Shenanigans

Registration for our 2010 retreat ended on Oct. 24, and women had a few more days to make their final payment on their balance due for the retreat.  Our goal is now to have the rooming list done by oct. 31, ready to turn in to the hotel next week.  This is a critical time to keep close communication with the hotel to make sure you have enough rooms or to release the unused rooms, based on the attrition rate on your contract.

Things always speed up at the end of registration, and there is a flurry of activity.  Laura, who works with registration and rooming, has a word for this: “Shenanigans”.  It is not a surprise, because it happens every year at this time.

• You have those last-minute women who have had over a month to register, and somehow they miss the last day of registration.  They are begging for you to make a place for them.
• You have the women who have paid their deposit, but have trouble coming up with the remainder of the balance.  If there is scholarship money available, we can possibly help them; otherwise, they may have to cancel their plans to attend the retreat, losing their non-refundable deposit.
• You have those who cancel because a conflict has suddenly come up.
• You have those who keep us busy trying to make last-minute rooming changes.  As you will note on our registration form, we have a place for ladies to designate their roommate.   If those who register fill in their desired roommate, it simplifies the rooming process immensely.  However, as registration closes,  for some reason people want to make changes–adding person to a room, changing roommates for one reason or another…and on and on…
• We have those who have been on the waiting list, or who hurriedly add their names to the waiting list at the last minute.  When something opens up, these ladies need to be called individually to find out if they can still come to the retreat.

Shenanigans.  They are going to happen.  Accept them, work through the problems, and know that “this too shall pass.”