Run Your Own Event! By VP Angel

Run Your Own Event!

One of the four DECA principals is being community oriented. However it is very difficult being a community oriented chapter. You don't have to be an officer in your chapter in order to organize a community service project! Following these steps will help you and your chapter become community oriented.

1)     Find a charity to help

The most difficult step is getting started. The best way to find a local charity to help is first finding what you are passionate about. Whether that is helping the homeless, helping disabled veterans, anything you are passionate about you can find a charity for it. Once you have what you want to do then find a charity that helps what you are passionate about. Contact that charity and ask what would help them the most. Once you get the difficult part done, its time for the fun part!

2)     Organize the event

Organizing the event within your chapter can be stressful, but it can also be a lot of fun. The best way to organize the event is delegating certain tasks to different people. Making sure the roles you give to people is the right role for them is a vital part for the success of this event. I recommend piking roles with your advisor. Even though you are picking roles for people, make sure those people have a team to help them so they are not doing one responsibility by themselves. For example, have one person in charge of marketing and promoting and make sure they pick the right team to help them market and promote the event to your chapter and school (if you want to make it a school-wide project). This will also be helpful in making sure in case one person can’t do something, you have a backup plan!

3)     Promote to your members

Wanting your chapter to be community oriented is great, but it can be very difficult promoting why being community oriented is important to many of your members. Show your members why this is going to benefit them. Also tell your members why we are helping that charity. Knowing the mission statement of the charity you are helping is the best way to get that across. Their mission is what drove you to help them, it will make your members want to help them as well!

4)     Show it off!

When the event is over, don't just think “we did it, great!” Show off your accomplishment! Tell your administrators in your school, let it known on the announcements! Make sure students in your school know that DECA is involved in your community and that your chapter gives back. Publicizing an accomplishment is great, and could make students want to join DECA!