06/14/2014
Here is the ACE 2014 Volunteer 101 Packet as it appears in the email. If you are unable to print your email copy, you may cut &paste this into your word processor. Feel free to format it to fit your needs, but make sure you print the Signature Sheet as one page for us to collect. Thanks, Troops!
ACE 2014
VOLUNTEER 101 PACKET
*************************************************************
Welcome to the ACE Army! You’ve joined an elite force of the best Volunteers in all the land. As a member of the ACE Army you will be a part of the driving force behind the success of ACE! To that end, you will be assigned positions, trained & provided tools to become the best Soldier you can be. This packet includes some basic but important information you’ll need as a member of our 2014 ACE Army.
YOU MUST READ THIS PACKET IN ITS ENTIRETY, SIGN THE FINAL PAGE AND TURN IT IN.
All volunteers must turn in their completed signature pages prior to the start of the first shift. The page verifies that you have read the ACE Volunteer 101 Packet, reviewed ACE Floor Map/Layout & agree to follow the ACE Rules and Regulations. We will have Signature Pages available at the Training Sessions and the ACE Army Table at HQ during the Expo for those of you unable to print at home.
YOU MUST PRESENT YOUR PICTURE I.D. ALONG WITH THE SIGNATURE SHEET.
This is to verify age, name and assist ACE in case of possible Liability issues. Copies/pictures of ID will be made at the time of presentation and filed for ACE 2014 exclusively. Accepted Identification: Driver’s License, Military ID, Passport -or- any form of issued picture ID plus your Birth Certificate.
As an ACE Volunteer, you are a representative of ACE and must reflect this at all times during your Deployment. The Code Of Conduct and Rules within this Packet applies to all Volunteers and will be enforced, so please ask any questions prior to the Expo.
TEN-HUT, TROOPS!
LET’S GO KICK SOME ACE!
DRESS CODE
(We suggest jeans/shorts & sneakers for our Army)
· At all times while on duty, you MUST wear your ACE T-Shirt and Volunteer Nametag. NO EXCEPTIONS!
· You must be showered, clean & tidy: remember to put on deodorant, iron anything wrinkly, double-check everything for comfort, etc.
· Appropriate shoes must be worn while on duty: no flip-flops or open-toe shoes will be allowed. Shoes must be closed-toe, full foot styles. This is for safety purposes.
· Volunteers may NOT wear their ACE T-shirt over costumes or while off-duty. If you plan on spending half volunteering/half guest, make sure to bring a change of clothes.
· Can I sport a bit of flair? Of course you can show your fandom! Wear some buttons, grab your fez or holster that weapon: keep it PG-ish, keep your Nametag visible & it’s ok!
BEHAVIOR & TIPS ON INTERACTION
(mind your manners J )
· There are many people at ACE. Be on your best behavior in all ways possible!
· Be courteous and attentive at all times.
· Make eye contact, smile, don’t mumble, be confident.
· Keep your head on a swivel, interact with Vendors/Artists and Guests who look confused or in need of attention.
· Always keep your ACE Pack (Official ACE brochure, documents, paper, pen) with you!
· Remember to stay hydrated!
WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU AS A VOLUNTEER
As ACE’s “boots on the ground”, you are both the first and last line of defense! Guests, Vendors and Artists will seek you out and to that end, we ask you to do the following:
· Read this entire Packet. You must abide by the Rules & Regulations we have set for ACE. By turning in the Signature Page, you are affirming that you have read this Packet and agree to follow the Code of Conduct, Rules and Regulations.
· Review the Floor Map. Be familiar with it in general, but you MUST know locations of Restrooms, Fire Exits, Loading Dock, Panel Rooms & Lobby before your Shift.
· Prepare according to your own personal needs. Remember that you’ll be walking on concrete floors for the duration of your Shift, you’ll be busy and you’ll have little “down time”. We recommend at minimum that you wear pants with pockets, comfortable sneakers and bring a water bottle with a strap or clip for carrying.
· If you’re a Prepper at heart, we feel you. Bringing a small backpack to wear during your Shift is a great idea and we recommend it. Think about bringing: phone charger, snacks, band-aids, travel hygiene items, extra socks…backpacks keep your hands free, keep items available and gives you an on-hand shopping bag if required! ;)
* If you have any special needs you did not mention in your Volunteer Application, please tell your Commander & General immediately.
SHIFTS, TIMES, RANKS & DUTIES
· The majority of ACE 2014 runs from Friday, June 27 to Sunday, June 29.
