IF you have no life, would you like to waste time

[DDD]

find info for me off the net?? :whew:

The Big Canoe Challenge event is coming together. husband has been
under the weather for two full weeks and I am going nuts trying
to juggle the business, the house, the family AND the event planning (until he is well enough to resume command).

All the components are coming together really really well BUT
I have to know more about how to run a sand building contest.
Home Depot wants me to tell them Wednesday "how many bags of play
sand" I need for the event. :smile: There is a man on the
committee who has told me "if you figure out how deep the sand
will be AND the size of the area each contestant will use..then
I can convert it into cubic feet and tell you how many bags to
ask for." :hammer:

Somewhere on the internet there HAS to be information on some
contest somewhere (that was not on an open beach), don't ya think? I know we had a "sandbox" for the kids and we had a sand
turtle for easy child/difficult child and a zillion times the kids built things in the sand at the beach. I just can't figure out how you designate
an area for "strangers" to use to build something.

Maybe??? The event will go from 9 til around 1 or 2. Maybe???
have sandboxes or sandtables that can ony be used for 60 minutes?
That would allow more people to create, cut down on the density
of kids, and limit the amount of sand and space needed?????

We could have 300 or we could have 1000. It's a first time event
and we won't know until that day. :rolleyes: I am going to hold the store open and send husband off to the neighboring city to
be the Chair. It may be a :smile: relaxed day at work. LOL DDD

 

[AllStressedOut]

I found this site:

http://www.sandcastlecentral.com/contests/cntorg.html

It says you should allow for a 20 x 20 space in the FAQs, but all of these are on beaches.

I'll see if I can find more info.

 

[TerryJ2]

Glad you found a site right away!

It's nice to know that we're taught math in school for a reason ... :wink:

 

[Star*]

D3,

I can tell you after working in construction that a. you do NOT want play sand to build sandcastles it's too fine when you add water to it; it gets slushy not packey b. you want bank sand.

Find out from a local gravel and sand hauler if they would be willing to haul a ton or so to the event. I would buy tarps or borrow them ....lay them out on the ground (maybe 4 tarps 12x15 (about $9.00 - $15.00 at Big Lots) and then have the truck back up to the tarped site and dump the sand on the ground.

When it's OVER.....PUT UP A SIGN that says FREE SAND......
IT will go quickly = we live in an area that is ALL sand, and if I put up a sign that says FREE SAND.....I get trucks backed up to take it away especially by contractors who put in TILE, CONCRETE or sometimes landscapers (here) if you throw sand out on St. Augustine or centipede grass it grows like crazy, parents who are looking to "refresh" the turtle sand box.

A ton of sand will be a.) cheaper b.) less for you to haul c.) more fun d.) no bags to dispose of e.) use the tarps for other events.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[susiestar]

I was just about to say pretty much what Loan Ranger said. Play sand is not great for what you are doing.

Follow her directions for ease, lower amts of back strain and sore muscles, and good fun and fellowship.

Then sit at the store and enjoy while your husband runs the event.

Hugs,

Susie

 

[DDD]

"Bank sand" ????? I'm older than dirt and the daughter of an
architect.....I've never heard of "bank sand". Rats! It took
a bunch of effort to get Home Depot to agree to provide 20 or
40 or ?? 60 bags of FREE play sand.

What a painful thought..........I might have to reject FREE
gifts! :nonono: I think I'll go to bed early! DDD

 

[susiestar]

DDD,

Is it really free if those that pick it up, carry it, and spread it around end up with back problems?

How much is having NOT to rub your husband's back and shoulders and listen to him whine about the pulled muscles worth?

Maybe this will make it easier to look at other options??

Hugs!

Susie

 

[meowbunny]

Give the "free" bags as prizes? roflao

 

[envisablepuppet]

I think Stars idea is a fantastic one but be sure you check to see how much the truck will charge to haul the sand. My husband used to do that type of thing. It could run $50.00 or more depending on the distance it has to be hauled and how much they would want to charge you for the sand.

