The basic steps are:
- Determine a topic, speaker, and date (usually the third Wednesday starting at 6:30 for pizza and socializing, with program starting at 7:00).
- Verify meeting place. We're currently meeting at United Way of the Greater Triangle. Contact is Shelly Bowers, SBowers at unitedwaytriangle.org. Other potential meeting places.
- Prepare announcement.
- Post to:
- NCTech4Good Meetup.com site and email members, NCTech4Good-list@meetup.com
- Triangle 501 Tech Club list, 501techclub-triangle@groups.nten.org (this list is moderated because we've had problems with an email loop).
- RTPnet Board and Advisors list, rtpnet-advisors@rtpnet.org [a private list].
- LinkedIn group at http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2091224&trk=anet_ug_grppro.
- Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/NCTech4Good/101242364388#/pages/NCTech4Goo....
- http://twitter.com/nctech4good
- SocialCarolina.org calendar. [If you haven't posted before, you need a gmail account and one of the Triangle Team to approve you.]
- NTEN's events calendar
- www.nctechnews.com, You must first register as an author by emailing a request to register@nctechnews.com, then send to info@nctechnews.com, must be approved before it is published
- Independent Weekly (by 3 pm Friday of the preceding week), Activism (ACT NOW) calendar, email actnow@indyweek.com. Use the subject line "Act Now" and include the date, time, street address, cost, contact info (phone, e-mail or website), and a two-sentence description of the event. Instructions are at http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/Submit/Page
- raleigh.craigslist.org/
- triangle.com
- dbusinessnews: http://www.dbusinessnews.com/
- If the topic is of general interest to techies, consider posting to the Meetup groups North Carolina IT Professionals, Raleigh IT Professionals, and if it's also open source, perhaps Triangle Linux Users Group General Discussion, trilug@trilug.org, and Triangle PHP User Group, tripug@lists.tripug.org. Judy also sends to the UNC-Chapel Hill support mailing list .
- A couple of days before the event, verify who is bringing the projector (United Way has one) and who is bringing the computer. [Public Information Network, Inc. has a projector. Contact Judy Hallman, hallman at live.unc.edu.]
- The day of the event: Update and print copies of the sign-in/evaluation form, check paper plates, cups, etc. Buy what's needed plus drinks and ice. Order and pick up pizza — Joe's New York Style Pizzeria is near United Way, 919-466-8505, 962 Airport Blvd, Morrisville, on the left coming from I-40, next to the Days Inn, behind the Mobil gas station. Keep your receipt for reimbursement
- At the event: Put out name tags with pens, PIN, Inc. materials, NTEN materials, and sign-in/evaluation sheets.
- Ensure that the room is clean before leaving. Give away leftover pizza.
Followup:
- Thank speaker.
- Write a summary from meeting notes and the sign-in/evaluation forms and post it online at http://nccommunities.org/meetings along with any presentation materials.
- Report expenses for reimbursement. Send email to Sarah Janczak (sarah at nten.org) and Warren Fuson (wfuson at nc.rr.com) listing expenses and attach a scanned copy of the receipt (the credit card receipt is sufficient). Ask Sarah to send reimbursement (up to $75) payable to Public Information Network, Inc. to Warren Fuson, 8801 Lakewood Drive, Raleigh, NC 27613, and ask Warren to reimburse whoever paid the bill. NTEN's template is at Template for 501 Tech Club Reimbursement but you don't need to use that form.