2012 RFL High Plains Leadership Summit
General Session Script
RED: Emcees (Wade, Susan)
PURPLE: VOG (Yisa)
GREEN: Production
PINK: Lighting
ORANGE: Sound
BLUE: Power Point, Video, IMAG
SATURDAY (12:15PM – 1:15PM)
FINAL GENERAL SESSION
11:50AM – 12:05PM (GS 6 Music)
12:05PM
HOUSE: Full
STAGE: Half
SET: Full – colors (purple, blue, red)
-
Doors open
General session presenters mic’d and backstage
Wireless lavs on Wade & Susan
Welcome screen up
12:10PM
HOUSE: Full
STAGE: Half
SET: Full – colors (purple, blue, red)
- Turn down music as VOG talks over
VOG:
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Ladies and gentlemen, please find your seats. We will begin our
final general session of the High Plains Relay For Life Leadership
Summit in five minutes!
12:13PM
HOUSE: Half
STAGE: Full
SET: Full
- PPT: IMAG dancers & crowd
- “Nutty Group” hypes the crowd with dancing, etc. –
including Gangnam Style dance
- Music Cue (Wobble) 2:20
- Music Cue (Cupid Shuffle) 2:00
- Music Cue (Cha Cha Slide) 5:30
- Music Cue (Gangnam Style) 3:35
12:25PM
HOUSE: Half
STAGE: Full
SET: Full
- Susan and Wade enter stage at end of Gangnam Style
dance
- Michael DeHart mic’d backstage
- IMAG emcees
SUSAN
Way to break it down, High Plains!
[Cheers hopefully]
WADE
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[Sarcastically]
Yeah, pretty amazing moves we’ve seen this weekend...
I’m not so sure I would have pictured them at a Relay For Life
conference, but hey – what can you say! DANCE BIG, right?
SUSAN
Well, in addition to learning some new dance moves this
weekend, we hope you’ve had an opportunity to learn a thing or
two, as well, that will help you back home when you begin
working with your volunteers to plan your 2013 Relay For Life
events.
We’ve worked hard to coordinate a Summit that is not only fun
and inspirational, but educational, too. We want you to be able to
take this information back with you and actually put it to good use.
[Pause to change topics]
WADE
So now, for the most part, your “learning” is done here this
weekend. But as Susan just mentioned, one of our main goals is
to leave you inspired when you walk out the doors this afternoon.
Coming up in our last session, we have two amazing speakers –
one from our very own High Plains Division and another from the
National Relay For Life Advisory Team. And sandwiched in
between, we’ll share some inspirational stories from across the
High Plains that depict that “Why Not” mentality we’ve been
talking about all weekend.
SUSAN
Again, thank you all for being here this weekend, and enjoy our
final general session!
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- Susan and Wade exit
12:28PM
HOUSE: Half
STAGE: Full
SET: Full
- PPT: Michael DeHart intro slide
VOG
Please welcome to the stage, from the Heroes of Hope Class of
2012 and the South Central Texas Region, Michael DeHart!
- Music Cue (Imma Be) :25
- Michael DeHart enters
- IMAG Michael through 15 minute presentation
12:43PM
HOUSE: Dark
STAGE: Dark
SET: Dark
-
Play “Why Not” video
Emcees with wireless lavs
Staff/volunteer honorees ready backstage
PPT: Summit logo after video
12:45PM
HOUSE: Half
STAGE: Full
SET: Full – colors (purple, blue, red)
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-
Music Cue (Battle Mode) :30
Emcees enter on tricycles & act out human Mario Kart
Brian Marlow mic’d backstage
PPT: Why Not stories slides READY
IMAG emcees during intro to stories, then flip to PPT
when referencing stories
WADE
That video featured some pretty outrageous scenes! My favorite,
of course, was the human Mario Kart. Anyone else…?
[Cheers hopefully]
Well, Relay For Life volunteers across our High Plains Division
have been doing some pretty outrageous things at their events,
too… outrageous in a GREAT way!
SUSAN
That’s right – even before we rolled out the “Hope Big, Dream Big,
Relay Big” concept, some of our Relayers beat us to the punch.
Those Relayers have been saying “Why Not” for the past year…
and it’s paid off!
WADE
We want to share some of these “Why Not Stories” with you now
and recognize those events that are leading the High Plains in
thinking outside the track. Hopefully these stories will inspire
YOU to go back home and incorporate some unique ideas into
your event, as well!
SUSAN
We start in the great state of Oklahoma!
[Applause]
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In Carmen, OK, the Carmen Calvary team had signed up to
participate in the local Relay – the Relay For Life of Woods/Alfalfa
County. Unfortunately the team had prior commitments that
would not allow them to participate in the actual community event.
[Pause and look at audience]
Now, how many of you have come across a team in your
recruitment efforts that has a date conflict with Relay so they just
opt out for that year?
[Hopefully some response from crowd b/c it happens ALL the
time!]
Yeah, nearly every event runs into this at some point. Well,
instead of giving up and forgoing their fundraising for the year
because of their prior commitments, this group visited with their
staff partner and decided they would kick it up a notch.
