C Ask the Volunteer Coordinator (Naramata) or Volunteer and Operations Coordinator (Seabeck) for the names of campers who have already volunteered to assist with the Costume Parade .

C Advertise and promote the Costume Parade early in the week, through posters and the camp newsletter.

C Seek out potential-but-reluctant participants individually, and encourage them to dress up for this event. Keep new campers especially in mind. Remember this event is for children AND adults.

C Supplies: Both camps have some Costumes Boxes in storage. In addition to costumes the supplies could include decorations (streamers, balloons, etc.); make-up; cold cream; tissues; mirrors (2 or 3); safety pins; tape; etc. See the Operations Manager (Naramata) or VOC (Seabeck) for help in locating the box.

C Award Stickers: You’ll need awards to give each person who participates in “the parade”. Ask the Volunteer Coordinator/VOC or the Children’s Program Director if they have materials to make the awards. If not, ask someone who’s going to into town to buy some decorations or award stickers. The Dean has a budget for such expenses.

C Decorator: Recruit a volunteer to decorate the judges’ table and the steps of the porch with streamers, balloons, etc., just before the Parade. If the railings are wet, streamers should not be used, as the dye will run into the wood and leave marks. All decorations must be removed as soon as the parade is over.

C Furniture Mover: Ask the Operations Manager/VOC to set up a table and four chairs for the judges. Summer Seabeck only: take down all the rocking chairs from the porch and place them around the patio area (provided it is not raining). This should be done immediately after dinner, before people start sitting on them. You need everyone as an audience below, not on the balcony. Everything has to be moved back after the Parade.

C Costume and Make-up Helpers: Recruit about 5 people to help with costumes and make-up. Two of these helpers, with 2 pens and about 80 small pieces of paper, will give each participant a slip of paper indicating what they represent (not their names - they’re in disguise!) When it is their turn to go down the stairs, they will hand this slip of paper to the Announcer.

C Announcer: Recruit someone who has a big voice. He/She is a focal point of the Parade, and should be in costume. Remind the Announcer to line up contestants. At Naramata: outside the door or in a line inside the gym; at Seabeck along the balcony railings in front of the office just before starting time. and to start the Parade promptly at 7 p.m. to avoid encroaching on activities scheduled for later. The Announcer begins the Costume event, introduces each participant (waiting until each contestant has received their award before announcing the next one; sometimes all awards are given out after the “parade”). At the end of the Parade, the Announcer closes the festivities, thanking the Judges, the Presenters, participants and any others who have helped.

C Herald: If possible have a trumpeter, or drummer, herald the introduction of each contestant.

C Three Judges: Three is ideal. Since the judges can “make or break” the Costume event, choose wisely: you need people who are quick and funny - good with language and one-liners. The awards will generally have double meanings, but they should not be so clever that the children don’t understand them! (Keep in mind that this event is mainly for the children.) Imagination is a must - judges may be faced with 12 fairy princesses! Judges should be reminded to use inclusive language only; no sexist, racist, or minority “put-downs”. Have the judges dress up. At the end of the Parade, after the Announcer thanks the organizers, the judges usually thank the Costume Parade Coordinator, and give awards to the Announcer, to the Herald, and to the Parade Coordinator.

C Scribe: Recruit someone with fancy printing or handwriting to sit at the judges’ table and write the awards. (Speed is also an asset.)

C Aware Presenter: The Presenter helps the judges determine they awards, and then announces and presents an award to each contestant. Recruit someone who has a big voice, likes kids, is funny, and lots of “patter”. He/She is a focal point of the Parade, and should be in costume.

C Safety Monitor: Find a volunteer to stand at the bottom of the steps to catch falling princesses and masked robbers; to keep the steps and patio (stage) free of bodies; and to direct participants to do another pirouette on the patio, if the judges need more time to decide on an award.

C Photographer: If one can be recruited, he/she is best positioned at the bottom of the steps.

C Clean-up: Have a few people help you clean up the clothes, make-up, etc. afterwards. Sort out what is Eliot’s and what has been brought by campers, and box everything up to prevent items from straying. Return all Eliot items to the storage boxes.

Back to Eliot Jobs