GASP

This page describes notes for GASP (Games And Sports Party). As with all the Knowledge Base pages, it's a great idea to update this page after each event each year.

Event is held the second or third Friday evening in March, 7-9pm. Coordinators start planning at the end of January and decide activities and establish a to-do list. Headcount varies from year to year ~160-220 kids. The Supersounds DJ with inflatables and the pie eating contest are standard every year. Other activities can be varied at the discretion of the coordinators.

Volunteers Required

Ahead of time

• Cake bakers to bake themed cakes for the raffle (get creative!), usually around 10 per grade. Cakes must arrive before 6pm on the day of the event and can be dropped off in the office earlier in the day.

On the Night

• 2 coordinators to help with initial set-up (5:15-6:45pm). These people can help fill other roles below, also.
• Around 8 Essex High School kids from Athletic Leadership Council or Girls/Boys Rugby to supervise events in the gym. Put 2 per station and let them rotate during the evening. These high schoolers should not be 9th graders (too close in age).
• 3 volunteers for the front table (6:45-7:30pm) to take money and issue raffle tickets. Barb or Laurie will be there to ensure collection of permission slips.
• 4-5 volunteers for the Cafeteria to oversee the food (fill lemonade, mop spills, prepare and serve popcorn, scoop ice cream, plate up the pizza). Someone should be back in the kitchen to wrap and label the cakes as they are brought in after the raffle. Apron recommended.
• 2 volunteers to run the cake raffle – load up the trolleys and bring them into the gym every half hour.

The coordinators should be on hand to help out where required– in the cafeteria, with cakes, photo booth, and take photos of the event.

Advance Planning Schedule

Two months before the event

1. Make initial contact with Esses HS athletic leadership council to get this on their calendar.

One month before the event

1. Send in donation request letter to Hannaford.
2. Fill in donation request form for $25 gift card at Price Chopper.
1. Order pies for pie eating contest (individual sized pies obtained from Freihofers Bakery outlet – need to order at least a couple of weeks in advance (40 count /4 flavors). One winner from each of 4 contests gets an Essex Cinemas movie pass (see next item).
2. Check into ice cream: Ben and Jerry’s ice cream is ordered through Tina Logan. Let her know the date at least 2-3 weeks ahead. 3 bulks (2 vanilla and 1 chocolate).
3. Contact Essex Cinemas about donating 4 movie passes and donating popcorn.
4. Contact Essex HS athletic leadership council again and start locking in volunteers.
5. Ask ADL peer leadership to make posters to advertise GASP.
   1. Set up sign-ups for volunteers and bakers. Send out emails, etc., to encourage sign-ups.
      1. In the past, we've done an online sign-up using http://www.signupgenius.com/.
      2. Example SignUpGenius entries:
         • Title: GASP Cake and Volunteer Signup 20xx
      • Description:
        • The Games And Sports Party (GASP) is coming up on Friday, March 15. Please look below for ways you can sign up.
        • We're hoping to get ten cakes from each grade. Make these fun!! People often try to outdo each other with creative theme cakes ... though we also love the store-bought cakes. (No peanuts please.)
        • Volunteer Registration: If you'll be helping on site, please be sure you submit a CCSU volunteer form if you haven't done so already this year.
        • If you have questions, please write to <coordinator's name> (see 'contact' link below).
      • Example for the slots (adjust as needed to fit what's currently described in the Volunteers Required section above):
      1. Here's an example message to request sign-ups that we used in 2013. Keep these messages positive and up-beat since it's fun for the parents, too!

A week before the event

We're preparing for 200-300 people.