Instead of letting their date conflict hinder them, they decided to
make this their opportunity to shine! They said, “if we can't
participate with the Woods/Alfalfa County Relay, let's just
participate in our own town!”
- PPT: Carmen Calvary photos (5 pics)
So that’s exactly what they did. They had their own Relay about 3
weeks before the event they would have typically been
participating in. And Carmen, OK with a population of only 357
people raised more than $3,000!
[Applause]
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This team was actually featured in the High Plains Division Relay
For Life blog earlier this year. Here’s what the story said:
“Who says one team can’t make a difference in the fight against
cancer? Kyna Swanson, community manager of development in
the Oklahoma Region, recently worked with a team that could not
attend their local Relay For Life of Woods/Alfalfa County. They
had worked so hard throughout the year fundraising and raising
awareness about cancer that they did not want to miss out on the
Relay.
So they decided to hold their very own, one team Relay so they
could still participate in an event that is near and dear to their
hearts. Working with Kyna, they came together as a team and
had their very own Opening and Closing Ceremonies. They put
on games like a cake walk, bingo, and zumba, for the 100 people
who came to support them from the local community.
They sold 62 luminaria at their one team Relay and floated them
across the pond in a special Luminaria Ceremony.
Congratulations to team Carmen Calvary for embracing the spirit
of Relay and showing all of us that one team can make a
difference!”
[Applause]
- IMAG emcees
- Shannon Morris & Kyna Swanson enter
Please welcome to the stage, from the Relay For Life of
Woods/Alfalfa County, Event Chair Shannon Morris and her staff
partner, Kyna Swanson! This is a team that wanted to make a
difference and remind everyone that every dollar counts. They
did just that. Let’s give these ladies a round of applause!
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- Shannon Morris & Kyna Swanson exit
WADE
Now we move to Geary County, Kansas!
[Applause]
In Geary County, Kansas, what do you get when you cross a
motorcycle club and Relay For Life…?
Motorcycle Laps – Let’s Get Ready To Rumble!
- PPT: Geary County photos (4 pics)
During these motorcycle laps, a local motorcycle club did their
own special lap through the parking lot and around some of the
nearby side streets, ending back at the track near the entrance to
the Relay event. And for those of you worried about risk
management issues, the bikers were led by the police with their
flashing lights on the whole time!
This was the motorcycle club’s first year to be involved with
Relay, and they made it a memorable one!
- IMAG emcees
- Glinda Johnson & Tammy Kimminau enter
Please welcome to the stage, from the Geary County Relay in
Kansas, Event Chair Glinda Johnson and her staff partner Tammy
Kimminau! Incorporating these Motorcycle Laps was a really
unique way to welcome a new audience to your event that may
not have typically participated in Relay For Life in your
community. Even better, you gave them an opportunity to Relay
the way they wanted to Relay – on two wheels! Great job ladies!
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[Lead applause]
- Glinda Johnson & Tammy Kimminau exit
SUSAN
Our next Why Not Story comes from… Texas!
[Applause]
As with many Relays each year, the Relay For Life of Bee
County, TX had to reschedule its event due to weather, which
then resulted in many schedule conflicts for both individual
participants and some teams.
The Online Chair and the planning committee brainstormed ways
to overcome this obstacle – especially since so many hardworking, passionate Relay For Life participants wanted to be able
to experience the event!
- PPT: Bee County photos (3 pics)
So they decided to do something that would make everyone feel a
part of Relay – even those who were unable to attend on the night
of the event… They streamed Relay LIVE all night!
It was a huge success with a great number of community
members going to the live online Relay feed during the evening
and early morning hours. One Survivor who was unable to attend
the Relay due to health complications was so happy because she
still felt like part of the Relay For Life event!
What a fantastic idea!
- IMAG emcees
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- Stephanie Kusy enters
Please join me in welcoming Relay For Life of Bee County staff
partner Stephanie Kusy, to the stage!
[Applause]
The Bee County committee really went to great lengths to make
sure their volunteers and participants would feel connected to the
event despite the fact that so many of them couldn’t physically
attend. Thank you so much for your efforts!
- Stephanie Kusy exits
WADE
Let’s move now to… Nebraska!
[Applause]
Stephanie Stephenson, a staff partner from Nebraska, submitted
this story via email to nominate her Platte County Relay For Life
event to be recognized this afternoon…
[Read story]
The Relayers in Platte County, Nebraska were notified that their
usual track site would not be available for the 2012 event held at
Pawnee Park in Columbus. Unfortunately, few alternate sites
were available, so the committee asked Lakeside High School
located 8 miles out of town to host the event and they accepted.
The new event site is hard to describe as it’s in a housing area
that acts as its own small outlying community, even though it’s
actually part of Columbus, and there were concerns about
ensuring that people from the Columbus community would make
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it out to the Relay. Likewise, the committee also worried about
pulling in Lakeside residents and residents of other surrounding
small towns, as well.
Enter Robbin Cutsor, Relay Tri-Chair… She thinks BIG, and
during a discussion about how to get more people to visit Relay,
she set her mind to showing the Lakeview and surrounding areas
that Relay For Life is a BIG DEAL!