You might be better off to ask around about pick-ups to do the hauling. Friends maybe? Maybe a few voloneteers? Also maybe someone would donate the sand or maybe let you borrow it :smile: But I really do think Stars idea is the way to go.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. (reason for the edit) The other sand as prizes is also a great idea. Give as prizes/momentos to the sand builders lol.

 

[scent of cedar]

DDD, you are too funny! :smile:

Wishing you very well with your fund raiser ~ it sounds like it is going to be fantastic!

Barbara

:smile:

 

[DDD]

OK....I'm over the initial shock. Somehow it doesn't seem like
the end of the world as I sit at the store surrounded by things
I "should" do instead of thinking about sand. :whew: Thanks
for the heads up. Maybe I can talk Home Depot into giving me
tarps......lol.

Okay, guys, give me your further input on the event. OK???

It is being held in a small town, at a town park on a lake but
with no beach...just a boat ramp area where the canoes will be
launched etc. We have an outfitter running the 200 yard races,
taking care of safety, timing etc. As of now we have 13 teams
signed up but I expect it will end up being closer to 20.

Are you picturing the scene?? Central Florida, beautiful lake
(ignore the alligators, please), 4H grilling hot dogs and burgers
so the area smells great, some booths set up for environmental
passouts, some set up to sell artwork, an on scene radio station
playing music and chitchatting about the cause.

What's wrong with this picture?? Nothing UNLESS we end up with
a bunch of bored, screaming banchee difficult child children. :thumbsdown:

Three things planned to avoid that:
1. Water balloon tosses with little prizes.
2. Tables set up with plastic pith helmets and LOTS of magic
markers so the children can custom color "their" free hat.
(Clever...huh!!)
3. The sandbuilding area which should help.

If we use tarps (good idea, Starbie) and the "right" sand (darn
I had two men lined up to lift, carry, spread the FREE sand!)
does this make sense??? Remember this is a FUNDraising event.

1. Charge a buck or two for entrance into the contest.
2. Give them ONE hour on their designated tarp to build.
3. Have 12 and under, 13 and over including adults????
4. Have a theme?? Make Halloween?? They could do pumpkins,
witches, etc???
5. Announce a winner each hour??

That way more people can participate if we have a crowd show up
and it won't "look weird" if there are only a few who do it?

Does that make sense? Yikes, I forgot some of the conservatives
think of Halloween as Devil worship.

I NEED to move back to a BIG city, people! :rofl: DDD

 

[DDD]

Oh yeah.........forget to add we have clowns coming to do face
painting.

Geez, I HATE clowns! Have I told you all that I HATE clowns??
:surprise: Yes, I do. I really do! DDD

 

[Star*]

D3,

I don't like clowns either. Ever since I read Stephen Kings book -the cover had a clown on it. I mean I loved Bozo as a kid, watched him every Saturday, but now? Blech....and wanna know something even more strange? Without me ever saying a word to anyone about my clownphobia....my difficult child can't stand them either. It's genetic I am sure. Makes me wonder why I married and divorced a clown. Curiosity perhaps?

Yes, ask if you can swap out sand for tarps.

Bank sand here in SC is sand that we just dig out of a bank or small hill. It's color is more orangy, it's a little finer than beach sand but considering millions of years ago most of SC was an ocean? We're blessed with Sandy runs, sandy roads. I'm not kidding I had a load of it dumped in my yard for smoothing out my property and I put a free sign on what I had left after I ran a backhoe to create the "perfect" lawn, and it was GONE! I have even had people stop on the "dirt" road (some ask some dont) to dig this stuff up in 5 gallon buckets for their kids sand box.

WHich made me think.....if the tarps are put NEAR the canoe and boat landing, maybe the city would allow you to put the sand IN the water after you're done. ????? I think alligators would like a place to bask.

I love those old fashioned games...like:
Spoon and egg race. You get a spoon I get a spoon and I start out with and egg on the end of my spoon. I race to you and transfer the egg to your spoon without hands just my mouth and the spoon.

Burlap sack races, team with leg tied together races, human wheelbarrow races, orange transfer.....keep it under your neck and race to your partner and transfer the orange with only your neck to theirs. You can use grapefruits for adults.