1. Rip raffle tickets into around 200 strips of 10 (so entry goes much quicker on the night).
2. Hang posters in hallways at ADL.
3. Make DVD (photos from previous GASP) and present during ADL lunch hour.
1. Make arrangements with Rocky's and other pizza providers.
   • 50% Pepperoni / 50% cheese, $10/pizza in 2012.
   • We want about 15 pies to begin with, and we'd like to phone in an order for more if needed. (For example: One year we had 20 pizzas with ~165 kids, and we had 8 pies left over. If 210 kids, would need the 20 pizzas.)
   • Get invoice from Rocky’s for Pizzas (so Barb can have check ready on the night).
   • Enlist other pizza providers as needed?
   1. Send out email reminders to cake bakers.
   2. Pick up lemonade/popcorn supplies.
   • First, check the inventory in the GASP boxes in the office
   • If needed pick up foil/plastic wrap for cakes, napkins, cups, paper plates, ice cream bowls, plastic spoons, paper towels as well as toppings for sundaes, tin foil and cling wrap for cakes. We also want 2-3 big canisters of lemonade powder.
   • Much of this can be bought using the Price Chopper gift card ($25) and Hannaford donation. Hannaford usually supplies up to $25 of Hannaford products plus cups/napkins.
   1. Ensure there's a supply of pencils for writing names on raffle tickets.
   2. Pick up Essex Cinemas movie passes and popcorn.
2. Get brown bags and Sharpie markers for cake raffle. Prepare a "winner sheet" to keep track of who wins cakes (to avoid someone winning twice).
3. Arrange for ice.
   1. Email custodian (Rich Bigue) at ADL with list of equipment needed for Friday.
   2. In 2013 these were:
      1. For the Gym
         1. 4 large extension cords (sometimes these are not required if Supersounds brings own)
         2. 2 long tables and 10 chairs (Center of gym for pie-eating)
         3. Bucket and sponge (for mop-up at pie-eating)
         4. Ping-pong tables (2-3)
         5. Pair of scissors for the photo booth
      2. For the Cafeteria
         1. 5 long tables to box in the serving area
         2. 6 round lunch tables out (3 either side)
         3. Long extension cord for DDR equipment
         4. Popcorn Machine
         5. Pizza Warmer
         6. Big lemonade jugs, stirrers, and ice cream scoops
      3. For the entrance Hallway
         1. 1 long table and 2 chairs (for money/ticket people)
         2. 1 long table or 2 round tables for kids to write their names on the raffle tickets
      4. For the Hallway outside Cafeteria
         1. 3 long tables for the cakes
         2. 2 trolleys for transporting cakes

The day of the event

1. Cake bakers deliver cakes throughout the day.
2. Pick up initial order of pizzas that evening. (See previous section for the number of pies.) Be sure to ask for the slices to be double-cut so we get 12 or 16 slices per pie.
3. Bring 1 or more cameras.
4. Make copies of schedule to provide to DJ and volunteer stations (DJ, sign-in station, cakes, cafeteria, plus 2-3 more ...). The schedule appears below.
5. Print out the "cake winner sheet" (attached below) to keep track of who's won (to avoid someone winning more than one cake).

Schedule for the evening

• 7:45am-6:45pm - Cake bakers can deliver cakes to office (during the day) or kitchen (at 6:15-6:45).
• 5:15pm - Coordinators arrive and finish set-up. Set out ice cream so it can start softening.
• 6:15 - Cake raffle volunteers arrive and set up cake tables and raffle ticket bags. Begin accepting cakes and labeling them. Take pictures of cakes (and attempt to include fun pics with bakers).
• 6:40 - EHS students and other volunteers arrive
• 7:00 - Doors open to students.
  • Front table people: If we have more than 150 students, then consult with Coordinators. We might want to order more pizzas if we have more than 150 students. (Rule of thumb: 1 pie per 10 students.)
• 7:15 - Pie-eating contest #1 *
• 7:30 - Cake raffle #1 **
• 7:45 - Pie-eating contest #2
• 8:00 - Cake raffle #2
• 8:15 - Pie-eating contest #3
• 8:30 - Cake raffle #3
• 8:45 - Pie-eating contest #4
• 9:00 - End of party. Start clean-up. (Custodians do much of this.)

* Pie-eating contests: DJ is the judge. One winner from each heat gets a movie pass. The DJ or EHS student helping can handle the movie passes.

** Cake raffles: DJ draws ticket, checks name against "winners list" to avoid one kid winning more than one cake, announces name. Cake helpers record the win and wrap the cake for the kid to take home at the end. Recommend sticking the winning ticket with kid's name to each cake.