· Each day has different Shifts, labeled A, B & C depending on which day(s) you will be working. You will be scheduled shifts and assigned positions/Ranks based on your listed availability, skills and required ACE Coverage.
· You MUST report to the ACE Army Table in the Lobby at least 15 MINUTES before your shift begins for Muster (Inspection, sign-in, roll-call, updates) and to stow your personal effects in the Army break room. If you are changing clothes, carpooling, etc. please plan accordingly!
· Having an accurate Roll is essential. ACE has had an amazing percentage of retention, and we’d love to see that trend continue! We all need to remember our Army is a team of individual people who have all decided to generously give their time and energy.
· Please, keep the commitments you’ve made.
These are the shifts for ACE 2014. Remember to report at least 15min before your shift!
Thursday Shift: TBD
Friday Shifts: A 11:30am-4:30pm B 3:00-8:00pm
Saturday Shifts: A 9:00am-2:30pm B 12:00pm-5:30pm C 2:30pm-8:00pm
Sunday Shifts: A 10:00am-3:00pm B 2:00pm-7:00pm
If you need to notify Commander Kris of any emergency that keeps you from your Shift, call/text her at (575) 640-9392 ASAP. Make sure to include your full name and Shift.
“No Show” Troopers may face consequences up to and/or including a ban on future Volunteering for ACE.
The ACE Army has a Ranking system:
Commander -> Generals -> Sergeants -> VFCs
· You will be assigned to a Squad which will have an Area & color designation.
· Each Squad will have a General, and depending on the Squad, may have Sergeants.
· Generals will prep and assign their Squads before Shift, making sure the Squad is ready, informed and prepared.
· Make sure you have your ACE T-shirt, Lanyard/Nametag, ACE Packet and any other additional items you feel you’ll need during your Shift.
· It is your responsibility to keep your ACE Packet updated: if you are told about Panel Cancellations (for example), strike it from your Brochure and make a notation.
· During your Shifts, you’ll be responsible for fulfilling your duties as assigned, handling any questions accurately, keeping Aisles clear and watching the Expo floor overall.
· Always interact with Convention Center Staff, Security, Albuquerque Police Department and all non-ACE entities with respect and courtesy.
· You may be asked questions or presented with issues from Vendors/Guest that you personally have no answer for. Never say “I don’t know”. Always say something like: “I will find that out for you right away”, then excuse yourself, find a Sgt or General and present the question to them. Once answered, promptly return to the Vendor or Guest, making sure that the answer is to their satisfaction and/or the problem is resolved.
· Act as a Squad. If you see one of your Squadmates in a pickle, offer assistance.
· Any issues of inappropriate behavior or harassment must be reported to your General or Commander immediately. Any Volunteer found to be problematic may be ejected.
YOU MUST STAY IN YOUR ASSIGNED AREA.
We cannot make this clear enough. If we assign “Yellow Squad” 10 people, we need 10 people to cover that Area. In the past, we have had to eject (or ban) Volunteers who decided to ignore Assignments to go chase after Talent or otherwise abandon their Squad. All ACE Army Troops are representing the event at all times and must behave accordingly. Inappropriate acts by any of us could cost ACE future bookings, rob our attendees of Talent they enjoy meeting and complicate business for years to come.
We can and will eject you if you cannot follow these simple rules.
TRAINING DAYS & QUESTIONS
On Saturday, June 14th, we will hold our Training Day in Albuquerque.
Training Session A will run from 11:00am-1:00pm
Training Session B will run from 4:00pm-6:00pm
· They’ll both be held at the Heights Community Center at 823 Buena Vista Dr. SE 87106 (Coal & Buena Vista).
· Every volunteer must attend at least 1 (one) of the Training Session, but if you are able to attend both, you are welcome to do so!
· We’ll work on Volunteer Training & Teamwork, Assignments/Duties, discuss the contents of this Packet and also do some simple prep work for ACE itself.
· The sessions should run no more than 2 hours.
IT IS VITAL THAT YOU ATTEND AT LEAST ONE TRAINING SESSION!
If you absolutely cannot attend either Training Session, you must contact us by email
( [email protected] ) or phone ( 575-640-9392 ) as soon as possible so we can discuss your situation.
**When you come to Training, please bring your Photo ID & Volunteer 101 Packet.**
FAQS
We know that you may have questions about ACE and your role as a member of our ACE Army. We will address any question you have, and encourage you to speak with us. Don’t be shy: there are no stupid questions, and we’d prefer to address them now.