Are you going to have the Florida Orange growers association show up and offer free OJ? How about asking the Red Cross to put on demonstrations of CPR? Have you asked the police to set up a McGruff the dog booth with free fingerprinting and ID cards for the kiddies? How about asking the local fire department to show up with a ladder truck for the kids to look at and fire safety handouts? Most of these places will do these public services for free. Call your local chapter of the Chamber of Commerce too, they'll have some ideas to help.

OH you should have pony rides. And if there is an animal shelter in your neighborhood, ask them to come and bring a couple adoptees for the day. Maybe someone will take home a best forever friend.

ENjoy!
Star

 

[Star*]

Oh dear..... :bag: I wrote so much...does this mean I have no life? (Insert unsure laugh)

 

[OTE]

Keep those guys who volunteered to help with the sand, you'll need them, just differently. been there done that, a truck dumps the sand in one big hill. If you want it spread out.... Guess bank sand is a regional thing. I bought a truckload of sand for a good size sandbox from the guy who was building a new septic field in my yard. Told him it was for a sandbox and it was great, whatever he called it.

I'd watch the competition with difficult children. Gets out of hand easily. Physical activity is better, wear them out so they've got no fight left in them! LOL

Many of our difficult children are also creative. If this is Halloween time... get folks to donate old clothes, hats, shoes, old costumes, craft supplies, anything really. Buy bags of stuff at thrift shops or yard sales. Get tape, safety pins, glue, needle and thread, no scissors. Ask craft store to donate old stuff. Kid who designs the best costume with what you've got there wins the costume contest.

Also, if you've got a sand pile think of games they can do with it. Team volleyball comes to mind. Who can jump the farthest with a running start?

About Home Depot...if they wanted to donate a bunch of those kits that they do Saturday kid projects with... and even a couple of guys to do it at tables like they do in front of the store...

 

[OTE]

Oh, and I missed dance contest.... the kind where the longest standing wins... with music from that radio station.

 

[DDD]

As much as I complain about where we live (with justification, by the way!) there are multiple functions aimed at kids. Just this past
Saturday there was "Kids Day" with lots of the suggested kids
ideas.

The Big Canoe Challenge is "mostly" for adults and teens. I'm just trying to figure out different (aka "newsworthy) ways for
kids to be kept out of the way. :whew: After almost fifty years of daily "kids"...I don't get all warm and fuzzy at the
thought! :smile:

The races will last about three hours or so, with the canoes
going three at a time. The food and drinks will be there the whole time. The clowns (ugh!) will act like clowns and paint
faces. The water balloon contests will last for a couple of hours and be age divided. We have 60 plastic pith helmets and
kids will be able to decorate "their own" hat with markers and
stuff. THEN...there will be some type of ongoing sand activity.
I'm trying to find the "right" sand and then I'll hit on H.D.
for tarps.

IF you were Chairperson and could add one or two booths for
extra food/drink to make a profit, what would you add?? We have
hot dogs, drinks, chips and hamburgers. I was thinking maybe
apples? real juice? Something healthy as the trails are focused
on healthful activity. We have limited electric access. DDD

 

[OTE]

I'd go for something cold eg Italian ices or ice cream. Can buy them and keep them in dry ice at the site.

Another sand activity... I've seen a kid's museum have a fake archaelogical site... aka a sand pit with tiny plastic dinosaurs in the sand for kids to find.

 

[envisablepuppet]

I thought of another idea that we do here in our little burg every 4th of J. Might work for you but it's not really booth sells and almost any age can do it.

It's a cake walk. I never participated it it myself but it is quite popular here. I think it works something like musical chairs only they put paper stars or something on the ground and the ppl walk around in a circle. If that's something you might be interested in let me know and I'll get you more info on it.

I'll think on the booth thing. Nothing really comes to mind yet but the day is young. :laugh:

 

[DDD]

I used to run the cake walk at the elementary school fair back
in 60'something. I like cakewalks when you know the people who
baked the cakes...lol. Thanks for the idea. DDD