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| Just some thoughts for now. But NOW is the time to sign people up! They key is to get Toastmaster folks to SUPPORT this effort by PARTICIPATING! Participate as an Official Announcer or as an Ambassador. But most importantly, plan to BE at the Parade this Thanksgiving... We need to gather a great Toastmasters crowd to help make the statement. |
| Contact Allen Greene; D30 PRO: AMGreen at NOSPAM checkfree dot com |
| To make the most of this incredible promotional opportunity, we need two (distinctly different!) sets of volunteers. Volunteers include... |
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(1)
Toastmasters Official Announcers (stationed at the four platforms)
IMHO, the role of the Official Announcers would be to.... - INFORM the crowd by READING the script to announce floats as they pass by - ENTERTAIN by utilizing creative, impromptu and improvisational speaking skills to fill "dead" time before, after and in between the parade floats - GENERATE EXCITEMENT and rev up the crowd, by encouraging audience participation, coordinating with the Toastmasters Ambassadors to help create a memorable parade experience for everyone) - GAIN EXPOSURE for Toastmasters by mentioning our website, toastmasters.org, at every possible opportunity! (The more it is repeated, the more they are apt to remember it!) |
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(2) Toastmasters Ambassadors ( to be spread along the entire parade route) As many volunteers as possible are needed for this role: 10 people At MINIMUM would be needed to help work the area surrounding each platform -... This means we need AT LEAST 40 Volunteers. The more we have, the more we can promote Toastmasters! (A thought: Perhaps we can wear Toastmasters T-shirts or other Toastmasters signage-wear to help promote us.) IMHO, the role of the Toastmasters Ambassadors would be to.... - DISTRIBUTE Toastmasters flyers, promoting the toastmasters.org site - INTERACT with the crowd, encouraging audience participation by coordinating fun(!) audience participation activities with the Official Announcers.) FUN INTERACTIVE Activities require PROMPTING by Toastmasters Ambassadors. The Official Announcers may start the activity, but we need the Ambassadors to keep doing it, to set an example and encourage the crowd to participate. These activities serve to keep the crowd WARM (!) and ENTERTAINED (!) as we all shiver in the cold waiting for the next parade float to pass by... Fun, Interactive Crowd Activities could include, having audience members.... - DO "THE WAVE" - Get the wave started and see how far down the parade route it will go! Get the wave started to show approval for a great float - JUMP UP AND DOWN: Ask them to show their approval for a great float, or their excitement over the parade in general, or in response to "commands" like... How are you all feeling? Jump up and down if this is the best parade ever! Jump as high as you can if this is the best float in the whole parade Jump if you're cold Jump if you're happy... (You get the idea...) - DO JUMPING JACKS: Why? We've got to stay warm... Let's challenge ourselves... by taking the new Chicago Parade Fitness Test... To fill time in between floats - Do the Hokey Pokey (to stay warm... To fill time in between floats...) - Dance (!) (In case our Official Announcers (who can carry a tune) decide to belt into song on the platform....) - VERBAL PROMPTING: Get the audience to say things like: "HAPPY THANKSGIVING CHICAGO!" "THANK YOU CHICAGO! |
