Subject: Nederland volunteer instructions
Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2001 18:54:15 -0600
From: "Joe Johnson"
The few, the Proud, the LPBC volunteers.
Volunteer instructions, directions, schedule for the Nederland 'Old Timer's
miners days' fair.
First, thank you all very much for volunteering to operate the LP booth at
the fair this weekend. Below I've listed the volunteer schedule, directions
to the show, and instructions on how to operate the booth. Even if you've
operated the booth previously, be sure to read the section on how to operate
the booth below. Sorry, but due to the fact that I was unable to get enough
volunteers, Lady Liberty will be unable to attend this event.
Schedule
--------
Saturday Set-up 7:00-8:00 am
---------------------
Chuck Wright
Tom Parker
Tom Owens (?)
Saturday 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM Saturday 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM
3:00-6:00
---------------------------- ----------------------------
Chuck Wright Joe Johnson
Tom Owens Ralph Shnelvar
vacant vacant
Sunday 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM Sunday 1:30 PM to 6:00 PM (includes
tear down 5:00-6:00)
---------------------------- ----------------------------
Tom Owens Elizabeth Bennett
John Pooch Joe Johnson
vacant
Directions to the fair
----------------------
The name of the fair is 'The Nederland Old Timer's Miners days'
The fair is located "all over Nederland" according to the event
coordinator. Vendors are setting up in Chipeta Park. The park is in the
center of town, and as I was not given an exact address, I was assured that
there will be plenty of signs
Set-up crew, you will need to sign-in and receive your booth location
assignment at the Buckskin Charlie Pavilion in Chipeta park (I'm not making
this up) anytime from 7:00 AM on. Chuck, be sure to bring the signed paperwork.
To get to Nederland, take Canyon Road west out of Boulder. If you are
unfamiliar, Canyon begins at the Crossroads Mall, and ends just past
Nederland at the Peak-to-Peak Highway. To get to the Crossroads mall, take
36 from Denver to 119, or 119 from Longmont, and turn west onto Arapahoe.
Then turn right (north) on 28th street. one block later will be canyon,
turn left, and stay on it all the way to Nederland.
Again, the event coordinator did not have an actual address, but assured me
that the event will be "so well signed you can't get lost" Her words not mine.
Just in case the signs blow away, these are my clumsy directions: From Boulder
drive into Nederland. At the traffic circle, make a left. (There is only
one traffic circle in town, Thank God! and it is right as you come into
the main part of town. There is a gas station on the right and the Mining
Museum dead ahead. It's hard to miss because there are usually tourists (who
don't understand that the car to the left has the right-of-way) screaming
at each other.
After you successfully negotiate the traffic circle with a left hand turn, you
will be heading south. Two blocks down the road you will see Peak National
Bank on the right. Unless you need to do some banking, don't turn into the
bank but turn left (east) at the very next street. That street will take
you directly into Chipeta park (about 2 blocks).
I'd suggest that you bring water an some snacks, but if you get hungry or
thirsty, there should be vendors selling overpriced food and drinks.
If you plan to stay and enjoy the event, There is a pig roast at 6:00
on Saturday
The cost of the pig roast is $8.00 for a hog-size portion and $4.00 for a
piglet-size portion. The menu includes:
Roast pig with Wild Barbecue Sauce
Spiced Baked Apples
Marinated Onions
Cowboy Baked Beans
Blackard's Slaw (coleslaw made without mayo)
Hunkdummy Biscuits (biscuits with raisins)
Cherry-cherry Crisp
The street dance Saturday night begins at 8:00 pm, runs until mid-night and
is $2.00 per person.
Booth operating instructions
----------------------------
People who attend these fairs are there to have fun. Most will not be
expecting a political party. This is both a blessing and a curse.
Your job is to administer the Worlds Smallest Political Quiz, to register
people to vote, to hand out fliers, to answer questions, to obtain names
and addresses, to prospect for new members, and to have fun.
Most people are genuinely curious about the quiz, and this will get them
to stop for a moment to find out what it is. Give them a copy of the quiz
and stay alert to any questions that they might have, and be available to
them when they finish. Then take them to the Poster sized quiz, and "score"
them on the chart.
