Following is a sample agenda, including a simple set of steps to take, if you volunteer to host a meeting of the SRSMEEBBQ or just about any other amateur science organization.
BBQ CLUB MEETING AGENDA
Stuff Needed for the Meeting:
3 Notepads & pens
"Hello" name tags & a fat marker (both available at office supply stores)
A "Who's Up To What" notepad, with columns for who, a phone number or email address, followed by a LARGE space for what they're up to. Start the list by writing down information about what you are up to, so others will get the idea.
Bulletin Board & thumbtacks for folks to post notes of stuff for sale, interesting letters, printouts, etc
Camcorder & tapes; Camera and film; photos from previous meetings
A table for BBQ accessories, plates, forks, food, etc
A table for "ShowAndTell" goodies, including:
photos
Articles and zines of interest
Floppies or copied lists of interesting URLs
Stuff To Do before the meeting begins:
Rake the yard, incl. driveway, so folks don't slip
Wash dishes and set the tables
Organize coffee & French bread/garlic butter
In case of bad weather
Arrange furniture inside
Vacuum couches and sweep the floor
Stuff needed for a good BBQ:
paper plates, forks, knives, napkins, spoon for beans, salad tongs, meat fork, carving knife, carving board, platters and bowls, plates, coffee and cups, charcoal, match, gloves to clean ashes, garlic, butter and bread,
11:AM: Start BBQ fire and bring out stuff to be cooked
11:20AM: put meat on the coals
By Noon everything should be close to cooked
When folks begin to arrive, put them to work! Moving chairs, cleaning house and moving food to an fro are but a few things they can do...
Running the Meeting:
Get everyone to help set up chairs as needed for a circular sitdown meeting
Have a table available for folks to display showandtell stuff.
Once meeting begins, lead off with the following announcements:
Welcome firsttimers, then recite The Ground Rules:
No booze
No secrets!! Anything interesting heard at a meeting will very likely be published!
No whining, no politics, no religion and especially no inventions or "readandunderstood" forms to be witnessed! (Stop or redirect conversations that stray into these areas.) Everything else is fair game.
Tools are available if anyone needs them; if you don't know how to use a tool, ask the guy who owns it!
If you don't know EXACTLY where a tool belongs, make sure folks know to put them somewhere specific so you can put them away properly after the meeting adjourns.
If you're on a septic system, let people know!
If there are critters about, check shoes for dog poop before entering house!!
We always need VOLUNTEERS to host meetings!!! Make a list of anyone who volunteers to do so and email the particulars to Headquarters
Mention the URL for this page, which has info on how to run a BBQ meeting
Lastly, use this opportunity to announce any stuff you have for sale from your own shop
'Round The Table:
Limit talk to a maximum of 1.5 hours divided by the number of people present, then let folks discuss their projects, problems, etc in that alloted span. Try not to run past, say, 2:30, so there's time for showandtell.
When it becomes difficult to get folks to talk, use the (hopefully) previously filledout "WHo's up to What" notepad to ask pointed questions
Write down any further details on the notepad so that when time permits you can email a copy to me.
ADJOURN TO DESSERT, then...
Do ShowAndTell, with a tour of projects
If at all possible, TAKE PHOTOS!!
Before sunset try to boot the stragglers out the door...