TEAM LEADERS for CanIRON 8

As you are sure to guess, mounting an event like CanIRON 8 is a huge task. From some initial meetings about a year back, Brad Allen and Darrell Markewitz took on the early concept work for the event. Starting in the fall, Mick Smith joined, assisting on the selection of a final site and the recruiting of the featured demonstrators.

Starting with a meeting in December, there are now a number of people working as the core organizing team. to keep things working quickly, this group will be kept small, at least for the first stages of the process. A smaller group, conferring mainly via e-mail, is able to make decisions more quickly.
This is the list of the core team leaders - the people who have said they would assume these tasks:

Site Manager - Wolfgang Bleckert (bleckertk AT xplornet.com)
Demonstrator Co-Ordinator - Darrell Markewitz (caniron AT warehamforge.ca)
Volunteers Co-Ordinator - Dan Linkenheld (dlink AT bmts.com )
Registration - Shirley Young (shirley.y AT sympatico.ca)
Gallery - Kelly Probyn-Smith (elfworks AT sympatico.ca )
Equipment - Jean Heroux (Heroux-j AT rmc.ca)
Trouble Shooter - Mick Smith (barbmick AT xplornet.com)

Promotions - VOLUNTEER REQUIRED
Funraising - VOLUNTEER REQUIRED

Site Manager : will include all the logistics of supporting the event. Garbage, security, set up & tear down, all the fun stuff. This works closely with Volunteers, which is where the labour is coming from.

Demonstrator Co-Ordinator : (also known as Head Animal Wrangler). This will involve all the aspects of getting the demonstrators to CanIRON, then fed, housed, equipped as required. (Darrell took this primarily because he knows the larger number of the demonstrators personally)

Volunteers Co-Ordinator : will get those work shift lists made and filled out. At the event will be responsible for getting bodies to the work stations as scheduled. Expect a lot of last minute organization! (why this is separated from Site Manager).

Registration : was the task Shirley volunteered for (and is well suited!). She has a clear idea how she wants to structure this. Karin Bleckert, as current OABA treasurer, will assist on this area.

Gallery : Kelly is bringing her experience from working as part of the Toronto arts community to this area. Along with the traditional work by all, this may include a longer term juried exhibit, likely with a web component. There is likely to be direct involvement in the program design here.

Equipment : would include all forges, tools and required AV. It is expected to include organizing a construction phase well before the event. Key will be getting and idea what can be drawn from the membership.

Promotions : will include setting advertizing rates, recruiting for both paid program ads and possibly working as a vendor co-ordinator at the the event.

Fundraising : is a major task. This would include research and applying for possible grants, hunting for corporate donations. Also checking into smaller donations of materials and services from local businesses. This individual would need to work closely with the Promotions.


- The core organizing team is still looking for interested individuals who could help out with those last two areas, ideally people with past experience.

- Remember that as we get closer to the event, each of the core team areas will require first sub team leaders. There will be lots of work required from the membership in general on conference weekend. If everyone pitches in for a couple of hours, the whole event should come off smoothly!

- If you want to contact any of the team leaders directly - just cut out the AT and replace it with the @ symbol for the correct e-mail address. (This done here to avoid spam!)