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When
the President makes his address on January 31, it will be a whole lot
easier to listen and make sense of it if you’re surrounded by friends.
So have a party! And have some fun with it. And let us know how it goes:
contact us to get advice, or to report on your festivities. Thanks!
Why
a house party?
A house party is a great way to bring together friends, family and neighbors
to discuss important and urgent issues. Indeed, women have been relying
on them for many years. In the 19th century, the women's temperance movement
used them to organize throughout the country. To this day, many groups
hold house parties to organize politically, and to further social justice
campaigns.
A house party
provides a comfortable, non-threatening venue to discuss controversial
issues and allow for an exchange of ideas with friends and neighbors.
How
to organize a house party
The key is to seal the event with a K.I.S.S. - Keep
It Short and Simple!
- A house
party works best when everyone knows there is a specific goal, and a
definite time frame.
- Make sure
that the event doesn’t last longer than 2 hours.
- Find
a house that has a pleasant atmosphere — one that's conducive
to conversation, and to urging people to take action.
- Don’t
focus on fancy food or decorations (although efforts to provide a warm
supportive environment are appreciated!).
- Consider
how many people your home can comfortably accommodate, and measure it
against how many people you would like to attend. If you think there
might not be enough room, think about asking someone else to host it.
- The State
of the Union address starts promptly at 9:00pm EST. Invite people to
arrive at least a half hour beforehand
- Begin
by inviting your friends, colleagues, and family. You can call them,
or send a personal invitation in the mail, or use email (see www.evite.com
for a few snazzy ideas).
- If you’re
comfortable inviting outsiders into your home, you can create a flyer
and post it where people with interests similar to yours might gather.
- When
people arrive at the house, ask them to sign in (if necessary). Make
sure the sign in sheet includes Name, Email, Address, Telephone and
a check off box to indicate if they would like to be contacted when
advocacy opportunities arise.
Create
an agenda for the meeting
• Welcome and review of agenda
• Introductions
• Overview of WAND (who we are, what we stand for, & what we
do)
• Why watching the State of the Union is important
• Take a look at the Listening Guide, and fill it out during the
party.
After
the party
Follow up is essential. Make sure you have WAND brochures on hand, and
offer them. Ask the attendees to consider joining WAND.
And finally, please forward copies of the sign up sheets to the National
Field Office.
Thanks
and good luck!
Get
in touch if you need more information or help:
National
Field Office | 250 Georgia Avenue S.E., Suite 202 | Atlanta,
GA 30312
404-524-5999 | twallace@wand.org |
