Advance Planning

- Set a date in consultation with the Clubs/Areas concerned.

- Book the room and arrange for any refreshments.

- Order any prizes.

- Retrieve any perpetual trophies.

- Have a copy of the contest rules (download here).

Financing
Area and Division Contests should be self-financing.
Area Governors can ask the Clubs to finance the Area Contest. This has two big advantages:
1. There will be no need to collect money at the door from individual attendees;
2. You know that expenses will be covered exactly by income - by asking each Club to pay an equal share of the total cost.
However note that this can only be done with the prior agreement of the Clubs involved as they have financial autonomy.



Before the Contest

- Appoint a Contest Chair. (This can be you!) Provide the Contest Chair with the names of the Contestants when known and ensure their eligibility is checked.

- Appoint a Chief Judge (from another Area/Division if possible). Assist the Chief Judge in recruiting the Judges.

- Appoint a Sergeant At Arms who sets up the room with a set of lights and 2 stopwatches, collects entrance money (if applicable) and welcomes everyone. Ensure the timing equipment will be available.

- Appoint Timers, Counters, Ushers and any other officials you want. You may want someone to interview the Contestants or host a Topics session while the votes are being counted.

- Put together an Agenda. Avoid mentioning what Club any Contestant represents.

- Pubilcise the event thoroughly.

- Print off the forms and certificates. To download see the botttom of this page.

- For the Evaluation Contest, arrange a target speaker.

- For the Table Topics Contest, arrange for a topic to be prepared.


Day of the Contest

- Be there early to ensure the room is set up and all the officials are there and carrying out their roles and responsibilities.

- Give Participation Certificates and prizes/trophies to the Contest Chair or whoever is presenting them.

- Give Top 3 Certificates to the Chief Judge.

After the Contest

Ensure the Chief Judge provides the names of all final placings to the person organising the next round:
Division Contest - Division Governor; or
District Contest - Lieutenant Governor Education & Training.

Contest Forms

The forms and certificates can now be downloaded free.