Healthy Adventures
Guidelines for hosts

1. Event descriptions should be submitted by the deadline date indicated on your newsletter. If you want to be sure that your event gets included in the newsletter, you must turn it in by the deadline. Otherwise, the timeliness of the arrival of the newsletter is jeopardized.

If you have access to e-mail, please note that you can fill out the form on the "host" section of our Web site. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can e-mail your event description to our editor. E-mail to kmoon56@cs.com.

2. For restaurant events, please make sure you do the following.

Before you submit your event description for the newsletter:

• make sure the restaurant is amenable to dealing with a large group. Some restaurants cannot handle a large group on the weekend, so consider a weekday event.

• request of the restaurant's management, in advance, that separate checks be provided for each person. This will help avoid confusion and prevent any burden placed on the event leader if the amount collected comes up short, which has happened before. Most restaurants the group frequents comply with this request. If the restaurant is hesitant about issuing separate checks, please explain that the servers will likely receive larger tips with separate checks, as it is easier for persons to figure out their own bill and appropriate tip when separated. If the management still refuses, present as a compromise the restaurant's issuing of checks to subgroups of four people. If this proves unacceptable, you must take responsibility to ensure the bill is paid.

• request that tables be grouped together.

• some restaurants will prepare special entrees for us. Discuss in advance if appropriate.

A few days before your event:

• confirm arrangements with the restaurant. (Restaurants new to the group or small operations may need more notice.)

• provide the restaurant with an approximate estimate of how many people you expect. Attendance can vary depending on the day of the week and popularity of the restaurant, so give an estimate range rather than a specific number. Let the restaurant know there is a possibility that it could be a few more or a few less than the range you give.

• if someone orders meat, fish or fowl at your event, explain the group's policy of not ordering those items at events. A good time to explain it to newcomers is over the phone if they call about your event in advance.

3. Field any calls or questions regarding your event. In particular, if your event is outdoors and weather conditions make the holding of the event questionable, you should 1) make yourself available to field telephone calls during the period 2-3 hours up to just before the event and/or 2) leave a message on your machine as to whether the event is still to be held or not.

4. Arrive early to your event, at least ten minutes in advance. If an emergency arises and you can't be at the event, make arrangements with another experienced event leader to take your place.

Happy hosting!