twinkies

The people who make sure that everyone's consuite experience is a good one. Make sure the food bowls are full and take care of any trash that people might accidentally leave behind. Shifts are two hours each and go pretty much all weekend starting at 4 pm Friday.

Bagel Run

Make a run for the border, or at least the bagel shop. We need someone to go pick up the hot fresh bagels early Saturday and Sunday mornings for the consuite.

Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger

We need badgers to check that people going into the consuite area have convention badges. Shifts are two hours long, start at 4 pm on Friday and run through the weekend. (Mushroom! Mushroom! [sorry, I couldn't resist])

Volunteer Wranglers

Prowl the halls, consuite and parties hunting down idle fen, asking, begging and cajoling them into becoming volunteers. Help the convention and gain the undying gratitude of the Head of Volunteers.

Volunteer Table

People are needed to staff the volunteer table during the weekend. Shifts are one hour each and follow the same hours as Registration.

Sunday Evening, April 16

Immediately following closing ceremonies we will begin convention teardown. The Sunday night Dead Dog party begins once all scheduled cleanup is finished.

Art Show Teardown - pack up the art to return to the artists, disassemble the art show panels

Consuite Teardown - packing up and inventorying supplies

Monday Afternoon, April 16

The last, final task yet to complete is loading the supplies and art show panels onto the truck and taking them back to the storage locker and Dreamhaven. Here is where we really, really need your help. As you can imagine, Monday afternoon is the hardest time to find people willing to help with the last stages of cleanup. We hope to load the truck sometime between noon and 2 pm and then make the final trip back to the storage locker and unload the contents. If you can help us here we'll really appreciate it.

For more information or to volunteer, please contact Kevin G. Austin at volunteers@minicon.mnstf.org.