Oktoberfest Meeting Notes

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Publicity
• Leslie Karr sent press releases to local media and parish bulletin
editors (parish bulletin editor list provided by Tony Ziebron of
SHM).
• Patrick Degens also sent out the press release to C & G
Newspapers, Grosse Pointe News, the Detroit Monitor, and the
Mt. Clemens paper for their community calendars.
• Michael Semaan also sent the press release and flyers to his list
of parish bulletin editors and listed it on the Detroit News events
calendar.
• Michael Semaan will do a radio interview on Ave Maria Radio,
990 AM, on 9/16 about the Oktober Choral Fest concert and the
St. Joseph music program. The name of the radio show is Notes
from Above and it will air 9/19 at 4:30 p.m., 9/22 at 9 p.m., and
9/25 at 9 p.m.
• Michael Soranno is working on getting coverage of the
Oktoberfest on Channel 7 News.
• Patrick will distribute postcards at the 9/11 Oktoberfest in
Kolping Park.
• Leslie worked with Jamie to correct the Oktoberfest information
on the St. Joseph website.
• Leslie encouraged all parishioners to distribute promotional
materials in their neighborhoods and to spread the word about
the event via email, Facebook, etc. A Facebook page called “St.
Joseph Church 5th Annual Oktoberfest” has been set up, and a
Facebook event is circulating, as well.

Advertising
• We will have a display ad in the Monitor (full page) and the 9/10
issue of Michigan Catholic (1/4 page).
• Sean Dey is placing a radio schedule on WRCJ 90.9 FM for the
ChoralFest concert. Last year’s schedule was $400.
• Mollie Murphy got an advertising proposal from Ave Maria Radio
(cost of $900, valued at $2,500), which will be presented to a
potential donor and possibly used to promote our event.

Raffle
• The raffle license number finally came in from the State of
Michigan, but now the tickets are held up at the printer.
• Tickets will be distributed in the vestibule 9/12 to those in
attendance and mailed to the rest of the parishioner list. The
mailing will include a cover letter and five books of tickets.
 • We will also sell tickets during the event itself.
• The drawing will take place at 6 p.m. on Sunday, 9/26.
• Prizes: dinner for two at your choice of restaurant in Metro
Detroit, Gordie Howe autographed hockey stick, Miguel Cabrera
autographed baseball, and Justin Verlander autographed
baseball.
• We have the baseballs in our possession. We need to acquire the
hockey stick and make a gift certificate for the restaurant prize
with details on how to redeem it.

Ticket Sales
• We will make an effort to have parish representatives present at
the other cluster Masses and events to sell concert and raffle
tickets 9/12 and 9/18.
• Jack Paulus will sell concert and raffle tickets at the St. Josaphat
city chicken dinner on 9/19.
• Chris Hubbard will sell tickets at SHM Masses.
• Frank Greenia will sell at St. Josaphat 9:30 Mass.
• Jack Day will go to Sts. Peter and Paul and Sacred Heart (Eastern
Market).
• Carole Varga will contact the choir director at Old St. Mary’s.
• John Blanchard will go to Assumption Grotto to make sure tickets
are available to their parishioners since the Grotto choir will be
singing in the concert.

Concert
• Michael Semaan should receive music selections from the two
choirs that have not yet submitted them by 9/12.
• One of the soloists, Gina d’Alessio, has pulled out and has been
replaced by a string duo (Velda Kelly, violin and Nadine Deleury, cello)
• He plans to finalize the information for the printed program by
9/16. He will format the inside of the printed program; Sharon
Fromm will format the cover and back with ads/sponsorship
listings. Leslie Karr will help coordinate as needed.

Sponsorship
• We have received $5,390 in sponsorship.
• We will give Sofie’s catering an ad/recognition in the program for
their donation of pickled beets.

Food
• Rudy Zoller found the best price on sausage ($2.20 per lb.)
• The Zollers and their helpers will be making one type of sausage,
the sauerkraut, and the potato salad (donating both time and
 materials); one volunteer will require reimbursement for
materials.
• Tony Isaac is providing ice cream.
• Strudel will be sold for $3 (Jack Paulus will order apple and
cherry); Costco cake (48 slices for $17) will be sold for $2.
• Safie’s catering donated pickled beets for the event.
• John Lange is in charge of condiments.
• Jack Day offered the use of his hotdog steamer, popcorn
machine, and walkie-talkies. We would definitely like to use the
walkie-talkies. Other items still TBD.
• Reminder to get Food Handler permits before the event.
• Patrick bought plates and is buying more.
• We discussed whether we needed to provide knives—some
disagreement on this issue. We need to have them available.
• Leslie will provide Jack Paulus with food pricing for the smart
cash register.

Entertainment
• The Degens family is providing a 15’ x 15’ inflatable bounce
house for Sunday.
• Patrick plans to ask the Dorr sisters to run it.
• He is planning to charge $.50 per kid (NOTE: We may want to
avoid dealing in change. Also, at Erwin’s cider mill in South Lyon
they charge $3 for six minutes of jumping, so perhaps $1 is
reasonable.)
• We discussed having a volunteer face painter (the person in
mind is not available), and clown (Bob Cafagna—Jack Day will ask
him).
• The Carpathia dancers are charging $200. They will perform at
1:30 p.m. on Sunday when the Tridentine Mass lets out.
• Jack Day has volunteered to be in charge of power management;
i.e. extensions cords and other electrical power concerns.
• Jack Day’s 20’ x 30’ tent will be on the grass between the hall
and the parking lot, right outside the double emergency doors.
He has bulb lights for it.
• Jack needs someone with a van to help get the tent here
sometime before the event. Patrick thought it would fit in his
vehicle.

Beverages
• Patrick bought pop and water, and we will be getting leftover
Pierogi Festival pop, too.
• Pop and water will be sold for $1.
• Justin Karr needs to confirm wine price per glass with Todd
 Bertani.
• We discussed our need for ice and whether to bundle it at SHM
and bring it over (the beer truck is a refrigerator and we have
two refrigerators in the hall). Erica Gray will help with ice
bundling if needed.

Set-Up and Operations

• Patrick will put up decorations in the hall.
• We discussed having volunteers wear some sort of uniform to
distinguish them from event attendees. Shirts, hats, and name
tags were discussed. The latest thought is for volunteers to wear
neon-colored canvas badge holders around their neck that say
“Volunteer.” Leslie will investigate.

Expense Tracking
• Anyone who needs to pay a vendor may submit a check request
to Chris Hubbard. Please allow as much advanced notice as
possible.
• Please email Jude Beres with detailed expense information
pertaining to your area of responsibility. He will be putting
together an income statement for the event so that we can
provide next year’s chair(s) with comprehensive expense
information.
• Jack Paulus will provide the seed money for the cash registers.

Security
• We again discussed the possibility of a dog staying with Deacon
Bill overnight to guard the property.
• Deacon Bill could not attend the meeting, so we hope to get an
update about whether or not the Wayne County police reserves
are able to help us with security.
• We plan to pay two guards (Bob and hopefully his son, if he is
available; possibly Tom’s brother, too) to help with security.

Contingencies
• We discussed taking an inventory on food and drinks Saturday
night to avoid running out on Sunday.
• We discussed putting up wasp traps.
• Jack Day recommended putting someone in charge of sanitation
for the whole event; we need to make sure that the bathrooms
are clean and stocked and the garbage is taken out regularly.

Next Meeting
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2010, 7 p.m.
If you are in charge of an aspect of the Oktoberfest and cannot
make this final meeting, please provide Leslie Karr with a
report via email (leslie@karreditorial.com) by Sunday, 9/19, at
the latest.