Preparation Timeline for an Intergenerational Event

Upon deciding to launch the event, immediately take the following steps.

1. Share your plans with the parish staff to avoid scheduling conflicts or duplication of programs.
2. Reserve the required spaces/rooms on the parish calendar.
3. Contact maintenance personnel regarding setup.
4. Recruit volunteers. You will need
   
   • one or two persons to lead in organizing and overseeing the event.
   • at least two persons per activity center to coordinate materials and facilitate movement.
   • two or more persons to prepare costumes (if choosing to perform the Agony in the Garden Drama as part of the prayer service).
   • one or two persons to recruit event participants to take part in the Agony in the Garden Drama and to rehearse with them (if choosing to perform the drama as part of the prayer service).
   • two persons to prepare a sacred space for the prayer service.
   • a suitable number of persons to assist in setup and cleanup.
5. Arrange to meet with volunteers to explain the plans and their responsibilities.
6. Pray that all goes well.

At the beginning of Lent, you will want to do the following.

1. Contact persons responsible for the parish Lenten mailing to ensure that information about the Good Friday event and the invitation to participate are included.
2. Prepare flyer(s) advertising the event for distribution throughout the parish.
3. Prepare article or advertisement for inclusion in the parish bulletin.
4. Meet with volunteers to distribute tasks and relay pertinent information.
5. Provide tax letters and instructions to persons making purchases for the event.
6. Provide diagram of event area to those in charge of setup and to activity volunteers.
7. Establish area where materials and resources needed for event will be stored.
8. Maintain list of volunteers and their contact information.
9. Pray that all goes well.

In preparation for the Resurrection Garden, you will want to do the following.

1. Prepare butterfly patterns on card stock for distribution to each family at the close of the Intergenerational Event.
2. Prepare a packet for each family that contains the following:
3. Easter Family Handout
4. Butterfly pattern on card stock
5. Craft stick (1 per family)
6. Purchase large, thick Styrofoam sheets (available at craft stores) to serve as soil in which families can plant their butterflies.
7. Use the Garden-Sign Template to create a poster to place in the Resurrection Garden.
8. If planning this as an outdoor garden, the poster can be enlarged onto 11 x 17 paper, laminated, and glued onto poster board.
9. Have volunteers available at Easter Sunday Masses to assist families with placing butterflies into the garden.
10. Pray that all goes well.

At the start of Holy Week, you will want to take the following actions.

1. Check with volunteer leaders to assure that all is ready.
2. Instruct volunteer leaders to check with activity-center volunteers.
3. Check with persons involved with setup—maintenance, personnel, and volunteers.
4. Arrange to meet with entire team one hour before event for coordination and last-minute instructions.
5. Pray that all goes well.