What if I don’t agree with the ACE Dress Code or other Regulations?
- You must agree to the terms ACE has listed in order to Volunteer. If you have questions or concerns about a specific item, contact us to discuss it in detail.
I’ve never Volunteered before, is that a problem?
- Not at all! We’ll show you the basics and be there for you every step of the way.
As a Volunteer, what kinds of things can I expect during my shift?
- ACE is big, and it draws all types of people! You could walk past Godzilla, high-five War Machine and then run from Stormtroopers. It’s fantastic! The ‘work’ situations you may have to handle could include simply providing information to Guests, finding an extra chair for an Artist, or even politely scooting the Brotherhood of Mutants blocking an aisle to a different area. ACE Volunteers have a large range of duties!
Why do I have to be 18? Why are you requiring ID?
- ACE is a public event, which requires us to have due diligence made on our Volunteers. Every Volunteer is must be of legal adult age, checked through the National S*x Offenders Registry & previous ACE Ban lists and their ID recorded for Liability purposes. Requiring this information helps assure that we are keeping our Guests, Staff and Volunteers safe and protected to the best of our ability.
I want to ask a few questions about something from this Packet, where do I send them?
- You can email questions to: [email protected] or call (575) 640-9392 to speak with Kris, your Volunteer Commander.
NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
REWARDS OF BEING IN THE ACE ARMY!
Volunteers have been the rock upon which ACE was built and an integral part of our success. You are generously giving ACE some of your time, experience and skill. We recognize that each member of the ACE Army is giving much to us, and we do our best to return that gift in spades. Besides the free volunteer t-shirt and bragging rights, our Army gets free entry, volunteer-only Raffles, chances at “on-the-spot” rewards and more!
· If you work a Shift, you will receive 1 (one) Day Pass and 1 Raffle Ticket
· (For each additional Shift you work, you will receive 1 more Raffle Ticket at minimum, with additional rewards possible.)
· If you work multiple Shifts, have participated in the Street Team/pre-Expo promotion events prior to Thursday June 26, or have traveled 100+ miles (one-way) to help ACE, we look forward to talking to you about your Upgrade options! Multiple 1-day passes, 2- or 3-day passes and more will be available for volunteers who fit the criteria, and may be available for outstanding single-shift volunteers at ACE’s discretion.
· The Raffle is for ACE Army members exclusively! We’ll collect all the Tickets at the close of the Expo with the drawing being held in the days directly after ACE. The Raffle will happen at the time of show close on Sunday, with prizes immediately handed over. If you are not present, we will work something out with you!
· We‘re still coming up with rewards, prizes & more! Some of them we‘ll announce to the Army, and some may be on-shift surprises!
Please keep in mind that all Volunteer rewards are given at our discretion. While we will do everything we can to train, assist and help our Volunteers perform their duties, their overall behavior is ultimately their own responsibility. If a Volunteer performs poorly, has complaints against them, abandons/no-shows for shift(s) or is ejected from ACE, their rewards may be revoked. Due to repeat no-shows on Sunday shifts, If a Volunteer signs up for a Sunday shift and does not arrive, they will be banned from Volunteering for ACE 2015.
2014 ACE SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION PAGE
---------*print signature sheet as a single page*----------
ACE 2014 VOLUNTEER SIGNATURE SHEET
By signing this page, you are giving your word that you have read the entire Volunteer 101 Packet. In order to Volunteer, you must agree to follow the Rules & Guidelines outlined in the Packet. Please PRINT your complete name on the first blank line and SIGN your complete name on the second blank line.
I, [PRINT]______________________________________________________________,
have read the entire 2014 ACE Volunteer 101 Packet. I understand and agree to follow all of the listed specifications, Codes of Conduct & Regulations. I understand that at any time, the Albuquerque Comic Expo (ACE) may eject me, rescind any goods given to me or bar me from this and/or any future Albuquerque Comic Expo (ACE) activities for any reason, including but not limited to violating this agreement.
I am a legal adult (18 years or older) and have presented my Identification as requested.
Signed,
______________________________________________________________________
(Nickname: _______________________ )
Date: ___________________________
**********************************************************************
For ACE use ONLY:
ID Presented? Y N What form of ID? _________________________________
ID was recorded for ACE? Y N In what way? ______________________________
Completing ACE Rep Signature: ____________________________________________