When I do this, I first explain the chart. Some of the things you can
say about the chart are: we're showing that the political spectrum isn't
just one dimensional left-center-right; our model is superior to the old
traditional left-center-right model; we're measuring economic liberty on one
axis (point to the axis) and personal liberty on the other axis (point to the
axis); the higher you score on the economic liberty scale, the more economic
liberty you're willing to grant to your neighbors. And likewise the higher
you score on the personal liberty scale, the more personal liberty you're
willing to grant to your neighbors.
I then give them examples of people from history would fit into each category
so that they get a better understanding. ie. Hillary Clinton, Teddy Kennedy,
FDR on the Left / Margaret Thatcher, Rush Limbaugh (sometimes he speaks like a
libertarian though) on the right / Hitler, Stalin etc. in the Authoritarian
quadrant / and Thomas Jefferson, Henry David Thoreau in the Libertarian
quadrant.
At this point I place a dot on the chart where they 'scored' and ask them
if they have any questions.
Your job is not to argue. Your job is not to convince people to accept our
views on the spot. No one is going to drop to their knees and tell you,
"All my life this is what I've been looking for."
When you answer a question, shut up and listen. Pay attention to what the
person is saying. Let them do as much of talking as possible.
Be friendly, and be polite. First impressions are important.
As this is an outdoor fair, I will not ask you to wear suits. However, please
remember that you represent the LPBC, and the LP as a whole. You only get one
chance to make a first impression. Remember we are a political party. Please
dress so as to stress that impression. if we look like hippies, that is how
people will view us. And while people might not have a problem with hippies,
they rarely vote for them. Slacks or nice shorts and a polo shirt, or better
yet, a button up shirt should keep you cool, while giving a professional
impression. if you feel so inclined to wear a tie, it certainly can't hurt -
I probably will.
One of the most import things we want to do with the booth is prospect for
new members. We need names and addresses. To obtain names and addresses,
push the Worlds Smallest Political Quiz. Ask people as they walk by our
booth to take the quiz. Don't be shy. Most people will not take the quiz
unless you ask them to. If they seem reluctant, tell them that it only
takes two minutes of their time to answer 10 easy questions.
Once the quiz is completed, score the quiz and place a dot on our big diamond
(Nolan) chart. At this point, explain a little bit about what the chart is
all about.
If the person scores in the libertarian quadrant of the chart, tell them that
they agree with libertarians more often then not, and the Libertarian Party is
the party that best represents their political views. Ask them if they would
like to receive more information by writing their name and address on the back
of their quiz. Tell them they can do something for liberty today that will
not cost them a penny by registering to vote libertarian. Tell them about
Libertarian Party membership (forms are included on the back of LP fliers).
In addition to prospecting for members, we want to push voter registrations.
Do not fill out any part of the voter registration form yourself. Tell the
person that to register libertarian they must check other for party affiliation
and write in Libertarian. After someone fills out the voter registration
form, don't let them go. Look over the form first to make sure it's filled
out correctly with all the required information. Most often people make a
mistake by not filling in the county with the correct information.
We can send in the filled out voter registration form for them, this will
save them postage. Stress this value to get them to register on the spot,
because most people will not fill it out if they take it home, not because
they don't want to, but because when they get home they get caught up in
other things, and it just doesn't get done - Life gets in the way.
Also, make sure that you make sure that they check 'Other" and write in
'Libertarian'. A large number of people have mistakenly checked the box of
the party that they are currently registered as thinking that this is what
they are supposed to do (government schools?). When this happens, I just say
"I noticed that you checked republican (or Democrat), can't I get you to
register as a Libertarian" Without exception, every time, the person thought
that is what he was doing. Do not change the registration form, because the
state will just throw it out. Have them start a new one. For this reason,
I have them fill out the "Libertarian" part first.
After filling out the registration form, try to get them to become a
dues-paying member. Applications will also be on the table. Explain that we do
not accept matching funds, so everything that we do comes out of the dues. Let
them know that they will get a national newsletter, a state newsletter,
and if they also join the LPBC ($25 for national and state, another $15 for
LPBC) they will also receive a county newsletter, keeping them up to date
and informed with the liberty movement in America, and in their own back yard.
Most of all, try to have fun.
If you have any questions, please fell free to contact at my home phone at
303-604-9153, although I will be out all day both days.
Joe Johnson
Liberty in my lifetime!