Retreat-in-a-Bag - Registration

Archive for Registration

Registration at the Retreat

Posted by Debby on October 18, 2010

The registration table at the retreat is where the women come, just prior to the first session, to check in and to pick up their name tags and booklets. In past years, room keys were also picked up at this time. Because we are in a hotel, we have found that allowing each woman to check into the hotel individually is much less hassle.

To prepare for registration at the retreat, nametags are matched with retreat booklets, and arranged alphabetically on the tables. This can be set up early; however, we don’t allow women to pick up their nametags/booklets until registration has officially begun. So after setting up the registration table, we cover it until the scheduled time for registration–normally an hour to an hour and a half from when the first session begins.

As women pick up their packets, their name is checked off a master alphabetical list of those attending. Discrepancies are then noted immediately. The most common problem we encounter is when a group substitutes a new woman (who has not officially registered) for one who cancelled at the last minute. To be prepared for this, we have blank name tags and extra booklets on hand. Also, the hotel must be kept informed of any changes to rooming that are made at the last minute. If your group is larger, you can have different tables sections of the alphabet (A-L register here, M-Z register here).

Posted in: Ministry at the Retreat, Registration, Retreat and Event Planning, Rooming Issues

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Making Your Registration Card

Posted by Debby on September 16, 2010

We have used this template (found here) for our registration card for years, with very few changes. The main things that change from year to year are the rooming options and prices. When you make a registration card, it is most important that you obtain all possible contact information that you can, just in case you need to reach them for any reason. Besides a home phone, it is worth getting a cell phone number, work number and email address.

It is important that all rooming options and costs are clearly indicated. We also have spaces to request roommates on this form. When registrants choose their roommate(s), it really simplifies the rooming process. However, it is amazing how many times that requested roommate doesn’t even sign up for the retreat! Special needs (such as bringing a nursing infant, any sort of handicap, special dietary needs) should also be noted on the registration card.

You will note that our registration card has an area at the bottom “for office use only” to be used for recording deposits, payments and scholarships. As registrations come in, we carefully record the payment information. Several copies are made of each registration card. One copy is made on a 8-1/2 x 11 piece of paper and put into a notebook. We also keep copies of any checks that are written for the retreat, just in case some payment is not applied correctly somewhere down the line.

Posted in: Registration, Retreat and Event Planning

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Registration at Church

Posted by Debby on September 13, 2010

Registration for the retreat at our church begins about 7-8 weeks out from the retreat. (Retreat registration packets are sent to sister churches about 10-12 weeks prior to the retreat.) We normally give ladies within the church about 4-6 weeks of opportunity to register for the retreat. No matter when we start registration, however, we can count on the majority of the women registering the last full week before the deadline. Our ladies seem to always wait until the last minute!

We set up a registration area at the Welcome Center, where the information sheets and registration cards can be picked up. Before we had a Welcome Center, we actually set up a small table in the church foyer where registration for the retreat would be convenient (and obvious!) after services.

At the retreat planning meeting, ladies can sign up to help with registration. We staff the registration area after each Sunday service during the weeks of registration. The ladies who staff it are available to answer questions and also to encourage women to come to the retreat. These ladies are also responsible for receiving the filled out registration cards and recording any deposits or monies paid up front for the retreat. As you will note on the registration card, there is a section to record every retreat payment.

Posted in: Registration, Retreat and Event Planning

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Status Report – Information Sheets and Registration

Posted by Debby on August 6, 2010

Meet Laura. She is part of our women’s leadership team, and she is in charge of organization of the retreat. As we begin to plan for the retreat, she develops the Organizational Chart, which gives us a guideline and division of responsibilities for further planning of the retreat, and the Retreat Planning Calendar, which keeps us on schedule. She also shares responsibility for the preparation of the information sheet. Here is her status report:

“The ball is starting to ROLL! Cheryl, Kathy and I are working on the information sheets which include the theme, retreat dates, guest speaker info, cost, location, deadlines, a registration card sample, etc. We also prepared the letter to the pastor’s wives from other churches so that they will know how to handle their own registration. We usually take last year’s information sheets and just update them with the new year’s information. One difference this year is that we will not be using Paypal as a payment option. We will also not be catering lunch through the hotel, as it is very expensive. We will have a longer lunch break during the day on Saturday, giving the ladies time to go to the wide range of eateries that surround the hotel. We have also included a special note called “something new” that explains our reasoning for this change. In order to keep costs down the ladies are encouraged to bring something along for lunch or some money so that they can buy anything from snacks to fast food to restaurant style meals. In our case, the hotel has some on-property options and refrigerators in each room, so the ladies won’t have to leave the hotel to get lunch if they don’t have a vehicle for the weekend.”

Posted in: Journey to Retreat 2010, Registration, Retreat and Event Planning

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