Robbin wanted to have a search light in the sky for people to
follow to Relay. She feels that luminaria surrounding the track at
Relay can touch a heart immediately. She wanted those who
have never attended an event before to be drawn by a light to
have their eyes and hearts behold an unbelievable sight… a
Relay For Life event.
As a native of the Columbus area, Robbin knows many people.
We brainstormed and came up with someone she knew who
works for an electric company. Light… electric company…
Bingo! She shared her idea, asked if the company would
underwrite the cost of the search light, and even offered them inkind sponsorship recognition for their generosity. The company
agreed!
- PPT: Platte County photo (1 pic)
At Relay For Life this year, the search light lit up the sky, drawing
people to an event they may not have attended and allowing us
an opportunity to show the newcomers what Relay For Life is all
about!
- IMAG emcees
- Robbin Cutsor and Stephanie Stephenson enter
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Please welcome to the stage Robbin Cutsor, one of three Event
Chairs for the Relay For Life of Platte County, along with her staff
partner Stephanie Stephenson!
[Applause]
With this story, Robbin and Stephanie remind us to shoot for the
moon! What a clever solution to a Relay problem – and all
Robbin had to do was ask. Thanks so much for sharing, girls!
- Robbin Cutsor and Stephanie Stephenson enter
SUSAN
And for our last Why Not story, we venture back to Texas!
[Applause possibly]
- PPT: Austin Airport photos (6 pics)
This story comes to us from Austin, TX, where staff partner
Lyndsay Varner helped to coordinate the first ever Relay For Life
of Austin Bergstrom Airport! The event featured 12 active teams
with many more participants who were passing through the airport
that day. Activities took place all day long with a silent auction,
luminaria decorating, and ceremonies that were held on the main
stage. Michael DeHart, the South Central Texas Hero of Hope
who we just heard from also took part in the event.
It was a day full of celebration which was headed up by teams
from American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and the Department of
Aviation.
- IMAG emcees
- Lyndsay Varner enters
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Please give a round of applause to Lyndsay Varner, staff in the
Austin office, for truly thinking outside the track… and more along
the lines of an airport concourse!
- Lyndsay Varner exits
SUSAN
This actually wasn’t the only Relay activity to take place in an
airport this year! We held a Delta Day of Hope at eight airports in
the High Plains Division earlier this year, including airports in
Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Kansas City, Oklahoma City,
San Antonio, and St. Louis. Together, these Delta Day of Hope
celebrations raised an additional $17,000 for Relay For Life
events in our division – while raising awareness about Relay For
Life and the American Cancer Society, as well.
WADE
Let’s give these volunteers and staff one last round of applause
for “thinking outside the track”!
It’s not easy to venture off the beaten path and try new things, but
these stories illustrate what great things can come from doing just
that!
[Applause]
SUSAN
Now we’re nearly to the end of our time together… We’ve got
one last message for you – and a dynamic speaker to deliver it –
but first we want to run through some travel instructions for those
of you who might need them and some very important thank yous.
- PPT: Travel instructions
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SUSAN
When you exit the ballroom, pick up your luggage and exit to the
parking lot if you drove.
WADE
If you are flying, go to the Chantilly Entrance and be sure to board
the bus for the appropriate airport. There will be separate busses
for Love Field and DFW.
SUSAN
Also one last reminder – you’ll be receiving your Summit
evaluation via email in the next couple of days. Please be sure to
fill it out and share your thoughts with us about your experience
this weekend. Your feedback is invaluable as we strive to make
this event better and better every year!
[Pause]
- PPT: Thank You!
WADE
We are always excited to tell you that several vendors support our
annual Division Summit, which means that lots of the things
you’ve received over the weekend have been donated! We owe
huge thanks to these vendors for their contributions:
SUSAN
Relay Gear for the birthday tumblers, the canvas totes, and shirts
for the Summit Workgroup
WADE
Positive Promotions for the hanging signage
RR Donnelly for the regional signage
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SUSAN
And Staples for our Summit t-shirts
And now, before Wade and I take off, I want to give a special
shout-out to Wade for being such an amazing co-emcee,
volunteer, inspiration – and partner-in-crime this weekend!
You’ve been so much fun to work with!
WADE
[Farewell speech here]
[To wrap up speech]
…Thank you so much for trekking to Dallas this weekend in the
name of fighting cancer! And thanks also for laughing at our
jokes!
- PPT: Brian Marlow intro slide
SUSAN
Now, please welcome our final speaker of the weekend, co-chair
of the National Relay For Life Advisory Team and a Relayer with
the Relay For Life of Tacoma, Washington… Brian Marlow!
- Emcees exit
1:00PM
HOUSE: Half
STAGE: Full
SET: Full
- Music Cue (I Believe In A Thing Called Love) :15
- Brian enters
- IMAG Brian during 15 minute presentation
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- Brian exits after giving call to action
- PPT: Summit logo slide after presentation
1:15PM
HOUSE: Full
STAGE: Dark
SET: Dark
VOG
That wraps up our 2012 Relay For Life Leadership Summit!
Thank you for coming and have a safe trip home!
- Music Cue (Party Rock Anthem)
- Music Cue (Feel So Close)
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