Set up notes for each area

Please see the GASP Floor Plan file (attached at the bottom of this article) for drawings of the set-up.

In the front entrance

• Sign-in Table: Permission slips, entry $$ collected and cake raffle tickets handed out. Consider having two money takers and two ticket givers? Each kid receives 10 tickets and goes to ...
• ... Another table to write their names on the back of each one (provide pencils) then proceed to the cake tables to deposit their tickets.

In the GYM

• DJ and inflatable obstacle course/bungee pull supplied by Supersounds.
• Pie eating contest (individual sized pies).
  • Need two long tables and 10 chairs ... plus plates, napkins, kitchen towels, and sponges so you can clean up kids, tables, and the floor after each round.
  • To set up each round, lay out 10 paper plates and 10 napkins. Put a pie on each plate (leave it in the box). Place a small box or two in the middle to collect trash.
  • Photo Opportunities here!
  • The DJ will call in the contestants for each round. You (or DJ) should ask the kids to remove their pies from the box and from the pie tins. Toss the trash in your small boxes. DJ starts the contest and picks the winner. Clean up the reset for the next round.
  • One winner from each of 4 contests gets an Essex Cinemas movie pass (donated).
• 2-3 Ping Pong tables, available at ADL
• Photo Booth (optional - available from Super Sounds) - Consider providing scissors to cut the pics.
• Henna Tattoos (optional - put prices up and arrived late in 2011 – did not do in 2012).
• Photo Opportunities throughout the gym throughout the night. It helps to get permission first in many cases.
• Try to get a photo of the EHS volunteers at the end and get them to write their names on a list. This helps when it's time to send thank you notes. (Tip: Take a picture of the list, too.)

In the Cafeteria

Set up like a snack bar with food service tables, about 6 round tables, and plenty of open space for games and visiting.

• Set out ice cream to soften about 1 hour before opening.
• DDR with two mats and projector screen (DDR = Dance Dance Revolution game)
• Wii games (ADL has these)
• Tables with games/cards/dice to sit and casually play (optional).
• Food – Pizza, lemonade, popcorn, ice cream sundaes
• Pizza
• Lemonade powder (3 large packs) from Costco and prepared in the drinks coolers.
• Popcorn (check supplies after the basketball tourney) supplies donated/purchased from Essex Cinemas or elsewhere (kernels, oil, butter additive)
• Ice Cream sundaes.
• Photo Opportunities here!

In hallway outside Cafeteria

• Photo Opportunities here!
• Long tables with donated cakes (usually around 30) for the cake raffle. Cakes are arranged and labeled brown lunch bags are taped in front of each one for kids to deposit tickets for the raffle for that specific cake. Take pictures (include bakers when possible).
• Cakes are loaded on to trolleys (about 10 at a time) and wheeled into the Gym at half hourly intervals. DJ picks raffle tickets from each bag and announces winner for each cake. Winning kid takes the cake to the Cafeteria, where it will be wrapped and labeled with their name to be picked up at the end of the evening. Keep a "winners list" and provide it to the DJ to avoid having someone win two cakes. No cakes are to be devoured during the event!!
• Tip: When bringing cakes into gym for each round, don't make a beeline for the DJ. Take the scenic route to draw people into the activity.
  • Tip: Take a photo of the winners list. This simplifies some of the note taking for later.

Far end of Cafeteria Hallway

Optional? If we don't get a photo booth from Super Sounds, then make our own at the far end of the hall. Photos are ready for distribution the following week at school.

• King size flat sheet as back drop.
• Digital camera numbers each picture.
• Keep track on paper with columns: picture#, # of copies, Name(s).
• For group pictures, one owner is assigned and that student gets all the copies.

Immediately after the event

Book Supersounds for next year’s event. (School Secretary, Barb Edwards, typically handles this.)

Write thank-yous (letter in Essex Reporter/mention in ADL agenda). If possible, write personal thank-yous to individuals and merchants. Try to use photos.

Update this knowledge base article with what you learned!