2009 World Winter Games PDL: Ceremonies/Receptions/LETRFL

1. 2009 World Winter Games PDL: Ceremonies/Receptions/LETRFL • Functional Area Lead Team Members: • Kirk Miles – VP Competition, Ceremonies, & Events • Salle Uberuaga – Sr. Director Ceremonies & Events • Robin Myer – Manager Ceremonies, Anita Burgess – Manager Receptions, Junior McDonough – Manager LETRFL I. Plan II. Do III. Learn • Overview/Purpose: • The Ceremonies department provided oversight for the Opening & Closing Ceremony, Guest Program, Receptions, and the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg. This PDL will focus on the Ceremonies, Receptions, and the LETR FL. A separate PDL was developed for the Guest Program due to the amount of input and recommendations available for submission. • The goal of Opening Ceremony is to set the tone and theme and to officially “kick off” the Games. Thusly it was vital that the OC was done with the highest quality, pageantry and professionalism. The torch entrance and lighting of the cauldron signifies the true beginning of the Games. • The goal of Closing Ceremony is to officially conclude the Games. A less formal atmosphere is established and the ‘Athlete Dance’ took place simultaneously. Extinguishing the cauldron marks the end of the Games. • The OC & CC are the true ‘bookends’ of the Games. • The goal of the department as related to receptions was to provide the most successful series of receptions utilizing, where possible, VIK and discounted products. The receptions hosted were: • Law Enforcement Torch Run Reception • Founders Reception • Family Reception • Healthy Athlete Reception • This department provided local interface to Major Mike Teem and other members of the Law Enforcement Torch Run Executive Council as related to the successful planning of the LETR FL. The LETR FL was defined as beginning when the Flame of Hope arrived in Idaho thru the Opening Ceremony lighting of the cauldron. • Goals & Objectives: • Ceremonies • To foster a spirit of empowerment, inclusion, anticipation and joy. To extend a spirit of welcome from the great people and the state of Idaho. To create a ceremony of celebration. • Receptions • To foster a spirit of empowerment, inclusion, anticipation and joy. To extend a spirit of welcome to all attending the receptions. To provide quality receptions for all attendees. • LETR FL • To enhance media and public awareness of the movement and the 2009 Games and enhance the infrastructure available to support the LETR program throughout Idaho following the games. The GOC was responsible for implementation of the LETR FL which immediately followed the SOI Global Torch Run. GOC responsibility began when the Flame of Hope arrived in Idaho. The overall strategy of the 2009 LETR Final Leg was to take a very individual and tailored approach to the communities where ceremonies are held. The Final Leg Team will be divided into 3 teams according to respective routes, consisting of a team leader, law enforcement officers, and Special Olympics athletes. Each team will reach various communities throughout Idaho, via ceremonies within schools and/or other community centers. In addition, ceremonies are planned involving mayors and other elected city officials; the governor will be invited to Boise, Idaho, the state’s capital and one of the hosting cities of the 2009 World Games. • Promote the 2009 Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg • Generate excitement and pride throughout the Idaho Law Enforcement Community, School Community and the Special Olympics Community • Make athletes the focus of the celebration • Solicit local Special Olympics program participation • Showing participation is more important that winning. • Rewards of competition are skills, courage, sharing and joy • Educate local students about the Final Leg, Special Olympics and the 2009 World Winter Games • Key Interfaces: • Ceremonies • SOI • Gary Smith Company • Idaho Center Staff • Diamond Rental • GOC FA’s (Logistics, Transportation, F&B), • Woman of Steel • Receptions • Bogus Creek Ranch • BSU Stueckle Sky Box • LETR FL • Major Mike Teem & members of LETR Ex. Council • Law Enforcement Agencies throughout Idaho • GOC FA’s (Transportation, Development, Marketing) • Key Responsibilities: • Ceremonie- • Hit protocol elements: • Parade of Athletes • Raising of SO flag • Administration of Athletes and Officials oaths • Torch Run entrance • Lighting of the Cauldron • Declaration of the Games being open • CLOSING: Parade of Athletes, lowering of SO flag, transfer of SO flag to representative from the next country (Greece), extinguishing of cauldron, Athletes Dance • Reception- • Secure facilites • Coordinate program with SOI • Provide F&B  and develop theme and decorations • LETR FL: • Create awareness and excitement for Special Olympics and the World Winter Games • Encourage support and attendance of the World Winter Games • Serve as Guardians of the Flame by maintaining and protecting the “Flame of Hope” until the lighting of the cauldron at the World Winter Games Opening Ceremony • Showcase the abilities and involvement of the Special Olympics athletes who serve on the unified Final Leg Team • Proudly represent Law Enforcement and Torch Run programs from around the world as a symbol of their deep commitment to the athletes of Special Olympics • Involve, inspire and motivate Law Enforcement Torch Run® and Special Olympics athlete participants to increase their level of commitment to Special Olympics when they return to their home programs • Legacy: • Portray the partnership between the Law Enforcement Community and Special Olympics as a positive force in local community • (More than $240 million has been raised by the Law Enforcement Torch Run since 1981, more than 95,000 members are involved internationally) • Draw attention to the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games Idaho • Raise awareness about Special Olympics within individual communities • Portray Olympics ideal and pageantry – showing sports as a positive force in the world • Successes: • Provided a Closing & Opening Ceremony that was exceptionally successful within $1million budget. • Provided outstanding receptions for each constituency while greatly reducing costs of receptions through VIK and corporate support. • LETR FL reached communities throughout Idaho delivering the message of the 2009 Games and the movement. • Challenges: • Obtaining funding from SOI sponsor (DHL) to support the LETR FL effort in Idaho. • Communication with SOI functional counterparts • Providing outstanding ceremonies, receptions, and LETR FL under very severe financial constraints. • Key Learnings/Recommendations: • Opening and Closing Ceremonies: • As a whole we felt it was very successful in spite of the roadblocks.  Too many people, outside of the core producers and my team, had power that was not appreciated or productive.  Elements were dumped in our laps at the eleventh hour i.e. uniforms for those participating in the ceremony, confirmed entertainment that was pulled without any explanation and  stage colors that caused stress to many.  We continued to have weekly meetings that brought no conclusions to the table and it was felt many times that SOI was not helping to eliminate the problems.  Our team worked around the clock in the last 4 months to produce our O&C.  • We used numerous connections and volunteers to fill the gaps needed and to stay within a reasonable budget.  The initial SOI agreement puts all of the final decision making with them and  that agreement does not serve anyone well.  Put the power in the hands of the Games GOC to go forward with their production people who they hired to be creative, effective and efficient.  In our summary that Robin put together defines more our comments regarding transportation and FF&E. • Receptions: • Overall we were very proud of our receptions and the team of volunteers that made them successful.  We had some real issues with Transportation and Development and our response from SOI to give us direction on the program i.e. speakers, etc. was less than acceptable.  For the Founders Reception, our MC was writing on napkins who the speakers were going to be.  Although we asked SOI continually to have the proper information given to us weeks in advance that never happened.  We stayed within our budget due to the friendships Anita and her volunteers had within the community.  In our summary that Anita put together, we defined the challenges we had. • Improved communication with SOI functional counterparts from Guests, Family, LETR, & Healthy Athlete departments. The program and speakers need to be determined prior to the event so that Venue Managers can prepare for the show flow. • Torch Run: • Mike Teem, Jim Kerns and Junior McDonough did an excellent job with this.  Junior followed the lead of Mike and Jim and completed the tasks of hotels, food and transportation, just to name a few.  We started our meetings 2 years prior to the actual run and to be able to have Junior take over the last 4 months was a good decision.