Retreat Manager 

Retreat Preparation Tasks

Two - Four Months Ahead:

• Calendar - Reserve space for retreat (including Red Cedar Dharma Hall: needs to be added to building schedule). Inform other groups normally scheduled that we will need the Hall, including for set up the afternoon or evening before. NOTE: even if planning begins less than 2 - 4 months before the event, the RM MUST inform other Hall users. No one else will have taken care of this. Contact information is on Workgroups page, under: ____________
• Website - Post retreat on website using Event Espresso (might be already done; ask Tech committee for help)
• Outreach - Check with outreach person, if any, about making a poster
• Food - Check in with Tenzo (Chef), Ino, Registrar. Help them find their job instructions.
• Supplies - Organize purchase of supplies beyond

        Tenzo organizes food purchases - delegates and oversees specific ingredients and quantities to Food Buyer    

        Ino organizes zendo supply purchases

        Check on oryoki supplies

        Check on general building supplies (toilet paper, etc.) - we may have a general shopper for this

2-4 Weeks Ahead:

• Plan retreat and Job Assignments with Ino.  Ino consults Tanto, Teacher and Tenzo, and notifies Doan-ryo (3), Chiden Jisha. RM notifies Tenzo Assistants, meal Servers, Dishwashers, Soku, Work Leader, Flower Chiden. Confirm that they can do these jobs.
• Participant Requests - Support Registrar with any requests from participants (scholarships, housing, special schedules)
• Schedules - Finalize schedule in coordination with Teacher, Tanto, and Ino (almost all are on this workgroups page)
  
• • Work with Ino prepare Tenken and Ino schedules (same schedule, but annotated for their jobs)
    

1 Week Ahead: 

• Eight - nine days before retreat start date, send email stating registration closing date in three days.
• Close Registration 5 - 6 days prior to retreat start date (get help from Tech Committee to automate closing)
• Refine/revise Job Assignments - Work with the Ino to respond to last minute changes to assignments
• Print Outs - Prepare copies of retreat documents for distribution
• • Job Assignments list
  • • Copy for: Retreat Manager, Registrar, Ino, Tenzo, Work Leader, & each Teacher (in dokusan room)
      
    • Post at RCDH: Lobby,by restrooms, by downstairs exit
    • Post at Samish: Both mens and womens side of both restrooms, zendo, dining hall
      
  • Schedules
  • • Copy for: Retreat Manager, Ino, each Teacher, Tenzo, 2 for Jisha, 
      
    • Post: same as Job Assignments
      
  • Participant Lists
  • • Copy for: Retreat Manager, Jisha, Ino, extra for Registrar
  • (Ino provides direction and documents for Tenken, Doan-ryo, Chiden, Doshi, Jiko)
    
• Major Jobs - Inform Work Leader and Soku (head server) of their jobs.  Help them find their job instructions.
• Oryoki - If oryoki: assemble enough sangha oryoki kits for those borrowing them, or ask soku to do so.
• Kitchen/Bath supplies - Check to see there are enough towels, toilet paper, hand soap; purchase what's needed.
• First aid kit and Tools - Check to see that these are full and available downstairs
• Tea - Plan with Tenzo and make sure these supplies are there; RM may need to purchase sweets, tea.

Retreat Setup Tasks

• Posting - Post and distribute prepared documents 
  
• Notes System - Set up message board. RM clear space on bulletin boards for pinning notes; supply paper, pens
• Setup Help - Check in with Registrar, Tenzo, Ino for their set-up (Ino lead zendo setup)
• Dana Boxes - Take from upstairs closet and put in lobby
  
• Pair of Clackers for Soku - Take downstairs if having oryoki meals. Keep other pairs upstairs for Ino & Tenken
• Clocks - Synchronize 4 clocks; also clock that Tenken will use
• Water glass shelf from women's restroom to hallway by water jug
• Snack and coffee areas (if needed) - Ask food buyer to purchase things for these areas, as needed
• Meal Chant cards (for oryoki meals) - Bring upstairs from kitchen area

Retreat Operation Tasks

• Interface with non-retreat participants such as caretakers, neighbors (Ino welcomes zendo guests)
  
• Work with Registrar to see that everyone knows what their jobs are, and that everyone completed registration
• Orientation regarding non-zendo topics
  
• Make general announcements as needed, preferably at work period
• Check in with retreat leaders: Jisha (on behalf of Teacher), Ino, Tenzo, Work Leader, Tanto, Registrar
  
• Synchronize clocks
• On first days of retreat, orient servers, kitchen clean-up crew, coffee & snack person to their roles, and thereafter check to see they remember to do their jobs and/or need any support
• On final retreat day, assess clean-up needs in kitchen, zendo, dokusan room, and bathroom; organize clean-up teams to complete all needed tasks. If retreat ends in evening, assign 2 - 4 people to clean up kitchen, laundry, take out garbage, sweep, etc. during dinner hour and/or first period of evening zazen.
• With Tenzo, save left-over food from meals in small containers and offer it to retreat participants to take home.

Retreat Follow-up Tasks (usually to be done during days/week following retreat)

• Wash and dry and put away all towels, oryoki cloths, other cloth items
• Wash and dry borrowed oryoki sets; reassemble kits and store in Oryoki storage bin--take to storage room
• Return other items to storage room--futons, tool kit, etc.
• Wash and put away all remaining dishes, cups, cooking implements
• Take down all retreat schedules and job assignment sheets from bulletin boards
• See to it that everything is returned to usual room arrangements
• Process Norman's Dana
• additional information